Turkish Airlines puts lost items up for sale

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines has put 54,853 lost airline luggage and items up for sale, which have an estimated worth of 750,000 Turkish Liras (approximately $142,255), value added tax excluded.

The lost items will be sold via sealed electronic tendering. The bids were to be submitted until Feb. 11 afternoon to the airline’s headquarters.

The amount of the bid bond has been determined as 25,000 liras (approximately $4,740).

Turkish Airlines’ Baggage Services Administration Directorate has 2,838 lost luggage, 2,971 strollers, 253 wheel chairs, 45,711 valueless items and 3,080 electronic gadgets from both of its domestic and international flights in its inventory.

According to officials, the most forgotten items include bags, glasses, wallets and electronic devices such as mobile phones.

In order to easily find the lost items, airline officials advise passengers to tag their items before their flights.

Due to hasty traveling, many items can be forgotten on planes and at airports.

Turkish Airlines has an “online lost baggage tracker” platform that helps passengers monitor the process after they have contacted the Lost Property Office.

If the baggage is not found, is received delayed or damaged, the airline compensates expenses incurred after a claim is made.

But if passengers do not claim lost luggage, the airline gathers the items in Lost Property Offices and sells them after a year via tendering, when the waiting period ends.