Oh no! I Left Something on the Plane or at TSA. How Can I Retrieve It?

As you stow your carry-on bag neatly in the overhead compartment, you get comfortable in your seat, ready to binge-watch the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. But hold on. Your earbuds… they're missing from your backpack where you distinctly remember putting them before heading to the airport. Did you leave them in a bin during security screening? Will you ever get them back?

Whether it's your iPad left in the seat pocket or your watch forgotten in the tray at the TSA checkpoint, misplacing items while traveling can be a frustrating experience.

However, there's no need to feel hopeless. Airlines and TSA are keen to assist in reuniting you with your lost possessions. In fact, TSA reports that it retrieves nearly 100,000 lost items annually.

Steps to take if you forget something at the airport

Very few people would say they enjoy passing through the security checkpoint at the airport. After taking off your shoes and belt, removing your laptop from its case, and securing a separate bin for your electronics (if you don't have TSA PreCheck), along with making sure your reusable water bottle is empty, it's always a relief to get through the TSA screening process.

However, before you can kick back in the lounge or head to the bar for a Bloody Mary, you must gather all your belongings, double-checking to ensure you have your passport and any loose items that might have slipped out as your bin traveled along the conveyor belt.

If you get to your gate and realize you've left something at the security checkpoint, and there's still time before boarding closes (a strong case for arriving early), you should head back to the checkpoint and ask to speak with a supervisor, advises Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokesperson. "If the item has been found, it can be easily returned."

However, if you only notice your missing item after takeoff, Farbstein recommends visiting the TSA’s Lost and Found page on their website. You'll need to enter the airport's name or code. Depending on the location, there may be a phone number to call or an online form to complete.

For items left behind at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the U.S., you'll need to fill out a form that includes the date and approximate time the item was lost, along with a detailed description. The more specific, the better, according to Farbstein. For devices like cell phones, tablets, or laptops, provide the make and model as well as any unique features such as color, case description, and even the lock-screen image.

The TSA team will utilize the given information to verify if the item was left at the checkpoint. "If it is, we're happy to ensure that the traveler is reunited with their belongings," says Farbstein. "This is a customer service we provide that many travelers likely don't know about."

Items left at TSA security checkpoints are kept by the TSA for at least 30 days or until they are returned to their rightful owner. There is no upper limit on how long the TSA retains items, but Farbstein notes that teams often hold onto higher-value items longer in hopes that travelers will remember where they misplaced them.

Unclaimed items are either destroyed or, if considered valuable, sold. You might be surprised to learn where the proceeds go: According to the TSA’s FAQ page, "Funds from the sale of all lost and found items are directed to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and contribute to a general fund used to pay down the U.S. national debt."

What to do if you forget something on the plane

If you realize that you left your child's beloved stuffed bunny on the plane right after deplaning, you won’t be allowed back on the aircraft to get it, but you can try to enlist the help of a flight crew member. A Delta spokesperson informs Dinogo that flight attendants and gate agents are more than willing to assist passengers who quickly notice—before leaving the gate area—that they've left something behind.

If you only discover the loss when it’s too late, your best course of action is to visit the airline's website, where you'll typically find a link to report lost items. This applies to major U.S. airlines like Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United, and JetBlue. Passengers of Southwest should inform a customer service agent if they realize the item was left before exiting the airport. Once home, filling out an online report is the standard procedure.

By entering your email address, you can expect to be notified if and when your item is recovered. United’s form mentions that passengers are responsible for shipping costs, though in some cases, a complimentary pickup at the airport can be arranged.

You can also report items you think you lost in the gate area through the online form. Airlines typically search for your item for a standard period of thirty days before concluding that it cannot be located.

While it may take some time and effort, it's definitely possible to locate your lost item.

When uncertain, follow Farbstein's advice:

• If you left the item on an airplane: Reach out to the airline.
• If you left it in the airport terminal (restroom, gate area, restaurant): Get in touch with the airport.
• If you left an item in a rental car: Contact the rental car agency.
• If you forgot something at a security checkpoint: Reach out to TSA.