Lost property

Missing a checked bag?

This information is for lost property, which is anything you may have left on board an aircraft or in an airport. If a bag that you checked in has gone missing, please refer to our lost and damaged baggage page.

Where did you lose your property?

Any lost items that are found on board an aircraft are handed to the lost property team at the arrival airport.

Similarly, items found in the airport, including in a British Airways lounge, also get handed over to the airport team.

In most airports, this is an airport handling agent and you will need to contact them directly to trace and retrieve your property. You can find contact details for all of our airports globally below.

Unfortunately, we do not have a central lost property team so we are unable to help you further if your property has not been handed in at the airport.

Lost property contacts

Please have your flight details to hand, including the date on which you think you lost your property.

There may be an administrative or storage fee for reclaimed items, as well as postal charges for returning items. If your property has been found, the handling agent will explain any charges.

London Heathrow

For items lost in a British Airways lounge at Heathrow, on board an arriving aircraft or in the terminals, contact Heathrow Airport’s handling agent, Smarte Carte.

Smarte Carte charge for storing lost items and will apply postage and packing charges if you need your property sent back to you.

London Gatwick

For items left either in the British Airways lounge at Gatwick, on board an aircraft, or anywhere else around the airport, contact the Excess Baggage Company by phone on 01293 223457 or submit the enquiry form, giving the following details:

• Your name
• Date of travel
• Flight number
• Seat number (if applicable)
• Item description
• Contact telephone number.

Please allow 24 hours for a response to your lost property enquiry. You can either collect the items from the Excess Baggage Company's Gatwick South terminal depot or Victoria station depot (for baggage left on trains), or pay for your items to be sent to you by courier. You will be charged for each item returned. 

Read more about the lost property returns service or report and track your missing items.

London City Airport

For items lost on board a British Airways arriving aircraft or in the terminal at London City Airport, we will try and reunite you with your property.

Electronic items

For electronic items such as mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, laptops, headphones, and others, we’ve partnered with London City Airport who use Zero Burden & Not Lost services, so you can search for, claim, or register your lost electronic item.

Please note that we only keep items for a maximum of 30 days.

Once the lost property is matched with your case, you’ll receive collection instructions from us. 

All other items

All other items will go to the British Airways Ticketing Desk, where they'll be kept for a maximum of 7 days.

Food, drinks and other perishable items are held for a maximum of 24 hours.

Please use the following link to start searching for your lost property: 

All other airports