24% of the lost items are returned to the rightful owner. Items that are not claimed within 6 months are donated to charities.
Last year, travellers left a total of 27,815 items in trays at security checkpoints or other areas of the airport.
In cases involving checked baggage, passengers can contact their airline. All other misplaced items are registered by Brussels Airport’s Lost & Found team who strive to return the lost items to their owners.
Lost items mostly include clothing, identity documents, jewellery, laptops, unchecked baggage and wallets. But smartphones, keys and toys also often go missing. Last year, one person even managed to forget a tv-set.
Found items are kept at the airport for up to six months. Once the owner has been identified, they can come and collect the items themselves or have them sent to them. Identity cards, passports, and other official documents are transferred to the federal police after one month, after which they can no longer be retrieved.
Uncollected items donated to charities
The majority of the items that have been with the Lost & Found service for six months are donated to charities. For instance, the airport works with the General Welfare Centre (CAW) to donate abandoned clothing to those experiencing homelessness. Unclaimed electronic devices are donated to the non-profit organisation Close The Gap, which distributes used electronics to social, medical, and educational initiatives. In 2024, Brussels Airport donated a total of 193 mobile phones and 229 tablets to this non-profit organisation.
Opened food products are recycled for hygiene reasons. Large, unopened packages, as well as liquids like shampoo, deodorant, and drink containers that are not permitted through security, are given to local social welfare centres. In 2024, Brussels Airport donated a total of 26,200 kg of these products.
Remaining unclaimed items, such as belts and glasses, are processed and sold through an auction house.