Baltimore, Washington Area Airports Saw Travelers Leave Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars At Checkpoints In 2019
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- The Transportation Security Administration said it collected over $900,000 in unclaimed money that passengers left behind at airport security checkpoints during Fiscal Year 2019, including over $18,000 in foreign currency.
The money consisted of loose change and paper currency that passengers removed from their pockets and left behind in a bin during the security screening process at TSA checkpoints.
When passengers approach the checkpoint, all items from pockets must be removed, including wallets and loose change.
TSA recommends that travelers place those items directly into their carry-on bags so that they will not accidentally leave anything behind in a bin.
Washington Dulles International Airport topped the list of airports in the Baltimore-Washington area with the amount of unclaimed money at $26,968.95.
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport saw $16,414.70 in unclaimed cash and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport saw $13,207.46 in money left behind at checkpoints last fiscal year.
The top five airports where passengers have left the most money behind were:
- John F. Kennedy International Airport - $98,110
- San Francisco International Airport - $52,668.70
- Miami International Airport - $47,694.03
- McCarran International Airport - $44,401.76
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport - $40,218.19