It’s not uncommon for you to arrive at airports around the world and come across the scene of someone running to not miss their flight. The queue for the X-ray mat – mandatory before getting on any aircraft – causes nightmares even for the most advanced. It is also where most passenger objects are forgotten. The restrooms and departure lounge are at the top of the list of areas where belongings are found and taken directly to the Lost and Found department.
“At all Brazilian airports, passengers have access to the main guidelines on airport services at the information desk. Each Lost and Found sector has its own rule and time to store items, waiting for their owners to pick them up”, he points out. Carmem Bosque a lawyer specializing in consumer law.
“In any case that the passenger feels harmed or understands that their rights as a consumer have been disrespected, the federal government provides a conflict resolution platform in which participating companies have up to 10 days to analyze and respond to complaints”, he completes.
O Guarulhos international airport , the largest in the country, for example, receives around 22,000 objects in its Lost and Found every year. Of this total, neck pillows and documents are the most common .
Among the most unusual are canes, crutches and, believe it or not: glass eyes. There, everything is stored for 60 days. After this period, personal documents are discarded and other items donated to the Social Solidarity Fund of the Municipality of Guarulhos.
already the Brasilia Airport recorded 8,667 objects forgotten by passengers at the air terminal in 2022. Of these items, only 21% were recovered by their owners. In this first half of 2023, 4,111 pieces have already been left: documents and cards lead the ranking, along with pillows, clothes and necessaires. Among the most unusual are: a huge cart , lamps, an atabaque (musical instrument) and dentures.
There, the belongings are stored for up to 90 days and to recover them it is necessary to provide information that attests to the ownership of the object, such as the description, password, color, day and probable time it was lost.
The items, as soon as they are found, are cataloged with the main characteristics of the day of the loss. After the period, it is donated to charities accredited by the Infrarica . Personal documents are forwarded to the Post Office and credit cards are destroyed after seven days. Personal hygiene products and cosmetics are also discarded after this period.
Headphones, pen drives, suitcases, books, cell phones and computers are also constantly found in sectors throughout Brazil. It is also worth mentioning that in case of loss of passport, those responsible forward it directly to the Federal Police.
A tip to avoid losing objects during the trip is to carry few things. “Boarding with too many objects in hand is usually the main reason why people lose items at Brasilia Airport. It is also common to lose documents when presenting them at check-in counters and at the boarding gate. The ideal is to keep them right after presenting them to the airline employee”, explains the Customer Service coordinator, Rayana Araújo .
Another important recommendation for passengers is to always pay attention to the objects they find in the air terminal, especially suitcases and backpacks that are suspicious.
“When finding an object forgotten by the air terminal, the ideal is that the passenger does not handle it. Just call an airport official. Our teams are trained to deal with this type of situation”, he recommends.
At Tom Jobim International Airport, Galeão , the average is almost four thousand belongings left per year. The search percentage is also low: only 28% are returned to their owners. The deadline is also three months, with perishable food only 24 hours.
The airport points out that the SAC tries to search through social networks for people who have lost identity documents.
Infraero, manager of 16 airports in the country, is also responsible for organizing these sectors in each of them, which receive dozens of objects of the most diverse types daily.
At Congonhas Airport, 8,491 objects were lost in 2021 and 9,370 in 2022. At Santos Dumont Airport, 4,180 items were lost in 2021 and 6,724 in 2022. Some unusual objects were: conductor’s drumstick, Harry Potter’s wand, solar panel, trophies, crutches, dental prostheses and even wheelchairs.
the engineer Vanessa Gary , 38 years old, forgot her bag in a café in the departure lounge in Congonhas in the first week of July. With his wallet, personal documents and valuables, he only realized that he was without it inside the aircraft, heading to Recife.
“Since the boarding pass and driver’s license are digital and I had my laptop bag with me, I only realized it when the plane closed its doors. There were 10 minutes left to lose the signal, so I called my mother and asked her to call the cafe: it wasn’t there. So she called Lost and Found a few times and they found it. Only I can withdraw it or make a power of attorney for a third party, but it is kept waiting for me to return, ”she says.
It is important to remember that items forgotten inside the aircraft are the responsibility of the airlines. It is necessary to contact the company with which the passenger traveled to retrieve the item left inside the planes. Detailed information on the Lost and Found sector of Brazilian Airports can be found on their respective websites.
See the main information of the airports mentioned above:
Guarulhos international airport
Location: Terminal 3 – Departures Level
E-mail: email [email protected].
Opening hours: daily from 06:30 to 22:30
Congonhas Airport
Location: Passenger Terminal – Floor 1
Phone: (11) 5090-9013
E-mail: [email protected]
Opening hours: daily from 06:00 to 23:00
Brasilia Airport
Location: Arrivals Floor, next to the Estapar Parking counter.
Email [email protected].
Phone: (61) 3214 6109
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 00:00 (except holidays).
Galleon
Location: Terminal 2, floor 0
Telephone: (21) 3004-6050
E-mail: [email protected]
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00 (you must make an appointment in advance)
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
