Sydney Airport to sell lost property at online auction

By David Flynn, October 29 2014
Sydney Airport to sell lost property at online auction

Sydney Airport will hold an online auction to sell thousands of pieces of lost property next month, with the proceeds being donated to charity.

Up for grabs are cameras (digital and SLR models), smartphones, iPods and iPads, ebook readers, laptops, headphones, designer handbags, suitcases, toys, sporting equipment, clothing, alcohol, perfume, cosmetics and, well, pretty much anything else you can image – and a few things you'd probably never think of.

The lost property auction is an annual event for Sydney Airport, which last year raised more than $130,000, however this is the first time the auction will be held online.

The bounty will be spread across five auctions across a ten day period from November 4-14.

Auction 1 will gather together cameras, iPods, docks, gaming consoles, games and "various electricals". It starts 9am Tuesday 4 November and ends Monday 10 November 8.30pm.

Auction 2 sees mobile phones, tablets, laptops and "various technology" go under the hammer, from 9am Wednesday 5 November to8.30pm Tuesday 11 November. 

Auction 3 is your chance to bid on jewellery, cosmetics, perfume, handbags and luggage; that starts 9am Thursday 6 November and finishes at 8.30pm on Wednesday 11 November. 

Auction 4 is dedicated to alcohol and tobacco, from 9am Friday 7 November to 8.30pm Thursday 13 November.

Auction 5 is home to, well, everything that's left over – souvenirs, toys, sporting goods, clothing, paintings, artwork and homewares. Bids begin at 9am Saturday 8 November, with the final hammer falling at 8.30pm on Friday 14 November.

Bidding on each item will start at $1, with descriptions and photos to appear on the website of auction partner Pickles.

(Note that Pickles will charge a 16.5% 'processing fee' on top of the hammer price on all lots, while Sydney Airport will also pay Pickles another 16.5% from each lot sold to cover management of the auction.)

You can check out the goods in person on Wednesday 5 November at Pickles' warehouse in Milperra.

“While we make every effort to return the hundreds of lost items that are left at Sydney Airport each year, many items remain unclaimed,” said Sally Fielke, Sydney Airport's General Manager for Corporate Affairs.

“Close to 38 million passengers travelled through Sydney Airport last year from all over the world and the items left at the airport reflect this diversity.”

Unusual items in this year’s auction will include a surfboard, a microwave, a blender, musical instruments including ukuleles and violins, a bike and a scooter.

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David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

01 Apr 2013

Total posts 41

Haven't they heard of the KLM dogs?

Mal
Mal

14 Jun 2013

Total posts 353

A nice idea by Sydney Airport, but Pickles is taking a 33% slice of the action? So much for 'charity' on their behalf!

25 Sep 2013

Total posts 1245

I reckon Sydney Airport should investigate appointing another auctioneer. 

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

29 Sep 2014

Total posts 19

Isn't selling iPods, ipads and laptops a bad idea because a technological advanced person (hacker) could buy it and get all of your information (I'm not sure if that's true though)

09 Sep 2014

Total posts 54

No, because they just reset all of that kind of stuff back to factory mode, so that it is basically a new phone,ipad etc.

25 Sep 2013

Total posts 1245

You would trust Sydney Airport and Pickles to wipe all hard drives and memory before they auction off the goods?

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

17 Aug 2012

Total posts 2207

I dunno, really. I'd much rather not lose the damn thing in the first place!


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