OREANDA-NEWS. Lufthansa is launching a new technology for baggage tags. Passengers on flights between Frankfurt and Tokyo-Narita can now print out their own baggage tags for checked-in luggage at home. The HomeTag allows passengers to prepare for their trip from the comfort of their own home and then check in their baggage directly at the counter or the self-service machines at the airport.

And this is how it works: when customers check in online at home or in the office, they receive a HomeTag for their outward and return flight together with their boarding card. The HomeTag contains all the necessary information, such as flight route, passenger name and, of course, the baggage item number, which is also printed clearly as a barcode. Special HomeTag holders are available at the airport, which passengers can fix to their baggage and insert the HomeTag into. After that, they simply have to check in their baggage at the baggage counter or one of the self-service machines. The machines are able to automatically identify the baggage items using the tags, making baggage check-in even faster.

The only difference between HomeTags and conventional baggage tags is an additional QR code. This code means that travel details can be reconstructed, even if the tag has been damaged. The Lufthansa HomeTag holder also has an RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that enables express check-in at the Lufthansa baggage machines. As well as saving time at the airport, customers who use the HomeTag benefit from an even more reliable baggage service, since the HomeTag is more stable and weather-resistant than conventional baggage tags, and the RFID chip contains an extra copy of all the baggage details.

This innovative technology is expected to be available soon on other routes from Frankfurt and Munich to Asia and the USA.