iPhones, Cameras, And More: Airport Lost And Found Items Can Be Bought For The Right Price

As safe as air travel generally is, navigating an airport can seriously boost the anxiety of even seasoned flyers. We can probably also agree that few things can push that anxiety into the red zone faster than the loss of personal items like baggage, cameras, mobile devices or laptops, if only because there's no guarantee that you'll be able to track those items down after they go missing.

As it stands, you'll likely be surprised to learn that even such vital, and no doubt pricey, personal items often go unclaimed by their owners long after they've made their way to the airport's Lost and Found. It may be even more shocking to learn that lost items left long enough can legally be sold for profit by the airport itself. If you don't believe us, we'll kindly point out that just such an auction was recently undertaken by the Pittsburgh International Airport. That auction is apparently an annual event for Pittsburgh International, which, this year, offered up more than a thousand lost artifacts for sale to the highest bidder.

According to the auction listings, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches were included as part of this year's option. Perusing the auction site, you'll even find things like cameras, laptops, and high-end jewelry, and potentially even some of the other weird things that people are allowed to bring onto planes. And yes, according to the listings, many of those items were sold for far less than their retail or resale value.

Not all items left behind in an airport find their way to the auction block, with factions like the TSA one of several who make efforts to reunite rightful owners with items lost or confiscated for being on the agency's banned items list. Similarly, airports are not allowed to sell lost items immediately. While timelines may shift per airport, three months appears to be the agreed-upon term before lost items can be sold. That's assuming that they don't first make their way to state surplus agencies or get donated to local charities.

As for the reported auctions and sales of lost and found items, airports rarely undertake those events themselves and instead look to auction houses or online outlets like Unclaimed Baggage for those measures. It's worth noting, of course, that some sales platforms actually purchase the items from the airports before listing them. That often drives up the price, as the seller will be looking to not only recoup their initial investment, but also maximize profits on the sale. So, if you're looking for the best deal, an auction like the one sponsored by Pittsburgh International Airport may be the best bet.

Wherever you buy the items, it's worth noting that things like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks may bring with them additional headaches, as Apple will likely not unlock the device for you. And even if you do get the device unlocked, you'll still have hoops to jump through, as it will no doubt be registered to the former owner's Apple account, meaning it may be further password-protected. So, count yourself warned.