An end to lost luggage?

Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of losing their luggage on a trip abroad, be it business or pleasure, will know the pain and anguish that this can create. In recent surveys taken with the fiasco at T5 In Heathrow, it was concluded that the biggest single frustration was not that the luggage was lost, but that the airlines seemed to have no idea about how to trace and recover it.

If you speak to the Airlines directly (and we have tried to believe us) the answers range from a complete denial of any luggae issue, to what do you want us to do about it?

Now we may be being a bit unfair on the airlines by saying that, and we know for a fact that they are looking to invest possible billions in an RFiD system that will supposedly allow them to tell you exactly where your bags are and when you will get them back should they go missing.

But our concerns are quite obvious, in the fact that when possible compensation is at stake, would you rely on what they tell you? or would you want to know for yourself?

The BagBug is a small GSM based device that works in a very simple yet effective way. It is a matchbox sized device that incorporates a GSM modem (the inside of a mobile phone) and a movement sensor. It also has a few other little tricks up its sleeve but these are patent pending and so we cannot divulge them at this time.

It works by being placed inside your luggage, and when it arrives at the other end you will get a text message telling you which international airport it has arrived at!

Simple but effective. Obviously, if it has arrived at the same airport as the one you are in, then there is a good chance that it came in on the same plane and you will already have picked it up. But, if the baggage reclaim is void of any of your luggage, then once you have received your text, simply contact your airline, tell them what airport it is in and they can then make arrangements to find it and return it to you.

Although the bagBug will not prevent your luggage from going missing in the first place, we anticipate that it will enable you to get it back inside 48 hours which is currently a much better prospect than you would normally be facing without it. 

COSTS

• The BagBug is expected to retail at approx £49.99 with no monthly fees or contracts
• It should be on the shelves by early November 2008.
• We are also seeking to work with a few select insurance companies to offer reduced travel insurance if used in conjunction with the BagBug. 
• contact us quoting BagBug in the subject line if you are interested in this product