How to retrieve items left on a plane at JKIA
By Valerian Khakayi, September 15, 2026Forgetting a phone, laptop, handbag or another personal item on a plane can turn an otherwise smooth journey into a stressful experience.
Passengers arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) may sometimes realise they have left something behind only after disembarking, while others may misplace their belongings while moving through the airport.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has issued guidance on what passengers should do when trying to recover belongings left onboard an aircraft or within the airport.
How to retrieve an item left on a plane
If you realise that you have left an item onboard after disembarking, passengers should seek assistance from the airline or its customer service team.
Items left inside an aircraft may be recovered by airline personnel during post-flight checks. Passengers should therefore report the missing item as soon as possible and provide details that can help identify it.
These may include the flight number, date of travel, seat number and a clear description of the item. Passengers should also explain where they believe they left the item, such as in the seat pocket, under the seat or in the overhead compartment.
The airline can then check whether the item has been recovered and guide the passenger on the collection process.
KAA said it has engaged the airline involved in a recent incident and is working with aviation stakeholders to strengthen passenger awareness of the procedures for recovering belongings left onboard aircraft or within the airport.
Documents required to collect the item
Passengers should be prepared to verify their identity before collecting recovered belongings.
According to KAA, passengers collecting items left onboard aircraft may be required to provide identification and complete relevant documentation for security and accountability purposes before retrieving.
“For security and accountability, passengers collecting items left onboard aircraft may be required to provide identification and complete the relevant documentation before an item can be released. These procedures are intended to ensure that recovered property is handed over to its rightful owner,” KAA stated.
This means passengers may need to present an identification document and complete the required paperwork before the recovered property is released.
The verification process is intended to ensure that recovered belongings are handed back to their rightful owners.
What if the item was lost at JKIA?
Not every misplaced item is left on an aircraft. Travellers can also lose belongings while checking in, passing through security, waiting to board or moving around the terminal.
A passenger could, for instance, leave a phone at a seating area, forget a handbag at a check-in counter or misplace important documents while moving between different sections of the airport.
In such cases, passengers should report the loss to the relevant airport customer service team and provide details about the item and where they last remember having it.
KAA encourages passengers who require clarification to seek assistance from airline or airport customer service teams and cooperate with applicable verification procedures.
The advisory is also a reminder for travellers to check their belongings before leaving an aircraft or moving away from an area within the airport.
Passengers can check their seat pocket, under the seat, overhead compartment and the space around their seat before disembarking.
Keeping phones, passports, wallets, laptops and other valuables within sight can also reduce the chances of leaving them behind during a busy journey.