FORT MYERS, Fla. — Rushing to the ticket counter, or making your way through TSA security checkpoints, getting on your next flight can be quite the hassle, causing you to drop or misplace a few items.
However, according to TSA, many travelers have leftover $900,000 worth of unclaimed money at airport screening checkpoints. In most cases, this money consists of coins that passengers remove from their pockets while undergoing security screening.
Even here in Southwest Florida. According to the report, RSW travelers have left nearly $4,000 of unclaimed money
One traveler inside RSW tells me she's very careful.
“I’ve luckily not ever left anything thank goodness, at least that I don’t know of. If I did leave it, it wasn’t important to me,” she said.
Adding, she’s never seen money lying around, but other strange items,
“Although one time I saw some flips flops sitting in the corner as you’ve gone through security, and I kind of wondered if someone just wore them to get through the security line and then just left them there,” she said.
Alana Aikey of Naples travels with an instrument and says she would be devastated if something happened to it.
“It’s pretty crazy to me because this is such a valuable thing and it’s just crazy that people lose these items, and I think it’s pretty bad that people are losing these items because they are so valuable,” said Alana Aikey.
Aikey says like anyone, she’s misplaced some items while traveling.
“I’ve left things on the place on accident and I’ve had to go back like oh my gosh I need to go back. I just can't believe that, because I would think people would take better care of it,” said Aikey.
TSA says they try to ensure that all traveler property, including unclaimed money, finds it’s way back to the proper owner. However, when loose change does not, it’s directed to critical aviation security programs.
