South Africans worried about their possessions while flying can now track their checked-in luggage in real-time thanks to a new feature on the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) app.
This new feature was recently launched by Acsa, with the group noting that it will give passengers increased visibility, convenience, and peace of mind during their travels.
“Passengers can now monitor the progress of their checked-in baggage from the moment it is handed over at the check-in counter, through each stage of the baggage handling process,” Acsa said.
“By simply entering their booking reference number and flight date, travellers can instantly access the status of their bags directly within the app.”
This, according to the group, also highlights its continued commitment to enhancing the passenger experience with new, technology-driven solutions.
“The new baggage tracking feature boosts transparency, efficiency, and confidence in the entire baggage handling process.”
Sello Makhubela, Acsa interim chief information officer, has described the new feature as a major step along the company’s digital transformation journey.
“Technology enables us to better serve our passengers, and this feature is one of many innovations aimed at delivering a seamless, world-class travel experience,” Makhubela stated.
“By empowering passengers with real-time visibility of their baggage, we are not only improving convenience but also strengthening trust in our operational processes.
The Acsa app, which includes this new luggage tracking feature, can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei AppGallery.
The introduction of this new feature is likely due to the longstanding issue of baggage loss and theft in South Africa, and many passengers having suggested using Bluetooth-enabled Apple AirTags or Samsung SmartTags be used to track luggage.
Another issue is that sometimes flyers will find items missing from their luggage, taken by malicious handlers.
This has led South Africans to take extra precautions by wrapping their bags prior to the flight to deter tampering.
Upgrades on the way
Acsa originally launched its app in 2022 with several features, such as live flight tracking, pre-booking, and payment for parking at discounted rates.
Since then, it has expanded its app offerings with features like in-airport navigation, a whistle-blower feature, and now live luggage tracking.
The app is one of several projects Acsa is running to improve customer service and operational efficiency at South African airports.
This includes the construction of a new R5.7-billion cargo terminal at OR Tambo Airport and R2.3 billion spent on refurbishment and rehabilitation.
To support these projects, Acsa has indicated it aims to raise approximately half of a planned R21.7 billion infrastructure budget within 12 months.
Other projects include:
- New jet fuel feeder line and redundancy system at OR Tambo Airport.
- Replacement of backup power generators at OR Tambo Airport.
- Refurbishment and replacement of passenger loading bridges at multiple sites, including structural repairs and upgrades to control systems and canopy covers.
- Replacement of Instrument Landing Systems and Automated Weather Observation Systems, enhancing aviation safety and compliance.
- Terminal and roofing works, including HVAC upgrades, waterproofing, replacement of sprinklers, and airside enhancement systems.
Along with this, it plans to roll out biometric-enabled passenger journeys and predictive maintenance systems.
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