If you haven’t done your Christmas shopping yet, you might consider bidding for lost treasures at Brisbane Airport (BNE).
Every year, the Queensland capital’s airport auctions off accumulated and unclaimed lost property items for charity. This year’s lots include hoverboards, tech gadgets, drones, and even airport tours.
A total of 673 lots are up for auction, and bidders can make their offer online until December 17, 2023.
Roughly 60,000 people pass through BNE airport every day, and a wide variety of items, be they regular or left-field, are left behind regularly. Instead of unclaimed items going into landfill, the airport chooses to put them up for auction, with all proceeds going to the Courier-Mail Children’s Fund.
Raising the stakes
In 2022, the airport’s auction raised AUD 66,000 ($43,000), and the proceeds were distributed recently to Zephyr Education, Speld and Traction children’s charities.
This year, to raise the stakes even higher, BNE airport has decided to add in airport benefits and experiences to the lot, in addition to the lost items.
These include an airside tour of Brisbane Airport, a 12-month parking slot at the airport, and a Brisbane Roar football experience at the Suncorp stadium, among others.
Brisbane Airport Head of Public Affairs Stephen Beckett said that as more and more passengers travel via the domestic and international terminals (and more and more items are lost), the auction is getting bigger every year.
“Some of the items are left behind in the terminal simply because passengers have exceeded their baggage limit and choose to leave them,” Beckett said.
“We’re hoping to raise as much as we can because the proceeds are going to support Queensland Children’s charities to help kids who are vulnerable and suffering disadvantage, so we’re hoping people get right behind the Brisbane Airport Lost Property auction,” Beckett added.