TSA: Don’t forget your pocket change at Hartsfield-Jackson
Travelers making their way through security at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have left behind more than $16,000 in those trays that hold your pocket change, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
NBC reports that travelers left a total of $409,085.56 in loose change after clearing TSA security checkpoints at airports across the country in 2010.
Hartsfield-Jackson ranked No. 3 with $16,523.83 collected, compared with $46,918.06 left at John F. Kennedy International in New York, which ranked No. 1, and $19,110.83 left at Los Angeles International Airport, which ranked No. 2.
The change, in addition to foreign currency, is usually thrown into a jar and counted at the end of the day, a spokeswoman told NBC. The money, which amounted to $399,000 in 2009 and $364,000 a year earlier, is sent to the TSA for its general operating budget, spokeswoman Nico Melendez said
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88 comments Add your comment
cash out
January 13th, 2012
3:09 pm
the tsa crooks probably steal all that money at the end of the year for parties, gifts, etc.
El Gato Malo
January 13th, 2012
3:27 pm
Does anybody really believe that those thugs working at TSA turn in all the money?
bob
January 13th, 2012
3:34 pm
I imagine they’re making a killing off the water bottles that I throw away everytime I get to the line.
Serious RACISTS...
January 13th, 2012
3:38 pm
Just amazing how you all just talk down about people you know nothing about…
Thomas
January 13th, 2012
3:40 pm
“Serious” has obviously never been through airport security.
Atlanta
January 13th, 2012
3:41 pm
I sure there is a local food bank in Atlanta that could make $16,000 go a long way(:
Darvocet spending
January 13th, 2012
3:47 pm
El Gato Malo
January 13th, 2012
3:27 pm
Does anybody really believe that those thugs working at TSA turn in all the money?
No. I wouldn’t–and I doubt you would, either.
mojo3
January 13th, 2012
3:52 pm
Why not donate the money to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, some organizations or agencies which
HELP those in NEED??? Why not initiate a, “Pay it Forward’ mindset? (Quite sure many would be elated over your doing so.)
America is dead
January 13th, 2012
3:56 pm
Great… we lose our rights and they get half a million dollars to fund their fascist organization.
KJ
January 13th, 2012
3:57 pm
“Just amazing how you all just talk down about people you know nothing about”
No, it’s amazing that you’re dumb enough to inject race into a discussion that has nothing to do with it.
Dr. J.
January 13th, 2012
4:06 pm
George Bush was a traitor to ever create TSA, just like Obama is a traitor for allowing it to continue. TSA’s function is what the federal DOT should be doing. As usual, government is expanded and duplicated in cost. Why not use the money to pay of the national debt instead of having it get absorbed by the TSA bureaucracy?
papa rider
January 13th, 2012
4:09 pm
I agree, the money should be donated to a charity? If they can’t find a charity, a donation to my retirement account would be appreciated.
littleoleme
January 13th, 2012
4:23 pm
“Just amazing how you all just talk down about people you know nothing about”
“No, it’s amazing that you’re dumb enough to inject race into a discussion that has nothing to do with it.”
Did I miss something, because nowhere in that statement did the person mention race.
Jay
January 13th, 2012
4:23 pm
“Serious”…look up the word “racist” in a dictionary and then get back to us….
tom d.
January 13th, 2012
4:27 pm
Or give a few dollar bills to every person that they give a hard time to going thru TSA security. So they can buy some food on the plane. But i bet that is too much customer service.
Jai
January 13th, 2012
4:29 pm
That’s pitiful. That money should be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank or Hosea Williams Heed the Hungry. Putting this money in the operating budget amounts to greed.
A.B. Normal
January 13th, 2012
4:33 pm
“General operating budget” my BUT-TOCKS!! It’s going straight into some managers pocket!
Just a Thought
January 13th, 2012
4:38 pm
How is TSA at fault. These people abandoned their change, If you run it through the scanner and leave it, it’s NOT TSA fault. It’s not illegal to bring change through the airport security, you just have run it through. Some of you have probably never flown.
