February 8, 2009
RFID Journal: United Airlines is working with the Transportation Security Agency and Star Alliance, a global association comprising 21 airlines, to test an RFID system to speed baggage and passenger check-in for frequent flyers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The group hopes to eventually reduce passenger check-in time from up to 10 minutes down to 30 seconds, and to eventually use tags to track bags. Identification numbers encoded to each luggage tag are downloaded into the back-end system, and the bags are automatically checked in for the destination airport in the United system. The passenger receives a receipt for the baggage on a mobile phone.