POM is off to a slow start on Kickstarter; one of many new GPS trackers trying to break into the growing market.
Anyone who has travelled can relate to the lost luggage worries, but with the increasing number of GPS luggage tags, it may soon be a thing of the past. The Airline Transportation Industry reported that in 2012 there were 26 million bags lost. And, according to the same baggage report, roughly 68% of the lost bags were due to mishandling during a transfer or a failure to be loaded on the plane. It may seem like a lot, but the report goes on to explain how even those staggering numbers are nearly half the statistics reported for 2007.
Now, through the wonders of GPS technology, when your bag isn’t at the terminal you can tell the airport where it is and have a better chance of getting your things returned to you quickly. There are several different choices for GPS enhanced luggage tags on the market, ranging anywhere from $50-$300 depending on what features you want. Most of them seem to work through your iPhone and a few through Android as well. Many of the higher-end bags can be programmed so you will be notified if you are on the plane and your luggage is not, while the cheaper tags simply allow you to follow where the bag goes. We haven’t tried out any of these tags yet, but the market is quickly expanding and many models are already within a reasonable price range for the features offered and for the peace of mind.