BS
January 13th, 2012
4:39 pm
The TSA has an impossible job – the flying public wants it to stop anything bad from happening while not inconveniencing anyone. Needless to say they were destined to fail on both accounts. That said, I am sure the amount of change people leave other places such as hotels, taxis, probably even airplanes dwarfs the $500K reported here, yet since no one keeps track,no one cares. Would it have been a better PR move to donate it to a charity? Probably. At least if it is going back into the general budget, it actually does save either tax money or airport fees that would other wise be needed to make up that deficit (it is a predictable source of revenue that is likely budgeted in).
casper09
January 13th, 2012
5:12 pm
oh my god
casper09
January 13th, 2012
5:16 pm
let someone get on a plane with a bomb or some weapon and what would people have to say i feel these tsa workers perform under a great deal of pressure we all understand there are times when we all feel our rights and freedom have been viloated but it seems like a necessary thing to do stip blaming bush, obama they are trying to keep us safe
Kapoonka
January 13th, 2012
5:18 pm
Not quite sure if folks are just in a rush or stupid. I pick up everything I send through the belt…what am I missing here? It seems to me the logical responsibility to recover what YOU send thrrough should be with the traveler, not the TSA. Geeeeeez!
David Granger
January 13th, 2012
5:28 pm
…and that’s just the amount they actually turn in. No telling how much the total is if you figure in all that the TSA people just stick in their own pockets.
WendelllovesJanet
January 13th, 2012
5:37 pm
I agree, I think that TSA have one of the craziest jobs..and for that pay..they do need the change..I find it funny that leaving change turns into some race issue.folks come on..
rpguy
January 13th, 2012
6:08 pm
That’s just the $ amount that’s accounted. Imagine the real figure. Probably 15-20% more if not higher. I would say that’s the amount after the “free lunches”.
Ueeediot
January 13th, 2012
6:16 pm
What do you do with money you find on the ground? Do you give it to charity? I much doubt it.
Should the TSA do the same? Probably would help their image with foolish people. People who love liberty and freedom will continue to decry the infringement of their right to travel anonymously. (Who is protecting the hundreds of people crowded in the queue to go through security?)
But since the TSA has yet to fully blossom and mature, people will continue to think TSA means Aiport Security, when the real facts are that the TSA is expanding and growing. They are taking over at rail stations, public highways, Amtrack, cruise ships, and anything to do with “transportation”.
And cry me a river that they dont get paid well. The job is advertised to pay what it pays. If you need a job that pays more, find one.
Scott
January 13th, 2012
6:35 pm
Here’s an idea. Instead of getting mad at TSA for keeping the money, let’s not leave change in the first place!
Sam of GA
January 13th, 2012
6:35 pm
Why is this a big deal. People simply left money behind. The TSA should keep it and put it in to thier budget. Next issue?
Ric
January 13th, 2012
6:43 pm
I can’t believe that they wouldn’t just donate it to Creflo Dollar ministries.
robert stokely
January 13th, 2012
7:25 pm
TSA is violating Georgia law on abondoned property. Georgia law requires that the abandoned property be turned over to the State of Georgia and if not claimed within seven years, the state keeps it. If the Feds are going to claim absolute dominin over illegals entering this country, then they need to defer to the State Rights on abandoned property. Hartsfield is a public airport and not federal property.
This is Mrs.Norman Maine
January 13th, 2012
7:46 pm
People whine and complain about the TSA but they got exactly what they asked for. When they at first envisioned TSA, they assumed they would only stop Arabs and other “ethnicities” so they were A-OK with it. Surprise! The TSA inconveniences everyone since after all, they would be hugely ineffective if they didn’t and now everyone is all upset about it. LOL. Some of us tried to warn you about the proverbial slippery slope. Now it’s here. Just deal with it.
HENRY
January 13th, 2012
7:52 pm
SO I PAID FOR THAT STRIP SEARCH ??????
crooks
January 13th, 2012
8:22 pm
the tsa are robbing people blind by keeping all this money—they should be in jail.
Riiiiiight....
January 13th, 2012
8:40 pm
Like the HS dropout losers that are TSA screeners are not going to pocket that money. Sure.
LOL at Ric’s comment. He’s prpbably right. I’m sure at least some of it got to Rev. “gimmeyo” Dollar. THAT scumbag is another story unto himself….
So Sad
January 13th, 2012
8:40 pm
It is so sad that so many of you that regularly post on the AJC are such negative people that think the worst of everyone but yourselves, especially as an earlier poster said, about people you know nothing about. Your posts speak volumes about your pitiful and depressing approach to life. Remember, the measure you use to judge other people, is the measure by which you will be judged. I feel sorry for your families. But then again, some of you are so cynical, unhappy, miserable, and irreligious, you probably drove away most of your families and friends!
