The Ottawa International Airport is demanding the owners of five abandoned vehicles to either move them, or lose them.

Some of the vehicles were left at the airport parking lot for as long as four years.

"These cars basically have been around, some of them, the red one behind me over here has been since 2006, almost four years, the other two a couple of years. They're essentially cars that are abandoned," said Paul Benoit, president of the Ottawa International Airport Authority.

The airport is now dealing with the problem. After one month, the Transportation Ministry is notified and police are called in. If another 30 days pass, the vehicle becomes the property of the airport.

"We'll either send them out to auction or salvage them," said Benoit.

However, airport staff says what puzzles them most is what happened to the drivers. One of the vehicles was equipped with new tires; another had half a wardrobe in the back seat.

Abandoned vehicles at airports are more common than some might think.

Toronto's Pearson International Airport gets about 10 vehicles ditched in its parking lot every year.

In Dubai, the situation is worse with an average of 33 cars abandoned every day. The explanation there: many ex-patriots abandon the country by plane, leaving their vehicles behind.

In Ottawa, the airport occasionally manages to track down the owners of abandoned vehicles. However, owners rarely offer an explanation.

"You don't get an answer. It's not like: 'Geez, I forgot my car for the last six months.' It's: 'Okay, I'll come and pay you the 800 and 900 dollars,'" said Benoit.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua