Leaving it All Behind. . . At Airport Security
Another day passing through security at Sea-Tac, and another pile of loot set to the side that didn’t make it through. It’s not just bottles of water and other liquids that have to be left behind, it’s a host of other things as well.
It’s not uncommon to see a variety of knives, long scissors, tools, pool cues, etc., that can no longer be taken through as a carry on item.
What happens to these things? There are a few options.
- The passenger is given the option to return to the airline counter and pack the item as checked luggage. Most of the time the items are not totally prohibited, they are just prohibited from coming aboard in a carry on.
- The passenger chooses to mail the item to their destination or back home. Many airports have mailing envelopes where, for a fee, you can send your contraband on its trip via the US Postal Service.
- The passenger may choose to leave the item behind.
Items left behind at Sea-Tac eventually find their way to the state’s General Administration agency. The GA disposes of these goods, along with other surplus items from state agencies, by auction or at its retail store.
Location: Auburn GA Retail Store, 2301 C Street SW, Auburn (map it)
Hours of Operation: Wednesday - Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm, closed holidays.
What can you find at the store? While it varies on a nearly weekly basis, some current items on the list include corkscrews and bottle openers for 25 cents, scissors for 25 cents, and pruning saws for $5-8.
Heck of a deal!
Photo credit: morgueFile
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November 4th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
That’s kinda crazy. I didn’t think they actually SOLD what they confiscated. I wonder what other airports do…
November 4th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I didn’t know this either. I assumed most stuff got thrown away. Although I did wonder about the expensive perfume and wine. . .
November 5th, 2007 at 3:58 am
I had to leave a bottle of brandy in Greece - I like the taste of the three star Metaxa, and you can’t get it in Duty Free, but packed it in the carry on because I figured it would break in the luggage. Doh!