BYO bag-tag

Lufthansa Group rolls out electronic bag tags with BAGTAG partnership

(Note: This entry was originally posted on 17 January 2018)

Almost two years after luggage maker RIMOWA released their updated range of check-in luggage with its Electronic Tag solution, an E Ink display that replaces the job of the typical paper bag tag, the Lufthansa Group has partnered with a Dutch company, BAGTAG, to offer a similar solution.

The device, which can be attached to suitcases and bags using fastening screws and a mounting plate, has an e-paper display which shows all of the relevant flight information, just like a paper bag tag.

Unlike RIMOWA’s solution, flyers can continue using their existing luggage with the BAGTAG product, which comes as a standalone unit that gets attached to the bag.

However, on the subject of attach, the thought of “using fastening screws and a mounting plate” on my luggage doesn’t sound very appealing. If the idea of skipping queues at check-in (by going straight to the bag drop area) weigh in heavier than the possibility of putting holes in your bag to achieve that result, then read on (no pun intended).

Users can check-in via the airline’s Android app to receive their boarding pass and baggage label. Using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection, the bag tag can then be transferred to the BAGTAG device. This allows passengers to proceed directly to bag drop upon arrival at the airport.

The data is safely transmitted thanks to the use of unique hardware encryption technology, and all relevant information is also stored on an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip.

Airline app support: check!

Part of the online check-in process: check!

Information safely (and securely) transmitted between phone and BAGTAG devices: check!

The existence of RFID (Radio-frequency identification) as part of the BAGTAG product can be advantageous in situations where airports are also using this method with their overall baggage management system (interestingly, RIMOWA’s Electronic Tag solution doesn’t seem to offer RFID).

Finally, with virtually all ‘electronic bag tag’ solutions currently available, support for these are usually limited to a small number of airlines. In the case of BAGTAG, they can only be used on Austrian, Lufthansa and SWISS flights — all Lufthansa Group carriers (at the time of writing this). RIMOWA’s Electronic Tag solution suffers the same shortcomings, but gained a fourth carrier (EVA Air) late last year.

Verdict: it’s still early days for the reusable bag tag.

Kinny tweets aviation, social media and technology on Twitter.