Cynthia
January 13th, 2012
8:53 pm
People are talking as if the TSA agents are stealing that money. News flash: if you don’t want the TSA agents to have your loose change, then pay attention! I have no doubt people leave a couple nickels here and a quarter there. They think nothing of it, but when hundreds of thousands of people do it, then it adds up.
Mr. Know It All
January 13th, 2012
9:22 pm
They don’t even think about giving the money to the rightful owner. When you forget your change at Publix they will chase you to the parking lot if necessary to give it back no matter how little it is.
So Sad
January 13th, 2012
9:41 pm
@Mr Know It All: it is obvious you do not pass through airport security on a regular basis. Publix baggers chasing down clueless people who left their change in the store is no comparison to TSA agents checking for weapons and bombs. You must gave an extremely sub pat IQ! Just look at how many loaded guns have been confiscated in the past two months! As the old saying goes, When God was passing out brains, you thought he was saying pains and hid behind the door. You idiot bloggers say so much about the failure of Georgia’s education system. Are y’all in a contest to see who can post the dumbest comments?
So Sad
January 13th, 2012
9:45 pm
How many of you idiots even made it through Georgia’s sub par educational program? Mr Know It Nothing must have slept through high school.
Beretverde
January 13th, 2012
9:56 pm
I wonder if the American Legion or VFW were in place of the TSA? They would have collected over a million dollars and had a million in collected donations. Screw those black booted NAZIS. We are not the enemy!
Rev Al Sharpton
January 13th, 2012
10:04 pm
Don’t make me come down there! Where Jessee?
Big Rudy
January 13th, 2012
10:16 pm
It averages out to be $1.88 per hr. for Atlanta. Let them split it. There is probably 40 or more of them working. That’s $.04 per hr each. Extra Extra read all about it.
Big Rudy
January 13th, 2012
10:17 pm
Heck, cut Al and Jesse in…
Clark Howard Jr.
January 13th, 2012
10:23 pm
Duh!!! If you put change in the container take it out once you’re through security. Idiots!!! They can do what they want to with it at that point. Why is this a story?
rip off
January 14th, 2012
12:58 am
more rip offs from the low rent thugs at tsa–now they are stealing coins from passengers.
Kunta Kinte
January 14th, 2012
1:50 am
say what!
Tim
January 14th, 2012
2:45 am
To the couple of dummies who thought “Serious” was being racist, Look or shall I say read before you speak, he goes by the name of “Serious Racist”, he didn’t say anything racist you big Dummy. SMH
Also to the poster “So Sad” i’m quite sure the poster Mr.Know it all” was just being facetious. Probably the same reason he calls himself Mr know it all (not meant to be taken seriously)….As far as the change goes don’t leave it behind if you don’t want someone else to have it. Tons amounts of change is left at casinos, self checkout at stores, etc etc
Don
January 14th, 2012
6:52 am
I’m betting that “Georgia Law on Abandoned Property” applies to property above a certain value. Each tray would be a different “property”. So, unless that quarter you found last week was covered, the law doesn’t apply.
Name (required)
January 14th, 2012
8:06 am
The TSA needs to be abolished. Or at least their badges taken away. What a joke of a government “agency”
Bill
January 14th, 2012
8:44 am
Maybe the traveler intended to leave it as a tip for the TSA. Now that’s thinking outside the box.
vladimir sonofobitch
January 14th, 2012
8:48 am
I’m glad they send the money in for operating expenses. That’s $400,000 less that will have to be collected in the form of taxes that we pay. Think about it people.
vladimir sonofobitch
January 14th, 2012
9:07 am
Hey So Sad. Wow. You need to read your own post on talking down to people and then read your other post. Practice what you preach. I, on the other hand, don’t give a flying **ck if I offend you or anyone else.
