Avoiding Losing Items At Airports

Problem
You go through security. At Security or ten minutes later, you realise an item is missing.

Answer
Check thoroughly. Photograph everything. Note brand names.

You have a reduced count if some items are checked in. But note what you take off at security scanners. How many boxes? How many items?

Story
I lost two lipsticks. One double lipstick with a mirror and brush would cost £70 to replace. I have the heavy, bulky pendant double lipstick case with mirror and brush which you can still buy on ebay second hand at that price. But the cute, lighter, discontinued cylinder rotating double lipstick with mirror isn't just rare, it is completely irreplaceable.

The medicine cost £40 in Singapore,  essential and expensive medicine at the security scanner in Heathrow. We lost time racing about trying to find it, report the loss, waiting for Security to find a claim form and then tell us to do it on line.

Coming back to the UK, I was hoping to check again, but the lost property office was not open at the time my flight reached London. I tried again reporting the loss on line. This time I got a message saying that after three months items are disposed of. I'd be willing to buy it back. But you can't even find out what happened to it or if it was ever found.

Going Through Security
In advance, list the number of items and type. (For example: One 21 inch four wheel bag in red, brand Samsonite. Child's 13 inch four wheel Disney Princess, pink and gold ... )

My mistake was trying to wear too many thin items through the airport to lighten my almost overweight luggage and have clothes if luggage went missing, and wear layers to be  warm in London but cool on arrival. As a result I had too much in too many boxes.

Photograph any item you have to take off at security, such as jacket, hat, books, lipstick, laptop. Then you can show the people manning the boxes, and fill in the on line search form.

You also want to know when buying a replacement that your YSL lipstick was number 19 (the red, not the orange). I lost two lipsticks at security.

I was horrified when I saw the number of expensive items lost every year at Heathrow and other airports. Items go missing at stations. More items have just gone missing - missing at destination and people aren't sure at what point the item went astray.

Lesson learned? They say you learn by your mistakes. Better for you if you learn from my mistakes.

How long a trip should you take? If you've a choice, stick to under three months.

Household Insurance Time Limit On Empty Property
You may find that your house insurance won't be valid if you house is empty more than a certain length of time. So it's worthwhile having a relative move in for part or all of your stay away.

Time Limit On Lost Items
Anything you lose at the airport cannot be checked for on your way back if you come back after three months.

See my previous post on the items lost at Heathrow - written last January 2017. Please share posts.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.