Unclaimed Baggage unveils 2023 ‘Found Report’

SCOTTSBORO — Have you ever wondered what gets left behind in travelers’ lost or abandoned luggage?

Your curiosity ends here.

The first-ever Unclaimed Baggage “Found Report,” released by the legendary Scottsboro destination spot, offers a comprehensive overview of the curious, unusual and most valuable items found in the orphaned luggage of air travelers in 2023, providing a time capsule into last year’s traveling trends.

With more than 850 million passengers making the trip to 30,000 feet in 2023, less than 0.05% of their bags don’t make the journey with them. Following a rigorous 90-day search initiated by airlines to locate the rightful owners or provide compensation, bags land at Unclaimed Baggage, where lost treasures are donated, recycled or sold to eager shoppers.

The inaugural “Found Report” delves into the analysis of the over two million items that found their way to the renowned Unclaimed Baggage store. The report details:

• The 10 Most Frequently Found Items
• The 10 Most Expensive Things Found
• The Top 40 Most Fascinating Finds (including two live snakes, an Ethiopian Begena, a funeral casket key and a 13.3-foot women’s pole vault)
• 2023 Travel Trends; and
• Travel Tips & Tricks: How to Not Lose Your Luggage

This comprehensive review not only satisfies the innate curiosity of readers eager to unzip lost treasures but also highlights year-defining and emerging trends in fashion, popular brands and media consumption habits.

“These bags are a glimpse into 2023. From the surge in Taylor Swift t-shirts to an array of Nintendo Switch games and Stanley water bottles, each item our team uncovered tells a story of its own,” said Jennifer Kritner, vice president of Retail and Company Culture at Unclaimed Baggage.

The “Found Report” underscores the ever-changing preferences and lifestyles of travelers nationwide.

“Each bag is like a time capsule,” said Bryan Owens, CEO of Unclaimed Baggage. “Twenty years from now, we can look back at the ‘Found Report’ and see what people packed in 2023.

“It’s an exciting and curious way to take a snapshot of our culture.”

Bryan’s father, Doyle Owens, founded Unclaimed Baggage in 1972 with a borrowed pickup truck, a $300 loan and a one-of-a-kind idea.

Since then, Unclaimed Baggage has launched an online store, expanded its charitable partnerships and created the enchanting Unclaimed Baggage Museum. The “Found Report” represents the newest expansion of Unclaimed Baggage as the experts and leaders in all things lost luggage.

“The items discovered in unclaimed bags are endlessly fascinating. You never know what you are going to find,” said Bryan Owens.

The inaugural edition of Unclaimed Baggage’s annual report can be found here.