Brussels Airport handles 28,000 lost items in a year

Staff at Brussels Airport found almost 28,000 lost items last year, either left behind at security checkpoints or abandoned in other areas of the airport.

About one in five of these items were successfully returned to their owners, the airport said.

Brussels Airport welcomes about 65,000 passengers a day and the 27,815 items lost in 2024 consisted mainly of clothing, identity cards and passports, clothing, computers, unchecked baggage, wallets and smartphones.

The airport also found larger possessions such as pushchairs, a djembe African drum and even a television.

Among the items that were reunited with their owner, three-quarters of them were claimed within two weeks of being lost.

Travellers can contact their airline if they misplace checked baggage. All other lost objects are registered by Brussels Airport’s Lost & Found team, which attempts to return them to their owners. Passengers can also report their losses on the airport’s website.

Brussels Airport keeps lost and found items for a maximum of six months, and then most unclaimed goods are donated to charity.

Electronic devices go to Close The Gap, the Belgian non-profit organisation that donates them to social, medical and educational projects in developing countries. Last year, Brussels Airport gave some 193 mobile phones and 229 tablets to the charity.

All liquids from unopened drinks containers, non-perishable food and personal care products are donated to local social welfare (CPAS) centres and other non-profit organisations.

This includes items confiscated at security checks for exceeding the 100ml limit. In 2023, Brussels Airport donated almost 35 tonnes of these products. Only new, sealed items are given away.

Clothing and prams are also donated to charitable causes. In 2023, clothes were given to help with earthquake relief efforts in Turkey, while unclaimed prams went to the Les Petits Riens charity.

Other unclaimed items, such as belts and glasses, are sold at auction.