Airports and airlines handle a vast number of luggage items daily, but not all make it to their intended destinations. According to SITA’s WorldTracer service, despite efforts to reunite lost luggage with its owners, around eight percent remains untraceable and eventually becomes airport property after a 21-day grace period.
SITA research indicates that transfer mishandling accounts for 46% of lost luggage cases, followed by ticketing errors and failure to load at 16% each. Other reasons include airport or customs issues (9%), arrival mishandling (5%), tagging errors (5%), and loading errors (3%).
Once the grace period ends, auction houses and speculators purchase unclaimed luggage in bulk from airports like London Heathrow. Auction houses sometimes donate proceeds to charity, while speculators sell items on platforms such as eBay or Vinted. However, buyers cannot open the bags before purchase, leaving the value of contents uncertain.
In the US, Doyle Owens capitalized on this opportunity in 1970 by purchasing unclaimed bags from Trailways Bus Line and selling their contents from his home in Scottsboro, Alabama. His venture evolved into Unclaimed Baggage, now run by his son Bryan Owens. The store has become a top tourist destination in Alabama, attracting one million visitors annually.
Bryan Owens recalled when his father left his insurance job: “People were just standing outside the door and in lines,” adding that Doyle’s boss told him to choose between his job or entrepreneurial venture.
Unclaimed Baggage secured its first airline contract with Eastern Airlines in 1978 and expanded operations significantly over the years. The store now covers more than a city block and includes a café and Museum of Found Treasures.
The company has formed partnerships with various travel businesses to acquire lost items beyond airline baggage. It also supports charitable causes through its Reclaimed for Good foundation.
In 2020, Unclaimed Baggage launched an online store and planned a nationwide tour with their vintage pickup truck Hugo. Although delayed due to the pandemic, the tour took place in 2022.
In 2023, Unclaimed Baggage published its first Found Report detailing unique finds such as live snakes, props from the “Saw” movie franchise, and expensive items like a diamond ring appraised at $37,050.
Apple’s new AirTag feature may help reduce lost baggage incidents by allowing location sharing with SITA’s partnership. This development could potentially make lost baggage a thing of the past.
