CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As you rush through TSA, you might want to take a second to ensure you’ve gathered all your belongings, especially any loose change you may have had to throw in a bucket.
New numbers in our newsroom show thousands of dollars were left at the TSA line. And in a time where everyone’s asking where’s the money, every cent counts.
TSA said in the 2023 fiscal year, almost $16,000 in loose change was left at the security checkpoints at Charlotte-Douglas and other airports in North Carolina.
“We make every effort to make sure that we get that money to the passengers who leave it behind, we hold on to it for quite a while," TSA spokesperson Daniel Velez said.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
But once that money is deemed unclaimed Velez said the airports are free to use.
"Through Congress, we are allowed to use the money to improve our aviation security, our screening, our technology, those types of things," he said.
The $16,000 left behind in the last fiscal year was a more than 200% increase from the previous year.
So why was more money left last year than the year before? The answer is pretty simple.
“The most obvious reason is that there's so many more people flying," Velez explained. "We are breaking records left and right. Just about every weekend now.”
Velez said if a passenger leaves an item behind, such as a wallet, and does not realize it until after they board their flight, they can contact any of TSA’s lost and found offices at airports across the country to identify the lost item.
WCNC Charlotte's Where's The Money series is all about leveling the playing field in the Carolinas by helping others and breaking down barriers. WCNC Charlotte doesn't want our viewers to be taken advantage of, so we’re here to help. Watch previous stories where we ask the question “Where’s the Money” in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.