Samsonite launches personal global luggage tracker

Samsonite International, the world’s largest travel luggage company, has launched an advanced global tracking device that can transmit a bag’s location every 20 to 30 minutes using an array of wireless communications resources.

The new Tumi Global Locator, now available in the United States and set for worldwide release this December, delivers real-time data through a free mobile application for devices on both Android and Apple iOS platforms.

“This is a game changer for us because this electronics device can be used with all types of luggage,” Ramesh Tainwala, the global chief executive at Hong Kong-listed Samsonite, told the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

“More than 21.6 million bags were mishandled globally last year, which means 5.7 bags were lost per 1,000 passengers,” Tainwala said. “While airports and airlines are investing in technology to track luggage under their respective jurisdictions, the Tumi Global Locator puts that ability into travellers’ hands.”

The sleek locator measures 10.99 x 6.47 x 2.11 centimetres and weighs 150 grams, making it roughly the size of a typical smartphone power bank. It uses Global Positioning System, Wi-fi, Bluetooth and 2G Global System for Mobile technologies to track the location of the luggage or bag in which it has been placed.

In comparison, other tracking devices in the market solely use Bluetooth that only has a range of 20 to 30 metres.