Not just pocket change: Money left behind by airline passengers adds up, TSA says
How much money would you guess the nation’s airline passengers walked away from after going through airport screening last year? It’s money they took out of their pockets and left in a bin but forgot to pick up.
Here’s a hint. At New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport alone, they left behind $98,110 in coins and even paper money, the Transportation Security Administration says.
Nationwide, the total was $926,030, which includes about $19,000 in foreign currency, according to the agency.
Passengers are required to remove everything from their pockets before going through screening machines, including wallets and change. TSA encourages travelers to put those items directly into their carry-on bags to avoid leaving something behind.
The unclaimed money goes into a special federal aviation security fund, mostly used for training and promoting TSA PreCheck, according to a TSA report to Congress.
In addition to JFK, the top five airports for passenger carelessness with money were San Francisco, Miami, Dallas/Ft Worth, and — as might be expected — Las Vegas' McCarran.
The careful passengers traveling through Love Field in Dallas left behind a mere $184.42.
