First, let me say that I did search on the term 'lost and found' but didn't find what appeared to be a relevant thread...so hope it was okay to start this one.

My short tale of woe begins this morning, on NW #1577 from CLT to DTW on my way back home to MSP. I sat in my seat, grabbed my backpack, and searched in vain for my Zune (the Microsoft version of an iPod). When I couldn't find it, I realized immediately that I had left it in the seatback pocket on my flight TO CLT the day before. Dang. Of course, I know my chances of locating this thing were close to nil but figured I could at least request that they check the seatback pocket at seat 2A on that plane.

(I must say that I realize my MP3 player is just a thing, and it can be replaced. BUT, if felt very personal...whoever found it would discover my super-lame music taste. It bummed me out.)

Anyway, I called the Platinum Elite line for advice about how I might put in a claim to track this thing down. The agent responded that the only people who could help me were the baggage office at CLT. I would have to talk to them personally, though, because there is no publicly-available phone number. So, I chuckled (in a friendly, not creepy) way and said that this strategy put me in a pickle. I was already on board my flight, whose door was about to close, to LEAVE Charlotte. So I asked:

1. Should I step off and hope to standby home later? (No, she said, the flights were sold out.)
2. Can she give me a central lost & found phone number? (No, she said, NWA doesn't have one.)
3. Is there no way to make a request that someone check a seatback pocket? (No.)

I protested that I couldn't imagine how CLT baggage claim could help me in this situation, since it's unlikely that the device ever left the aircraft in CLT in the first place! Unfortunately, the agent really couldn't understand my thinking on that one. It was a mystifying conversation.

She had no other suggestions, and didn't really seem to have much time for the conversation. I hung up and, at the urging of a fellow passenger, asked for help in Detroit. I approached a gate agent (wow - what a mistake!), went to the Customer Service Center (vacant) and gave up. I also called the Platinum line a second time, hoping that another rep would have different advice. No dice.

So my frustration comes not so much from the lack of empathy offered from the Platinum agent. Some are good, some aren't so good...I can deal with that. The frustration comes from the surprising revelation that NWA doesn't have any way to help a passenger locate a missing item. Frankly, I can't even believe that's true! My question for y'all: IS it true? Do you have any suggestions?

Let me also say that I really love NWA. I have great experiences, good ones, and sometimes bad ones...but most of the time I think it's a great airline. I don't want anyone to think I'm whining!

Epilogue:
All that said, I went to Best Buy and bought a replacement Zune. I have another trip on Wednesday and the idea of living without it is terrifying to me!