China Eastern Airlines launched a battery-less electronic luggage tag at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Tuesday which allows travelers to check in and trace luggage using their mobile phones.

The carrier plans to release the first batch of 4,000 tags to its passengers on flights between Shanghai and Beijing.

The tag has a screen to show the flight information after coming in contact with a passenger's smartphone. The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip embedded in the tag lets passengers follow the progress of their luggage on the phone.

"The new tag is convenient and I no longer need to remove the traditional paper tags often stuck tightly on the luggage," said Li Rui, one of the first travelers with an electronic tag on a Shanghai-Beijing flight during the trial period.

Some passengers, on the other hand, expressed concern. "What if the tag goes missing during transportation," said a passenger surnamed Liu from Beijing. 

"The traditional paper tag is difficult to remove but also hard to get lost," she added.

China Eastern platinum card holders can apply for the electronic tag at ticket counters. Other passengers can apply through the airline's app from August. Frequent travelers between Shanghai and Beijing will enjoy the priority.

The service will be expanded to other flights and mainly the hub airports in the future, said Shen Chenyi, general manager of the airline's luggage control center.

The airline also plans to make bespoke luggage tags for passengers, he added.

The electronic tags were in use during the first test run at Beijing's new mega airport on July 20 as the sprawling air hub gears up for its opening in September. China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines and China United Airlines operated 12 simulated flights and opened 16 check-in counters at Beijing Daxing International Airport for the exercise.

(Cover image via VCG)