Wow, D.C.-area travelers -- do you not want that quarter, or what?
Fliers through local airports left behind more than $40,000 in change at security screening locations in the last fiscal year, the Transportation Security Administration reported.
Fliers nationwide lost almost $675,000 in change. But D.C.-area fliers were particularly loose with their loot.
Dulles International Airport was the top 10 airports in the U.S. for left-behind change, with $22,037.55 collected. Baltimore-Washington International collected $8,477.50, and Reagan National Airport collected $9,591.57.
And what happens to the change? The TSA collects it.
“TSA makes every effort to reunite passengers with items left at the checkpoint, however there are instances where loose change or other items are left behind and unclaimed. Unclaimed money, typically consisting of loose coins passengers remove from their pockets, is documented and turned into the TSA financial office,” said the TSA.
TSA said receipts of unclaimed money are deposited into a fund, so the resources are easily tracked and expended. Congress gave TSA the authority to expend this unclaimed money for security operations in 2005.
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TSA’s advice to avoid parting with your loose change? Consider putting it in your carry-on bag.