TSA are idiots and so are most of the people that I have the unfortunate pleasure of following through security on a regular basis. I have EVERYTHING out of my pockets and in the front pocket of my bag well before getting up to security. NOTICE: You DON’T need to take out the little plastic bag holding your liquids and gels. Keep it in your bag, the x-ray sees them and it’s fine. I haven’t removed my plastic bag in over a year and a half. Also, you DON’T need to remove you belt unless you’re going through the stand-sup “See ya naked” scanner. I wear easy to slip off and on shoes so I’m not sitting there holding up the line untying them. If you have a laptop, take it out of your bag and put it in a bin BY ITSELF. If you have a tablet, those do NOT need to be removed from the bag and placed in a tray. Keep them in your bag.
I travel a lot and try to be considerate of everyone by being prepared WELL BEFORE I go through security. It’s just too bad that most everyone else is too stupid and inconsiderate.
TSA needs to be run by private industry and not by Govt. period. They could get it done for less money and would do a better job.
john
January 14th, 2012
9:20 am
If you leave your money behind, touch crap. Who cares what they do with it. If they want to put it into a jar and have a big party at the end of they year, that is their choice. Next time you find a quarter on the ground make sure you take it straight to a charity. This is a non story!!!!
Wiser
January 14th, 2012
9:53 am
Answer: Just don’t have carry any change into the airport…end of conversation!
Morning Reads for Saturday, January 14, 2012 the Short Stack edition — Peach Pundit
January 14th, 2012
11:28 am
[...] The Transportation Safety Administration has identified a new revenue source: change left behind in airport security lines. [...]
WN
January 14th, 2012
11:30 am
Sounds like a great place for a Year around Salvation Army Bucket.
Val
January 14th, 2012
12:19 pm
The change should go to charity; not TSA’s pocket. That’s terrible.
BobPro
January 14th, 2012
12:44 pm
I agree with WN and Val.
BUT!
My charity or your charity or their charity? Devil IS in the details.
Is anything worthwhile being done with all the confiscated oversize liquid and gel containers?
I don’t agree with everything Vladimir posted but emptying your pockets into a pocket of your carry-on is a practical approach and doing it early speeds up everyone’s travel through the screening line.
It’s a shame that 9/11 succeeded in ruining the travel experience of much of the world. Has anyone calculated the increased cost of travel that Osama inflicted on us all?
travellor
January 14th, 2012
12:50 pm
I simply try not to fly…the unprofessional, boyz from the hood TSA agents in Atlanta are a shame!
Morning Reads for Saturday, January 14, 2012 the Short Stack edition
January 14th, 2012
12:54 pm
[...] The Transportation Safety Administration has identified a new revenue source: change left behind in airport security lines. [...]
big government sucks
January 14th, 2012
12:56 pm
it’s got to bo 4 times that amount when you concider what makes it into the “officers” pockets
Darvocet spending
January 14th, 2012
1:33 pm
Mr. Know It All
January 13th, 2012
9:22 pm
They don’t even think about giving the money to the rightful owner. When you forget your change at Publix they will chase you to the parking lot if necessary to give it back no matter how little it is.
Yes it’s almost as if their job is more important than bagging groceries or something
Darvocet spending
January 14th, 2012
1:34 pm
Another great place to find lots of loose change is Six Flags… the FreeFall was the the great when it was still around.
Darvocet spending
January 14th, 2012
1:35 pm
travellor
January 14th, 2012
12:50 pm
I simply try not to fly…the unprofessional, boyz from the hood TSA agents in Atlanta are a shame!
You’re just saying that because they’re mostly black and you’re a lily white racist.
Darvocet spending
January 14th, 2012
1:37 pm
All of you are so outraged over the possibility you’ll lose 56¢ and those swarthy TSA agents will be laughing all the way to the bank with it muwahahaha
Get a grip. Christ.
gforce
January 14th, 2012
2:46 pm
Almost half a million bucks is no pocket change…really. It should go to a charity and not allowed to be used for TSAs discretionary spending fund…that’s crazy.
Watch close
January 14th, 2012
3:33 pm
They are breaking the Law. They are to leave the money in lost and found for 30 days. If then left unclaim then they can apply for it . It ’s in the Books. But why are they not following the law as it is written.
WeeklyFlyer
January 14th, 2012
3:54 pm
vladimir :
I do everything you do except I don’t carry liquids. I experience the same thing you and everyone else does, however I don’t feel the need to call people idiots like you do. You need a course in anger management or maybe you’re just an arrogant narcissistic a**hole.
steal it
January 14th, 2012
5:28 pm
low rent tsa crooks are now stealing people’s spare change??? are you serious??? amazing—will they go to jail?
