What happens to items confiscated by French airport security?
Items that are deemed dangerous can not be reclaimed
Whether you can ask for an item to be returned to you largely depends on what you had confiscated and from where
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Reader question: I had a perfume that was too large confiscated from me during my most recent trip back to the UK. I left it in my carry-on by mistake but it was a gift and I would like it back. Is there any chance it has been kept?
Whether you can ask for an item to be returned to you largely depends on what you had confiscated and from where.
Items that are deemed dangerous can not be reclaimed and are often destroyed or removed immediately from the airport.
This includes bladed weapons, perishable goods such as foods (especially during outbreaks of certain diseases) and other explicitly banned electronic devices or other contraband items or those considered dangerous for flights such as certain aerosol cans.
If objects are illegal (weapons, drugs, etc) they may be handed over to local law enforcement.
Other goods such as liquids over 100ml, items with batteries etc, may be kept in left property lockers at the airport.
In some airports such as Nice and Marseille, items are donated to local charities such as les Restos du Coeur to avoid waste. This largely applies to sanitary goods and foods.
Recuperation service becomes popular
Some airports do, however, keep aside some items for potential collection.
Some have partnered with ‘TrippetyBox’, a service that allows you to recuperate items that are confiscated but not deemed dangerous.
In this case, staff give you a code related to your item that you can then use on the company’s website to arrange delivery to your home, for a fee. It is in place at airports including Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Nice, Strasbourg, and Ajaccio.
This is mostly limited to perfumes and other liquids that are confiscated, such as alcohol.
Some airports, including Charles-de-Gaulle, allow travellers to pick up the item from the airport’s own left-luggage area within a certain number of days, often between 14 and 21.
Exact rules differ between airports and based on the items being collected.
If you have an item confiscated, ask what the regulations are for coming back to pick it up after your trip, or if someone can come to collect it for you.
If possible, ask the person who confiscated the item for a receipt or other proof you can use for collection, where allowed.
