It’s an inconvenience no one wants to deal with: losing your belongings at the airport. Perhaps it’s happened to you or someone you know. Anyone who has traveled knows how overstimulating airports can be and unfortunately, misplacing and leaving behind items here is prevalent. So, what exactly are unlucky jetsetters abandoning? According to a 2023 report from Unclaimed Baggage, electronics like cell phones, tablets, e-readers, and headphones, as well as books, and clothing (including underwear) are some of the most frequently discovered items in carry-on and checked bags that have been left behind. Similarly, the Port of Seattle reported that electronics and luggage are a few of the most commonly lost items at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). This also holds true at Denver International Airport (DEN). Note that these two airports are considered to be some of the busiest in the country.
The question you might be asking yourself now is what should you do if one of your belongings disappears at the airport? First and foremost, you will want to retrace your steps and consider where exactly you may have lost the item. Sometimes individuals absentmindedly put something down at a table or bench and fail to pick it up. Others forget their possessions during the chaos of going through security. In this case, you will also want to speak to airport staff and ask where they place lost items.
What is the fate of lost belongings at the airport?
Losing something at the airport can be disruptive. Luckily, there are several ways travelers can get their belongings back, even if they’ve realized something is missing long after leaving. Let’s say you know for certain the item was left at security. In this event, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has your back with its lost and found webpage. Speaking to The Washington Post, TSA Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein explained, “Based on your airport, the website will either give you a phone number to call or an online form to fill out if you’ve lost something.”
Ultimately, the TSA will do their best to get your belongings back to you if they turn up, but keep in mind that anything that is unclaimed is only in their possession for 30 days. After this, TSA states that lost items may be destroyed or sold. If you know you had whatever is now missing after you went through security but then misplaced it before you stepped on board your flight, you should reach out to the airport instead of TSA. A quick online search will lead you to the airport’s lost and found. From there, you will likely be instructed to submit a claim to have your effects returned to you.
Sometimes it’s not travelers who lose their items but their airline. If your bags are a no-show, airlines do owe you for your lost luggage. Of course, you will have to file a claim before you receive financial compensation. That said, the luggage that never makes it home will find its way to Unclaimed Baggage in Alabama, America’s only lost luggage retailer that offers an immersive shopping experience. Yes, this is the same Unclaimed Baggage that is responsible for the 2023 report on what people most commonly leave behind.
Here’s how to avoid losing your items at the airport
