Booking a stay through Airbnb can be a chore for a few reasons. Chief among those is the fact it’s not always easy to tell at a glance how much you’ll pay for your vacation rental, since the cleaning fee or security deposit may not appear until after y…
FAA says Apple AirTags are allowed in checked baggage
Don’t worry that you might not be allowed to slip an Apple AirTag into your luggage for your next flight. As The Points Guy notes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stated that AirTags are allowed on checked baggage. Any item tracker whose battery has under 0.3g of lithium is clear to fly. You can track your suitcase without fear of the airline taking action.
The clarification comes after worries Lufthansa might ban active AirTags in baggage. There were concerns the German carrier would interpret the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) guidance to forbid any lithium-powered tracker that can’t be turned off, including AirTags. There was speculation Lufthansa wanted to forbid the tags to mask problems with lost luggage and other air travel problems. However, ICAO can only issue guidelines — it’s up to officials to adopt and enforce rules, and there are none pertaining to these devices in Germany or the US.
Lufthansa issued its own statement clarifying that Apple’s devices are allowed on flights. Both the airline and German regulators have determined that item trackers with small batteries and low power “do not pose a safety risk.” The company added that it sought exemptions for AirTags and similar tags for checked luggage restrictions.
The FAA and Lufthansa statements theoretically settle the matter. While we wouldn’t completely rule out governments or airlines altering their stance, there haven’t been any reports of fires or other incidents that would prompt a change of heart. You can safely use AirTags, Tile trackers and similar find-my-stuff products to provide some reassurance during your next vacation.
The original space tourist hopes to go to the Moon with SpaceX
SpaceX’s next lunar passengers could include one of the earliest civilian spacefarers. As CBS Newsreports, original space tourist Dennis Tito and his wife Akiko have signed up as passengers on the company’s second planned Moon voyage. They aim to travel within roughly five years, joining 10 other travelers aboard Starship. Tito didn’t say how much he and Akiko would pay for the trip.
Dennis Tito built his fortune as a financial analyst, but he’s best-known for paying Russia $20 million to take him to the International Space Station in 2001, making him the first space tourist. Akiko, meanwhile, is well-suited to the trip as a jet pilot. She would be one of the first women to fly around the Moon in Starship, SpaceX said.
Dennis and Akiko Tito are the first two crewmembers on Starship’s second commercial spaceflight around the Moon → https://t.co/z2Z9iVGw8xpic.twitter.com/07RHJlb6Dc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 12, 2022
SpaceX intends to have the spacecraft circumnavigate the Moon, getting as close as 124 miles from the lunar surface before returning home. The first journey is linked to Shift4 founder Jared Isaacman’s Polaris Program and should include Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa alongside six to eight additional passengers.
While the news helps solidify SpaceX’s tourism plans, there are more than a few challenges. To start, Dennis Tito is 82 — while he’s stepping up his fitness regimen, he might be nearing William Shatner’s age when the Star Trek icon visited space with Blue Origin. There’s also the question of Starship’s readiness. SpaceX has struggled to get its flagship vehicle up and running. While there has been progress, even the first orbital test flight might be months away. That, in turn, could push the first commercial flights beyond 2023.
Even so, this announcement could represent an important milestone. Thus far, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have broadly pulled ahead in space tourism. The Titos’ plans suggest SpaceX’s program is finally attracting more interest, albeit from wealthy people who won’t blink at paying a fortune for a lunar sightseeing expedition.
Delta invests in air taxi startup Joby to enable home-to-airport flights
Flying taxi startup Joby Aviation just landed a deal that could make your ride to the airport much more enjoyable. Delta is investing a total of up to $200 million in Joby in exchange for a home-to-airport flight service. Instead of hailing a car or paying for parking, you can have an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft take you to the terminal without the usual traffic hassles.
The service will initially be available to Delta passengers travelling through New York City and Los Angeles, and will operate for at least five years after launch. It will exist alongside Joby’s regular airport service in “priority” areas.
This represents a significant boost for Joby. It was the first eVTOL company to get key FAA certifications for airworthiness and carrier service, and now it’s signing a “first-of-its-kind” (according to the companies) agreement with a US airline. The move could give Joby an edge over rivals like Archer and Wisk Aero that are waiting for FAA certifications or major commercial partnerships.
Joby has also been growing quickly compared to many competitors. It received $394 million from Toyota in early 2020, and bought Uber’s air taxi business late that same year. NASA began flight testing the firm’s eVTOLs in summer 2021. Simply put, it’s in a good position to make flying taxis a practical reality.
‘Immersive View’ in Google Maps expands to 250 landmarks globally
If you recently traveled to a new city, there’s a good chance you used Maps to plan your trip. Google wants to make that process easier. Over the next few months, you can expect Google to expand the availability of its 3D “Immersive View” feature. As o…
VW’s latest concept is a self-driving travel pod that can replace short flights
Many automakers dream of self-driving cars that are effectively lounges on wheels, but VW is taking things one step further. The brand has unveiled a Gen.Travel “design study” EV that it hopes could replace short flights. The four-person travel pod would be completely autonomous (that is, SAE Level 5) and revolve around a modular interior that can be customized for each trip. Businesspeople could work at a conference table during a ride, while red-eye travellers could use two seats that convert into beds.
The Gen.Travel could also be more comfortable than even some nicer airline seats. Dynamic lighting would not only help maintain natural sleep cycles, but reduce motion sickness. A configuration with front seats could keep children (and let’s be honest, adults) entertained with augmented reality. While the bubble-like cabin is built to maximize your view of the outdoors, it promises both safety and isolation for sleeping passengers.
Volkswagen
VW didn’t outline performance. However, it said that a combination of AI and platooning (automated driving in convoys) could extend the range.
This is a research project meant to test driverless pods as “mobility-as-a-service” options. You probably won’t ever sit in the Gen.Travel. It’s a real prototype, though, and VW says features might find their way into production cars. We wouldn’t count on all of them reaching the self-driving machines VW expects to make from 2025 onward, but don’t be surprised if future robotaxis seem very familiar.