In Brussels Airport (BRU), a total of 27,815 items were left in trays at security checkpoints or other areas of the airport during 2024. What happens to these items and are they successfully returned to their owners?
To answer these questions, Brussels Airport has reported that in 2024, 24% of lost items were returned to owners, while many uncollected items were donated to charities.
Throughout the year, 23.6 million passengers travelled through Brussels Airport, typically carrying baggage and belongings. When items are accidentally left behind at the airport, they are registered by Brussels Airport’s Lost & Found service. However, for items in checked baggage, passengers should contact their airline.
Brussels Airport’s Lost & Found service aims to return forgotten items to their owners. In 2024, 27,815 items were lost, 24% of which were then found and returned to their owners. 74% of these were returned within two weeks.
These items mostly included clothing, identity documents, jewellery, laptops, unchecked baggage and wallets. Meanwhile, smartphones, keys and toys were also commonly misplaced. Notably, larger items like prams, djembes, and a television set were also left behind at the airport in 2024.
Approximately two-thirds of all lost items at Brussels Aiprort are recovered in the Connector, the area between the security checkpoints and the Piers.To address this, Brussels Airport actively encourages travellers to double-check for forgotten belongings after passing through security screening.
Passengers are also urged to report lost items through the airport’s website. Recovered items are stored at the airport for up to six months. Once identified, owners can retrieve their items in person or request delivery. However, identity cards, passports, and other official documents are transferred to the federal police after one month and can then no longer be claimed.
Uncollected Items Donated to Charity
Sustainability is a key pillar of Brussels Airport’s strategy, and efforts are made to give unclaimed lost-and-found items a second life. Items held for six months without being claimed are donated or repurposed through partnerships with various organisations.
For example, abandoned clothing is donated to the General Welfare Centre (CAW) to support individuals experiencing homelessness. Unclaimed electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, are given to the non-profit Close the Gap, which distributes them to social, medical, and educational initiatives. In 2024, Brussels Airport contributed 193 mobile phones and 229 tablets to this cause.
Opened food products are recycled for hygiene reasons, while unopened packages and restricted items, such as large containers of liquids like shampoo or deodorant, are donated to local social welfare centres. In 2024 alone, 26,200 kg of these products were distributed.
Remaining unclaimed items, such as belts and glasses, are sold through an auction house.