SlyDog55
January 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
vladimir sonofobitch. you are one angry, impatient dude….
Opinion
January 14th, 2012
5:55 pm
I wonder at times about our education system. People complain about government agencies as if they choose their own rules.
TSA did not create its self. It was created by the US House and Senate when they wrote the Aviation Transportation Act. They voted on it then the president then signed it into law.
If you want them gone, talk to your Congressional Representatives. They are the only ones that can change it.
What would happen if the government eliminated TSA and aviation security? Would you still fly or be here criticizing the issue as people unwilling to accept the risks?
By the way, money left (abandoned) becomes federal property and must be placed into an agencies general fund as defined by other federal laws.
And to think, I served in the U.S. Military to allow you to have your opinions.
TSA
January 14th, 2012
6:35 pm
The TSA protects America–and is soley responsible for preventing terrorist attacks on this great Nation! The TSA should be doubled, or tripled, in size!
Not a Traveler Because...
January 14th, 2012
7:13 pm
The United States military protects this great nation from terrorists. The TSA protects us from five-year olds with sippy cups and grandmothers with knitting needles.
Beretverde
January 14th, 2012
7:27 pm
Abolish the TSA! Start over!
Travel Pro
January 14th, 2012
7:41 pm
Some of the TSA agents are so rude and I really think that must be the requirement to be hired as one. What is wrong with these people? Just because they wear an uniform does not mean that they are superior to others. I have witnessed one African American female agent yelling at a poor old foreign lady to take off her knitted cap at the Atlanta airport about a month ago. That lady either did not understand or she was hard of hearing. The agent got in front of the lady’s face and yelled at the lady like she had committed a serious crime. At that time, it was obvious to other passengers around them to know she had no idea what the agent was yelling about. A bunch of us jumped in and did the hand sign for her to remove her knitted cap and she complied immediately. That was all the agent had to do, instead, she had to show her authority to terrorize an old lady. What a disgrace she was.
tsa--a total disgrace
January 14th, 2012
7:58 pm
the power hungry thugs at tsa get a shiny badge and then order people around like slaves, because they can. they are a disgrace to the country.
Dr. Eddie
January 14th, 2012
8:26 pm
Are they reporting this to the IRS?
Dr. J.
January 14th, 2012
10:57 pm
There. It’s been said by multiple posters: ABOLISH THE TSA. Better yet, abolish the followign departments and agencies: Commerce, Labor, Energy, Education, HUD, Interior, IRS, NLRB, and Homeland Security. All of the above are almost as bad as TSA and never should have been created in the first place.
Nikki
January 14th, 2012
11:33 pm
This is a non story. Next…
Tim
January 15th, 2012
1:44 am
Governor Rick Perry said abolish three agencies or was it two
melanie
January 15th, 2012
9:29 am
Get rid of the TSA & you will have a lot more than angry passengers; you will have more terrorist getting on the plane. I do not mind the TSA one bit. They do their job & keep the airports & plans safe from terroists.
kobchekov
January 15th, 2012
10:43 am
My dear @ vladamir you don’t seriously think that the government will take that 400k and suddenly say “hey we can trim our budget now by 400k, yes!”.
lawrencevillelions.org » Morning Reads for Saturday, January 14, 2012 the Short Stack edition
January 16th, 2012
2:10 am
[...] The Transportation Safety Administration has identified a new revenue source: change left behind in airport security lines. [...]
A. S. Mathew
January 16th, 2012
5:18 am
The money has to be donated to some soup kitchens, not to TSA.
Jeane Hafner
January 17th, 2012
1:23 am
In short… I have already been convinced by the economic tin-foil-hat-wearers with regards to the marketplace. Has anyone identified any ray of optimism throughout this “slow-down”?
CASHLESS
January 17th, 2012
11:54 am
What about, “Excuse me, Sir/Miss, you forgot your change?”
arca
January 17th, 2012
4:41 pm
The focal point here being, do not leave your change behind unless you do not mind it going to anyone who finds it. We all have the power to choose.
kathy
January 19th, 2012
5:41 am
to vladimirsonofobitch:
You come by your name honestly. Remember that a lot of people don’t travel often. Why not give them the benefit of the doubt and not assume they are stupid or inconsiderate? Maybe they’re a bit overwhelmed and don’t know what to do…..