Lost and Found Management Software for Airports
Lost and found software for airports: log found items across terminals, match them to passenger reports and arrange returns. Request a demo.
Lost and found software for airports: how the desk works day to day
An airport lost property desk takes in items from terminals, gates, security lanes, lounges and shuttle buses, and most of the people who lost them have already flown home. They cannot walk to the counter and they often do not share a language with the desk. DokiFinder gives the team one workspace to log everything that is found, compares it with lost reports filed by passengers, checks that the person asking is the owner, and sends the item back by pickup or by courier. This page describes what each of those steps looks like for an airport team.
Logging finds from every corner of the terminal
Cleaners, security staff, gate agents and lounge hosts hand items to the desk throughout the day. A member of the team photographs the item, AI reads the photo and drafts the type, colour, brand and distinguishing marks, and the staff member corrects the draft and records where and when it was found. The item enters the inventory with a reference and a storage location, so the shelf and the record match.
Items can be labelled with a printed property tag, which makes a later search at the shelf quick. Teams that already hold records in a spreadsheet can import them in bulk on the paid plans instead of retyping them.
Passengers report from home, in their own language
A passenger who has landed in another country files a lost report on DokiFinder with a photo or a description, the flight and the place they last had the item. The site runs in 13 languages, so the report and the later conversation do not depend on the desk speaking the passenger's language. Reporting is free for the passenger.
Items that your team holds are private by default. They are not published to the public marketplace unless your organization chooses to show them; instead they surface only to the owner whose lost report matches, which keeps phones, wallets and documents out of general view.
Matching found items with lost reports
Each item in the inventory is compared with lost reports on category, place, date, description, colour and photos. When a likely owner exists, your team sees the candidate next to the item and the passenger is told that an organization may be holding their property. Matching only suggests. A member of your team approves every return, so an algorithm never releases an item.
Checking that the claimant is the owner
The passenger opens a claim and provides proof of ownership: details that are not visible in the record, such as what is inside a bag, a serial number, a lock screen, or a receipt and a photo with the item. Your team reviews the proof, asks follow-up questions in the built-in chat and approves or declines. Every decision is logged against the person who made it, with the time, which is the record airports are asked for after a dispute.
Returns by pickup or by courier
Passengers who live nearby can book a pickup slot. Everyone else asks for shipping: DokiFinder requests carrier quotes for the route, the passenger sees the price before paying, and your team receives a label, packs the parcel and hands it to the carrier. If your airport charges a recovery fee, it is shown before payment too. The passenger confirms receipt and the item is closed in the inventory.
Holding periods and what the plans cost
You set how long found items are kept. The default follows the German statutory six months, and administrators are warned a week before an item's period ends, so disposal and donation decisions happen on time. The organization pays one flat monthly plan with no charge per item. The free plan covers 50 active items, 3 team members and 1 location; paid plans raise those limits, which matters for a multi-terminal operation. Request a demo to see the workspace with your own process.
Frequently asked questions
Can passengers claim items after they have left the country?
Yes. The passenger reports and claims online in their own language, proves ownership, pays the quoted shipping and receives the parcel. Your team packs it and hands it to the carrier.
Are the items we hold visible to the public?
Not by default. Items held by your organization surface only to the owner whose lost report matches, unless you choose to publish them.
Does matching release items automatically?
No. Matching suggests possible owners. A member of your team reviews the proof of ownership and approves every return.
Who pays for return shipping?
The passenger pays the carrier quote, which is shown before payment. The airport pays no per-item charge.
Can we import the items we already have recorded?
Yes, on paid plans. Bulk import takes a spreadsheet of existing items in batches, so the desk can move its current inventory over.
How long do we have to keep found items?
You set the holding period. The default follows the German statutory six months, and administrators are warned a week before it ends.
About DokiFinder
DokiFinder is a lost-and-found recovery network for people and organizations. Owners report lost items for free; honest finders report what they found. AI-assisted matching compares the two, the owner's reward is held securely, finders are identity-verified, and the reward is released only after both sides confirm the handover. Available on the web in 13 languages. Reporting is free.