Originally Posted by
AtlanticX
It probably differs per airport.
I assume that at end of day operations they collect luggage that's still on the belt and move it to the lost&found.
At Schiphol, every 3 months, they auction off everything that has remained unclaimed for the previous 3 months through an auction house. (You bid blindly on a collection of
about half a dozen suitcases per lot).
They would make an effort to try and track the owner down e.g. via bag tags or any information inside the case / address label or documents etc then give it a week or two for the owner to claim it themselves. (that's why I always put a piece of paper with my name and contact details inside)
Then yes something similar over here - sent to auction house for sale.
There are even TV programmes about the people who buy the lots and what they make in selling the contents