Lost Items at Schiphol Airport
Have you lost items inside the AMS terminal? Are you missing your personal belongings and suspect you may have lost them in one of the airport’s car parks or the terminal’s outdoor sections? You can easily recover them using Schiphol’s Lost and Found services. Designated desks are located within the terminal building, both in the pre-security and post-security areas, while online services are also available. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the loss of your belongings. Find out how to retrieve them hassle-free!
Our Tip: Have you forgotten your hand luggage or lost an item onboard? You can contact your airline, or you can use Schiphol Airport’s Lost and Found services to recover your belongings.
How to Retrieve Your Lost Items
If you realize that you’ve lost something at Schiphol Airport and you’re still at the airport, all you need to do is proceed to one of the airport’s Lost and Found Desks. Make sure to provide a full description of your item and include any specific details so that the airport staff can search more effectively. A complete description not only facilitates the staff’s inquiry but also helps verify that you are the rightful owner. There are three Lost and Found Offices at Amsterdam Airport. Two facilities are located airside, while another desk can be found at the terminal’s pre-security zone. Therefore, regardless of what you’ve lost — identification documents, electronic devices, hand luggage, coats, or jewelry — you may find it at one of the following facilities:
Lost and Found Desks
- Before Security – Basement Level (Kelderplein): The office is located right between Arrivals 1 and 2, one floor below the baggage claim zones. It operates Monday to Sunday, from 08:00 am to 08:00 pm.
- After Security – Holland Boulevard: The Lost and Found Desk lies on the terminal’s first floor, on the way to Gates D1-D57, E, F, G, and H. It is open Monday to Sunday from 06:00 am to 08:00 pm.
- After Security – Lounge 1: The desk can also be found on the first floor, toward Pier B. Thus, you’ll find it on the way to Gates B, C, and D59-D87. It is available all week long from 06:00 am to 08:00 pm.
On the other hand, if you’ve already left the airport before realizing your loss, you still have options. You can visit the airport’s website and fill out the Lost and Found form, providing an accurate description of your item. Be sure to include as many details as possible to speed up the retrieval process. If it is found, you’ll receive a notification so that you can retrieve it. You can collect it from the pre-security Lost and Found Desk, located at the basement level, between Arrivals 1 and 2, or have it delivered to your house. In that case, shipping fees will apply.
Alternatively (or at the same time), you can use the Schiphol Lost and Found Service to search for your item online. All lost items are entered into a database as soon as they are handed over at the Lost and Found Desks. You can search for your item by category, and each category is divided into subcategories to optimize the search. This way, you can check all items that match your criteria. Have you spotted your property? Click the image to claim it, and a staff member will contact you shortly. If you don’t find it, your next step is to fill out the Lost and Found form and wait for further updates. Overall, it is highly recommended to search for your item in person at one of the Lost and Found desks, if possible. Many travelers report that this is the most efficient option, and it is naturally also the fastest way to recover lost items.
Lost Checked Luggage
The loss of hold luggage — luggage checked in at the airport to be stored in the plane’s lower compartments — isn’t the responsibility of the Schiphol Lost and Found Service. The airport cannot track luggage checked through an airline and therefore, can’t provide information about lost hold baggage.
Hence, if you can’t locate your suitcase or an item checked in at your departure airport at the baggage reclaim area, you must report the loss at the relevant baggage handler’s desk. If you’re at Baggage Reclaim Hall 1 (carousels 2-7), your luggage is handled by Swissport, Viggo, or AviaPartner. Check which company handles your flight and follow its instructions to track and retrieve your baggage. KLM handles flights assigned to baggage belts 8-13 at the Baggage Claim Zone 2. Finally, KLM, Menzies, dnata, and other providers are responsible for luggage arriving at Baggage Reclaim Zones 3 and 4 (baggage carousels 15-22). Contact the company by phone to find out the next steps. Have you already left Schiphol Airport? You should contact the airline operating your flight to report the loss and be informed about your baggage.
Lost Passports and IDs
If you’ve lost your passport, ID, or driving license, you should go to the Lost and Found Desks to check whether they have been found and handed over to one of the lost property facilities. However, all identification documents are delivered to the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee officers the day after they are found. Thus, if you’re no longer at the airport, you shouldn’t fill out the Lost and Found form or search through the Lost and Found Service. Instead, you must contact the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the branch of the Dutch Armed Forces, tasked with various police duties as well. You can reach them by calling +31 (0)88 958 18 14.
How Lost Items are Collected at Schiphol Airport
The airport staff regularly patrols the facilities, collecting lost items and baggage left behind. This process takes place daily to gather as many items as possible and return them to their owners. Moreover, prohibited items that haven’t passed through security screening are also collected and stored so that their owners can claim them. All lost property and items restricted or confiscated during security control are stored in a warehouse and kept for a certain period of time. Specifically, items worth up to 450€/520$ are kept for 3 months, while more valuable items are stored for one year and one month. If they are not claimed within that period, they are auctioned. Food products are delivered to the Food Bank and distributed to people in need.
On the other hand, when passengers find a lost item or a piece of forgotten luggage, they can hand it over to one of the Lost and Found Desks. Have you found a lost item outside the desk’s operating hours? There is a special collection box outside the airside Lost and Found Offices. If you have found it landside, the airport provides a similar box in the hallway between Schiphol Plaza and Baggage Reclaim Zone 2 (directly across from Crossroads).
FAQs
Does Amsterdam Airport have a lost and found facility?
Yes, Schiphol Airport features three Lost and Found Desks, where travelers can retrieve lost items and forgotten luggage. Two facilities are located airside, at Holland Boulevard and Lounge 1, while the landside desk can be found on the basement level, between Arrivals 1 and 2.
How do I contact Schiphol Lost and Found?
You can use the online Lost and Found Service to either fill out a form for your missing item or search the airport’s database for lost property. Moreover, if you want to contact the Lost and Found Desks or have any questions, you can call +31 (0)20 333 0333.
How long do they keep lost items at Schiphol?
The airport staff collects lost items and stores them in a warehouse. Valuable items (worth more than 450€/520$) are kept for 13 months, while less expensive items are kept for 3 months.