The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Monday that forgetful passengers left behind 675,000 dollars in loose change at security checks in US airports in 2014.

TSA said that the money, all in pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, was left behind in the bottom of bins that pass through X-ray machines at airport security checkpoints.

“People often realise at the last minute that they have change in their pocket before going through the metal detector.

 “They drop it into a little round bin built into the containers that carry their shoes and other items through the X-ray machine,’’ it said.

The office said the annual amount has increased since 2008, when the transport administration collected 383,000 dollars.

TSA said that in 2014, John F Kennedy International Airport tallied the highest amount of any U.S. airport recorded with 42,550 dollars.  

It said that it was making every effort to reunite passengers with items left at the checkpoint.

 Ross Feinstein of TSA media services said that there were instances where loose change or other items were left behind and unclaimed.

 TSA has collected 3.5 million dollars in loose change since it started the process in 2008.

 The office is allowed to keep the coins if no one claims them and use the money to pay for its security operations.

(dpa/NAN)