Innovative digital electronic luggage tag wins industry award

Luggage manufacturer RIMOWA and airline Lufthansa have launched an award winning digital electronic luggage tag in the next step towards a fully integrated mobility solution for luggage.

The electronic luggage tag was presented at the FTE (Future Travel Experience) Global conference in Las Vegas where it was named ‘Best Baggage Initiative’ in an award ceremony recognising modern ideas and services that make travelling more enjoyable for passengers.

The product was developed as a result of the BAG2GO project, a cross-industry collaboration between T-Systems, Airbus and RIMOWA that has already attracted great interest worldwide. The partnerships lead to the foundation of a wholly owned subsidiary of RIMOWA in 2014 under the name BAG2GO GmbH. 

The electronic luggage tag allows passengers to check in baggage at home or via an airline app

According to RIMOWA, The first digital and fully integrated mobility solution for luggage makes flying with baggage more convenient, faster and more secure. It consists of a RIMOWA suitcase, an airline app and the RIMOWA Electronic Tag with an E Ink Mobius (TM) display which is built into the luggage. The company believes linking suitcases to the digital world is the logical next step with an estimated 3.5 billion people travelling by plane this year and a large percentage of whom carrying a smartphone in their bag or pocket.

Air passengers with the RIMOWA Electronic Tag, built by Netronix®, can simply check in from home or while on the road using the airline app – and check in their luggage, too. In addition to a digital boarding pass, passengers will receive digital luggage information from the airline for their booked flight. Lufthansa recently became the first company to integrate this feature in its app. Just by one click the luggage information is then sent via Bluetooth from the smartphone to the suitcase equipped with the RIMOWA Electronic Tag. The details are immediately displayed on the built-in data module powered by E Ink®. The RIMOWA suitcase can be dropped off within seconds at the airport.

In terms of size and appearance, the luggage information displayed on the electronic data module corresponds to today’s paper labels, including the green EU stripe required by customs (compulsory for all flights departing from European airports). This makes the transition from analogue to digital very simple. The important information is protected from moisture, heat, cold, shocks and vibration and cannot be accidentally torn off, unlike a paper label.

The product launch of the RIMOWA Electronic Tag is taking place exclusively with Lufthansa through RIMOWA stores.