The devil wears RFID-tagged Prada

A company called RFID Ltd. is targeting the Paris Hilton set with designer luggage tags that contain radio frequency identification chips to help airlines locate lost baggage. The tags are being designed to match the colors and grains of luggage offered by Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton.

"Our glamorous designer line of BagChipElite luggage tags should suit even the most discriminating of tastes," RFID Ltd. president Nicholas Chavez said in a statement.

The company says its designer tags are in the final stage of production and will be sold from its Web site. But fashionistas will want to hold off until the company proves it's gotten airlines to buy into its RFID system.

The company is shopping its BagChip system to airlines, which it says would help airlines reduce the enormous amount of time and money spent each year returning lost luggage to its rightful owners. The chips would contain a traveler's name, address, phone number, and unique numeric identification number, and would be scanned using medium-range handheld readers from Alien Technology or Symbol Technologies at locations within airports. RFID Ltd. plans to let airlines test its system at select airports this year.