Mikey Mike Mike

Last Wed evening (22ndSept) , I flew on the 93 from YYZ to LHR. Sitting in 9K on XWBC, I discovered all of the new storage spaces (3) but the laptop didn’t fit in one. So I put it on the window ledge between the outside of the seat shell and the window. I don’t recall using it, and on arrival at heathrow – I checked the three locations and water bottle holder and all good.

Getting on a GWR train at Reading, I went to get the laptop and it wasn’t there. I realised I hadn’t checked for it having used an unusual storage location. I think the mac being thin, either slid between the seat and shelf or the shelf and wall, OR just slid back towards the rear bulkhead as we rotated into the sky.

Don’t panic I thought, I found on my phone the lost property on a plane and clicked. Hmmm BA don’t handle it themselves even though it was ON their property. (Not the airport) So I read the bagport info and called them. Call center shut due to covid – personal callers only at T3 Monday to Friday between 0900 and 1500. Hmmmm a pain, but I can drop by tomorrow. I clicked on the next link to be taken to be taken to another 3rdparty site – missingX.com

Filled in the form on Thursday, and heard nothing. I went to the office in T3 on the Friday and a really helpful member of staff took my cell number as it was the last day I could check in person, she called me back as promised on the Saturday.

So in summary (in a Gilbert and Sullivan Patter)

A laptop lost on a BA aircraft at Heathrow, is dealt with by neither BA or Heathrow.com A third party – bagport run the service, but in person or on the phone which is currently not working, with the online part run by a third party to the third party

I think my mac is still on WXBC either out of sight in a space between the skin and the seat, or someone else on the ledge or behind a cupboard near the front or rear bulkhead, or beside the seat though I heard no mangling of laptop laying flat or upright. It needs an engineer familiar with the interior to have a nose around. Not bagport and not missing.com who may not even contact BA engineers to nose about. IF it is still on the aircraft, I consider it a safety hazard given its conductive qualities

There is no contact details to be able to talk to a real person who has the sense and ability to walk to a gate or speak to the engineers on turnaround to have a look. I realise that they wouldn’t carry it for me to YYZ, but I can get it here other ways. Can one of the wise BA employees on this forum help me with a name, number or email who can help. NOT a call center, not a third party. I did speak to a supervisor on Sunday at the C gates who said to call the concierge. I see no number and I’m not gold, and so I can’t even do that.

In the 1 in 8 chance of flying back on WXBC Sunday, I lost with B doing the honours. Though to rub salt in, they towed C past me on the tarmac just before push back. And of course WXBC is at Pearson as I type this. Surely a competent engineer at Pearson could take a look, if they find it take it off, and deliver true customer service.

I’ll save the rant around airline abdication of ownership of a problem like this for another time, but before I splash the cash on a new mac (making it the most expensive flight ever!) – I think there is a good chance it will be found.



Any help or advice (other than find my mac) would be appreicated

golfmad

That sounds immensely frustrating.
Not that this helps you but I have added AirTags to my essential items (laptop bag and golf bag) which provides some useful feedback from time to time.
I hope you have some good news before splashing out on another machine.

13901

I'm neither an engineer nor a Club Suite expert but if the Macbook slid between the seat and the cabin wall it might require the seat being taken apart. And if there is "play" in there, meaning a continuous space throughout the cabin, that thing might've slid up and down the cabin.

I'd maybe tweet BA, but it smells like a nasty job.

Mikey Mike Mike

Thanks. No news yet. I still haven't found the "key to the door" which is a link on the BA site where I can flag this. There is a chance it has gone and thats fine. But where I left it was not the designated space and i am sure it is still there. The frustration, is that the whole issue is not joined up. I doubt that Bagport have contacted BA to say that an an engineer may want to take a look and sitting on a worldwide data base seems pretty futile. Given the value, its highly kickable, but having spoken to friends who are cabin crew, they agree that the scenario I theorise about is correct. I don't do twitter or Facebook, though i may ask my partner to give it a go

Thanks again

bisonrav

A lithium battery wedged inside a hidden place on an aircraft is a safety issue I imagine.

SteveF

If it is , but I do wonder how many phones are down there at any one time for months at a time.

Mikey Mike Mike

well it SHOULD be flat by now. Just trying to find someone at BA to actually show an interest and go treasure hunting! It really shouldn't be this hard.

golfmad

I am not an expert on this but I think a discharged lithium battery still poses a risk. A device with a battery such as this in an unknown place on an aircraft in service is a bad idea. You should be able to get someone's attention at BA from the safety angle. Send a note to Sean Doyle's office stressing the safety angle. He can't ignore it without losing deniability.