eBags’ new airport mantra: ‘Reunited, and it feels so good’

All travelers agree: Lost luggage can ruin any trip.

With an eye on privacy and ease of use, eBags new smart solution hopes to streamline the travel experience. The luggage and travel accessory pure-play retailer has developed an app-enabled ID tag that reunites lost luggage with their owners.

Unlike the traditional luggage tag, which prominently displays the owner's contact information for anyone to see, the eBags Connected Luggage Tag uses patent-pending privacy controls to let customers control which personal information they display on tags, and when.

Users' contact information is stored in the cloud, a foundation that allows details to be updated anytime to reflect the correct location, new address, or any other changes to personal information. “Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, lost luggage can ruin a trip," says Mike Edwards, CEO of eBags. "We wanted to leverage cloud-based technology to help travelers avoid hassles and preserve their privacy,” eBags co-founder and EVP Peter Cobb said. "As a company, we've always been about creating connections; between people and places, and between people and their favorite travel products. Using technology to make those connections easier is the natural next step for us.”

After downloading the free app for Apple or Android devices, users follow the prompts to name their bag, then enter their contact information and indicate which personal details they would like to display. Then they can link their bag to the tag in one of three ways: by scanning the QR code, tapping the chip on their NFC-enabled phone, or entering the Tag ID listed on their eBags Connected Luggage Tag.

Upon noticing a missing bag, travelers use the app to mark it as lost, then confirm or update their contact information. When somebody finds the bag, they scan the QR code or visit the URL on the tag to get in touch with the hosting eBags app.

The solution is available on the company’s website for $4.95.