Should Qantas be selling lost property? Readers respond

Photo / Mark Mitchell

Today's story about Qantas auctioning off lost property to airline staff has riled our readers.

Commenting on nzherald.co.nz, Adam said: "Qantas seem to be operating on a finders keepers principle which is unprofessional and down right greedy," while Dolly reckoned making no effort to return left behind items constituted "theft by finding".

NZ Herald Facebook readers were equally outraged. "How hard could it be to identify whose item it was?" asked Mark Connolly. "Don't they keep their seating plans? It's pure and simple theft as far as I'm concerned."

Kate Macdonald said: "I've left quite a few valuables on Air NZ over the years including a Louis Vuitton scarf and I got it back! Maybe that's just luck. Would never fly Qantas now."

Mandi James said she was "quite horrified at the dishonesty that must create amongst their flight staff". David Fraser agreed: "With an official company policy like that, they are actively breeding dishonesty and distrust. One might therefore expect that they have high staff turnover and poor customer service, and a similar lack of honesty and integrity company-wide."

Sandy Austin said: "Qantas like all airlines have a duty of care and should endeavour to return lost items. I hope its callous indifference to passengers does not go as far as not returning stuff the airline lost! The rate of pay has nothing to do with it - it's a culture that comes from the top. Shame on Qantas."

But others were of the opinion it was the passenger's duty to look after his or her own belongings. Monique Turner said, "if there's no way the items can be traced, the items should be kept for a period of time so that the passengers can contact the airline to inquire if their lost property is there. If unclaimed after a certain period of time then yes, I guess it's the airline's discretion to dispose them."

Marguerite Howlett agreed, saying "if Qantas have attempted to contact the passenger and they haven't responded after 3 months then fair enough - just like at the dry cleaners etc."

Beth Anderson said "they give you long enough to claim it, if you don't after that long what else can they do with it?"

Michael Rist reckoned "if your stupidity/ignorance means you left something behind, expect the airline to sell it, it's not their job to run after you! It's their job to look after you from the time you book to the time you reach your destination, not afterwards."

- NZ Herald staff