Leaving the airport with someone else’s luggage is any traveller’s worst nightmare. The only exception is Malta Airport Christmas auction which happens annually; the Lost, Found and Auctioned event, where one man’s unclaimed lost luggage is another man’s treasure.

The eighth edition of MIA’s annual charity auction held on the 5th of December saw everything from toasters to Mac Books going under the hammer of radio-host-turned-auctioneer-for-the-night, Frank Zammit.

The items which garnered the most interest were pieces of mystery luggage, which are unclaimed suitcases jam-packed with mystery items ranging from wines and chocolates, to sunglasses and Christmas decorations. Bidding for the highest-selling piece started off at €40 and reached the incredible final figure of €700.

The 78 items put up for auction fetched a total sum of €9,365, which this year will be donated to the Richmond Foundation.

“As mental health awareness increases, more people are seeking help from NGOs such as Richmond. MIA’s generous donation is most welcome and will certainly help in easing the struggles faced by persons suffering from mental illness, particularly during Christmastime,” said Richmond Foundation’s CEO Stephania Dimech Sant.

The money raised during previous editions of the auction benefitted a number of organisations including The Sovereign Order of Malta (2017), Inspire (2016), id-Dar tal-Providenza (2015), Hospice Malta (2014), and The Ladybird Foundation (2013).

About Richmond Foundation

The Richmond Foundation is a non-governmental organisation, which provides optimal community mental health services that promote mental wellbeing, address the prevention of mental health problems and provide support for good quality of life.