Once the luggage is deemed unclaimed, it is handed over to the airport's lost and found department. Here, the bags are cataloged and stored in a secure area, usually for a period of 90 days.

When a checked bag goes unclaimed, it follows a strict 90-day tracking and storage process. Initially, the airline holds the bag at the arrival airport for a few days before moving it to a central warehouse. During this time, they use systems like "WorldTracer" to try and match the bag with a lost-property report. If the owner is not found after three months, the airline pays out a final insurance settlement to the passenger, and the bag is legally declared "abandoned." In the U.S., these "orphaned" bags are typically sold in bulk to the Unclaimed Baggage store in Alabama, where the contents are sorted, cleaned, and resold to the public. Internationally, bags may be sold at "blind auctions" where buyers bid on the suitcase without knowing what is inside, or the contents may be donated to local charities. Personal documents and passports are always securely destroyed by the airline to prevent identity theft.