TUCSON, Ariz. — As holiday travel picks up, a few things may be left behind at the airport.
Tucson Airport Authority's Chief Communications Officer Austin Wright says on a normal travel day, TUS has about 10,000 passengers pass through their terminals. During Thanksgiving weekend, that average number jumps to 14,000 a day, with the busiest travel days on Tuesday and Sunday.
During that time, a few baggage items may not get claimed, slipping through the cracks of the chaos of holiday travel.
If it's lost on a plane or through TSA, the recovery responsibility falls to the respective airlines or to the Transportation Security Administration. However, if something is lost elsewhere in the airport, it becomes the Tucson Airport Authority's responsibility.
That's when it's turned over to the jurisdiction of Maria Zamora from Tucson Airport Authority's Airport Security Office Supervisor.
"Neck pillows, driver's licenses, passports, cell phones, empty AirPod cases," Zamora listed out the items she sees most.
Lost items are tagged with a description of what they are, where they were found and how long they can stay in the TUS Lost and Found, which is usually up to 30 days.
After time runs out, "we have multiple charities that the airport Authority donates to," Zamora said, listing Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul and Big Brothers and Sisters to name a few.
Big ticket items with a price tag of over $100 head to auction first on a public auction site. Zamora says they only start to get rid of things after doing all they can to reunite lost items with their owners.
Her favorite story? A lost urn.
"When I started early on," Zamora said, "We had human remains."
Later, she clarified, "Not bones or anything like that, but actual ashes! They stayed here for the 30 days, then we were able to get a hold of the funeral home that helped us locate family members."
If you lose something at Tucson International Airport, Zamora, Wright and the team are encouraging passengers to use a new feature on their website and fill out a quick form to possibly reunite with missing belongings.
