What happens to lost items at the airport

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) –

With the hustle of holiday travel, reports of mishandled luggage and lost items at airports spike according to a NerdWallet study.

In the month of December between 2008 and 2011, NerdWallet found items were lost at a 30 to 35 percent higher rate than the rest of the year.

When it comes to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport lost and found, travelers have 60 days to recover their lost items before they’re shipped off to Boone County for auction.

“If we can find the owner, we get it back to [them], Penny Kramer, CVG’s police secretary said. “If we can’t, we can also return the item to the finder, which gives them an incentive to turn it in.”

Penny said that a lot of the lost items are bottles, umbrellas and posters.

All items left behind end up with airport police, who say they get dozens of calls everyday from people looking for things they left behind.

Every airport has its own policy on how it handles luggage left behind. Denver International Airport lost and found also sends stuff out to auction but donates clothing to charity.

A searchable database of the San Diego International Airport lost and found shows a majority of lost items include iPads, iPhones and credit cards.

However, a Travel Supermarket study found that it isn’t just sunglasses and laptops being forgotten, things like microwaves, tents and even a wedding dress were left behind at an airport in the United Kingdom.

The airlines themselves also put effort into getting lost items to their rightful owners. Southwest Airlines lost and found states they will spend 30 days looking for items left behind. After that, the item will be “salvaged” and all proceeds go to charity.Southwest Airlines lost property

Tips to minimize loss:

-Book direct flights.

-Some credit cards including Visa, MasterCard and American Express offer travel insurance options that could be worth looking into if you are traveling with valuables.

-File a claim with the airline and the airport as soon as you notice anything missing.

-Check all your items after going through security and before getting off the plane.

-Don’t put anything in the seat back pocket during the flight.

CVG says travellers should report lost items here.