Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Something stinks about that luggage..
Garlic, saws & booze among airport’s lost and found haul
FLICK knives, gun belts, bottles of Buckfast and a suitcase of garlic are just some the items taking up shelf space at Belfast International Airport’s lost and found.
The Mirror was invited behind the scenes for a sneak peak at some of the things we try to take through security or leave behind.
And they vary from the downright strange to forgotten teddies that could be causing sleepless nights for their young owners.
On the day we arrived for our tour someone tried to get a tree saw through security in their hand luggage.
General manager Rod Haskins said: “There’s no trees on the plane, so I don’t know what they are pruning.
“They voluntarily give it up – it’s either that, or they don’t fly. We have people turning up here with a litre of vodka and we will say to them, ‘You can’t take this through’.
“They’ll say, ‘Why’s that?’. In 2006 there was a liquids ban brought in, so that’s why.”
Unfortunately alcohol surrendered at security is poured down the drain, unless its owner goes back to collect it.
Many open bottles of perfume, cream, toothpaste and deodorant that are more than 100ml are also discarded.
Then there are the more unusual things people try to take into the cabin.
Tools, hurley sticks, baseball bats, golf clubs and even toy wooden swords are not OK, says Rod.
Neither are replica firearms such as Nerf guns or pellet guns complete with a “hand grenade” styled container of metal pellets, gun belts, live ammunition, full magazine clips or knives – no matter the size of the blade.
Rod said: “Anything we are storing, there’s a charge involved and some people don’t bother coming back for it.
“You can’t take it with you, so it’s a choice of either throwing it in the bin, not flying or we will hold it for you – but it needs to be something of some value.
“Maybe it was their dad’s penknife and they forgot it was in the bag, so we try to help. If stuff is not reclaimed it will be sent to charity or recycled in some way.”
Rod said police don’t become involved “unless it’s an offensive weapon”. He added: “We are not here to punish people. “The only sort of punishment we would be doing is slowing them down because all their bags will have an in-depth search because there could be more items of interest.”