Australian Airports Address Lost and Unclaimed Property

Australian airports are preparing for an increase in lost and forgotten luggage as summer travel commences. Annually, tens of thousands of items are left behind at airports across the country.

Airport Procedures and Auctions

Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne airports regularly conduct auctions for unclaimed property. These auctions involve hundreds of items each year, generating thousands of dollars for charitable organizations.

Peter Doherty, a spokesperson for Brisbane Airport, noted that travelers often leave items due to the complexities of managing travel documents and luggage. Factors such as overweight baggage or size restrictions frequently lead to items being left behind, including golf clubs, computer monitors, or surfboards.

Recent auctions highlight the range of items recovered. A Brisbane Airport auction featured a Bulgari 18-carat gold diamond necklace, initially valued at $11,000, with a starting bid of $1. Other items included laptops, tablets, drones, cameras, boogie boards, musical instruments, fitness equipment, prams, sewing machines, and vacuum cleaners.

Sydney Airport's annual lost property auction this year raised over $250,000 for charity. Melbourne Airport processes approximately 1,000 items monthly, contributing tens of thousands of dollars annually to local community groups.

Sydney Airport's Lost Property Management

Sydney Airport, which serves over 40 million passengers annually with approximately 120,000 daily travelers, handles numerous lost items. A dedicated team of five lost property workers processes hundreds of items daily, including diverse objects such as wedding dresses, air fryers, vacuum cleaners, CPAP machines, and adult toys.

Sydney Airport spokeswoman Liz Seatter reported that more than 7,000 items were returned to their owners last year. The airport's policy is to manage items found within the terminal, while items left on aircraft are handled by the respective airlines. All recovered goods are catalogued, entered into a database, and stored securely. Examples of successful returns include a sentimental necklace and a single costume-jewellery earring.

Traveler Challenges and Global Impact

One traveler, Leigh Richards, recounted leaving his iPad on a plane after a flight to Sydney Airport. Despite tracking the device to the domestic terminal's hangars using a 'Find My' application, he was unable to retrieve it due to access restrictions.

Mishandled baggage represents a significant global expense for airlines, with global IT provider SITA estimating annual costs at approximately $5 billion. While two-thirds of bags are returned within 48 hours, millions of items remain unclaimed worldwide.

In the United States, Unclaimed Baggage operates as a retail store selling items left unclaimed after a 90-day search period. Items are cleaned, repaired, and resold, including unusual finds such as a freeze-dried chicken foot and a diamond ring valued at $60,000.

Advice for Recovering and Preventing Lost Items

• Recovery:

  • For items lost in terminals, car parks, or express pick-up areas, contact the airport's lost property office promptly.
  • For items left on an aircraft, contact the airline directly.
  • Provide comprehensive details, including a description, location, time of loss, and photographs, to facilitate recovery.

• Prevention:

  • Utilize baggage tracking technology, such as RFID tags or personal trackers (e.g., AirTags).
  • Clearly label luggage both internally and externally with contact information.
  • Photograph your bag and its valuable contents.
  • Remove any outdated airline stickers to avoid confusion.
  • Arrive at the airport early to mitigate stress.
  • Transport valuables within your carry-on luggage.
  • Consumer advocacy groups recommend reviewing travel insurance policies for coverage of unattended losses and avoiding leaving items unsupervised.