My partner and I just returned home from a week in Maui. Enroute back to SEA we flew OGG-LAX-SLC-SEA. We arrived in SLC today to Gate D2 at about 9am from LAX. After we arrived we spent our entire layover in the SLC SC. About 30 minutes prior to our 11:08 am flight to SEA we headed towards our Gate C6. As we walked up to the gate, I felt my front pocket where my phone usually hangs out, only to discover it was missing! I had my partner board the plane with our bags and I hauled ... back to the SC, thinking it had perhaps fallen out of my pocket there, but no dice. I looked under the now occupied table and asked the ladies but no cigar.

So I went back to the departure gate and the agents helped me by calling back down to D2 to that gate where the aircraft luckily was still there and boarding for LAX/LIH. The D2 agent went down to the aircraft, looked under seat 2B and around it, but no cigar. I got on the plane and sat in my seat, feeling completely helpless and clueless. My laptop was totally dead, and of course we were on a PMNW 752 which had no A/C power, but did have wifi.

A total angel of an FA got wind of my situation, and that I wanted to get online to try to run the MobleMe iPhone locator that I've heard about and have available to me but have never used. She gave me her netbook and told me I could gladly use it during the flight as long as I paid for the gogo. ;-) I took her up on it and promised her a nice letter and handed her a stack of job well done certificates, not only was she the lead on the flight, but she did a FANTASTIC job and totally went above and beyond.

I attempted to locate the iPhone but it appeared as though it was turned off (which is odd because i never switch it off). I locked it remotely with a passcode and also sent the emergency message to the screen to tell whomever may have come across it exactly how to contact me via alternate phone and email. Feeling hopeless I drowned my fears in Coke Zero and tried to enjoy the flight.

Upon landing in SEA, i hauled ... into the SC and plugged in and got online. I tried the iPhone locator again, and voila, it showed that my phone on was either in some parking lot or building towards the north end of the SLC airport. I tried calling it but no answer.

So I drove home, and then I pulled up the location again, and it was showing me that the phone was located in a parking lot that's just north of the big "Delta" hangar at SLC which if you transit SLC you know is pretty much midfield by the tower. The parking lot is located north of the DL hangar and south of a building that I guess is the "res" center. I had a flicker of hope at this point.

I called the DL lost and found number for SLC and spoke with a kind woman and explained in detail what had transpired and that I felt like my phone had most likely slipped out of my pocket on board the aircraft that I had deplaned at around 9am at D2. I explained how I had a way to use the GPS to locate where my phone was at that very moment and I explained to her that it was showing me more of less right where my phone was, but it was no where near the main terminal building. She was in awe, and said she was going to fill her supervisor in, and that he'd get back to me.

Minutes later I got a call from a gentleman who was very very helpful. His title is performance leader-customer service/SLC and I explained exactly where it was showing the phone to be. I snapped screen shots zoomed in and out so you could see which lot it was, and then which small area it was showing my phone to be in. He explained to me that he was out there, and wanted me to refresh the locator. At this point my phone started moving, and got further and further away from the north side of the airport. He explained to me that it was most likely taken by a member of the cleaning service crew who is contracted by Delta. I followed my phone all over SLC for about an hour before it was turned off and I lost the trail. He told me the regional managers would question the three that had been assigned to clean the plane and that "they would get to the bottom of this". He said he'd be contacting DL's Corporate Security and they'd replace my phone since it clearly was pocketed by someone who should have turned it into the proper channels.

I'm just shocked. I never in a million years expected to see my little iPhone workin' its way around SLC with god knows who. So far, on Delta's side it's a completely legendary experience. Everyone's been very helpful and apologetic. I realize that it was a complete accident that it must have slipped out of my pocket, and if it would have been anywhere else i most likely would have never expected to see it again. But for some reason I felt confident that if it turned up onboard or in the SkyClub that we'd somehow, someway be reunited.

to be continued..