(NEXSTAR) – Apple is making it easier for airlines to track down your lost luggage, and the Silicon Valley company said Monday that at least 15 carriers will accept the new tool. For air travelers who have popped one of the the trackable, Mentos candy-shaped AirTags in their luggage – but still struggle to get help when suitcases are misplaced – this software update is for you. (Credit: Apple) Previously, the locations of AirTags and other devices have only been visible to the owner using the "Find My" app. Find My is built on a "crowdsourced network of over one billion Apple devices" that can detect a missing device nearby and alert the owner to its approximate location. Now, thanks to an update already available in beta with iOS 18.2, Apple says users will be able to securely share a link with the location of an AirTag or other Find My app accessory with a third party. “The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled," Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, said in a news release. "With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.” ‘Jeopardy!’ Bar League coming to trivia nights next year Apple says customer service departments at the following airlines will start accepting Find My item locations in the coming months: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, United, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling. How will it work? Find My users will be able to create a Share Item Location link that will generate a continuously-updating website showing where the location on an interactive map. Apple says it has worked with airlines to put systems in place to efficiently and securely handle the digital tracking requests. Airline employees and other recippients will be "required to authenticate in order to view the link." The shared location will be disabled once the owner has the possession back, and the Find My user can stop sharing at any time. The links automatically expire after seven days. “By accepting Find My item locations, we’ll be able to offer additional peace of mind to customers who travel with AirTag in their luggage,” said Annalisa Gigante, head of innovation at IAG, the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL, in a news release. Apple added that SITA, whose World Tracer baggage-monitoring system is used across the globe, will also build support for Share Item Location. While damaged or lost luggage is relatively rare – less than 1% of the roughly 115 million pieces enplaned between Nov. 2022 and Jan. 2023 – it can be a devastating start to a vacation or business trip. United, one of the few domestic airlines Apple mentioned, says it expects to Find My item locations in select airports in early 2025.