What To Do If You Forget Something At A TSA Checkpoint

It's a nightmare scenario: in your rush to catch a flight, you leave something behind at a TSA checkpoint. Between managing your boarding pass on your iPhone or other device and rushing to grab everything from the security bins, it's easy to do. In the worst-case scenario, you don't realize what's happened until you've boarded your flight and are well on your way — or even after you've arrived at your destination. When this happens, all sorts of thoughts will go through your mind, and you may wonder if your valuables will be lost forever.

Most of us have experienced the organized chaos that is the TSA security line, where bins pile up, everyone is bumping into each other trying to find their belongings, and there seems to be a never-ending flow of people. With all that going on, it's hard to believe that anything that gets left behind will ever find its way back to you. As improbable as it may seem, TSA has put mechanisms in place to help travelers recover their lost items.

If you notice you're missing something before you board your flight, and you have time, you should return to the security checkpoint to get help finding it. Once your flight has departed, you'll have to contact the TSA Lost and Found at your departure airport to see if your item has been turned in.

Before you go through a TSA checkpoint, you try to make sure you have everything in order. You've reviewed the rules and are familiar with what is and isn't allowed in checked baggage, as well as whether you can bring your Bluetooth speakers on the plane. In an ideal world, you'll realize you've left something at the TSA checkpoint shortly after passing through it. When that happens, you can immediately return to the checkpoint and ask a TSA officer to help you find the item.

Unfortunately, there's a good chance you won't notice you left something behind until you're already on your flight or after you've arrived at your destination. If that's happened to you, go to the TSA Lost and Found website and enter the departure airport name or code to get the contact information for the airport's lost and found office. Some airports list a phone number you can call, while others have an online form that asks for detailed information, including when you lost your luggage, the approximate time, and the TSA checkpoint you traveled through. You want to provide as much detail as possible about your lost item to make it easier for TSA to confirm you're the owner and reunite you with it.

When someone leaves an item at a TSA checkpoint, TSA holds onto it for at least 30 days or until it's claimed by its rightful owner. After the 30-day holding period, if an electronic device goes unclaimed, TSA wipes its memory and destroys it to protect personal data. If TSA has your item, you can return to the airport to pick it up or give someone else written permission to pick it up for you. TSA can also ship the item to you at your expense.