Airport Lost & Found · Delhi

Lost Something at Delhi Airport? Here's Exactly What to Do

Between three terminals and one of the busiest passenger volumes in Asia, Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) sees a steady stream of lost item reports every day. Here's the actual process, terminal by terminal.

First, figure out where you actually lost it

This decides who you contact, and it's the step most people get wrong under pressure:

• If it was in your checked baggage, or you left something on the aircraft, that's the airline's responsibility, not the airport's — contact your airline's baggage services desk directly.
• If you lost it inside the terminal itself — at security, a gate, a lounge, a restaurant, or on your way through — that's handled by the airport's own Lost & Found department, and that's what the rest of this guide covers.

How to report it

1

Report it as soon as you noticeApproach the terminal's Lost & Found desk in person, or report it by phone/email with a detailed description — what it looks like, roughly where and when you lost it.

2

The item goes through security screeningAnything handed in is routed through security screening before it's logged into the Lost & Found inventory — this is standard procedure, not something specific to your item.

3

You (or an authorized person) collect itBring the required documents to the desk during operating hours. If you can't collect it yourself, someone can collect on your behalf with a signed authorization letter and their own ID.

Where the desks are

• Lost Property Main Office: Terminal 2, Departure Level, near Gate No. 1
• Each terminal (T1, T2, T3) also has its own Lost & Found point of contact for items lost within the last five days

What you'll need to claim it

Standard documents required:

• A government-issued photo ID (passport, driving licence, Aadhaar, or voter ID)
• Proof of travel — boarding pass, e-boarding pass, or immigration stamp
• A detailed description of the lost item
• If someone else is collecting on your behalf: a signed authorization letter plus their own government ID

How long you have

If it's been less than five days, the recovered item can typically be claimed from the respective terminal directly. After that, unclaimed items move to central storage at Terminal 2, where they're retained for up to 90 days. Past that window, items may be handed over as per official disposal notification, so the sooner you report and follow up, the better your odds. Main office hours are 9:30 AM–6:00 PM Monday to Saturday, closed on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturday of the month, Sundays, and public holidays.

Item-specific notes

Item	What to know
Passport	Lost passports should also be reported to the police and your consulate — particularly urgent if you have an international connection.
Phone / electronics	Report the make, model, and any distinguishing features — this is checked against the Lost & Found inventory log.
Wallet / cash	Describe the contents specifically; matching details speeds up verification.
Jewelry	Precise description required — expect closer verification for higher-value items.
Documents (legal, property)	Report immediately — these are exactly the category most likely to have a real deadline attached (court date, registration cutoff).

If you can't collect it in person

Worth being careful here:

• Delhi Airport's own Lost & Found service does not offer home delivery — items are released only to the passenger or an authorized person at the desk, in person.
• Some airports explicitly warn passengers to be cautious of third parties claiming special access to retrieve items on the airport's behalf — that's not how any legitimate service works, ParcelGo included.
• What we actually do: we act as your authorized representative, using the exact same authorization-letter-and-ID process the airport already permits for someone else to collect on your behalf — then we deliver it to your address. It's the airport's own process, just handled for you end to end.

Delhi Airport's Lost & Found service is provided free of charge, and the airport explicitly notes it does not run any third-party courier facility itself — which is exactly why we're upfront that ParcelGo operates as your authorized representative through the airport's own process, not as an extension of the airport.

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Bottom line

Report it fast, know whether it's the airline's or the airport's responsibility, and have your documents ready. If you're not in the city or simply can't get back to the terminal to collect it, that's exactly the gap ParcelGo fills — using the airport's own authorized-collection process, then getting it to your door.

Lost something at Delhi Airport and can't collect it yourself? We'll handle the authorized collection and deliver it to you.

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