left stuff on plane - my fault, but......
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold....er now Silver...er now Bronze....er now Blue
Posts: 3,507
left stuff on plane - my fault, but......
So on Thursday I managed (finally) to leave my IPAD and Bose Headphones on the plane in the seat pocket. I realised half way to arrivals but it was too late.
Totally my fault of course. However, the items have not showed up, and the lady at Bagport who run the lost property office at LHR for BA (and other airlines) told me that uniquely, BA often do not provide the flight details for property left on planes, let alone the seat number. Hence, although I have registered the items on the MissingX website, the chances of me being reunited with the items are lessened.
My travel insurance will pay for part of the cost if they don't turn up. I wonder where they went to as the Headphone box was large and could not be missed by cleaners. More to the point, why can't BA pass the details of lost property to their agent with at least the flight details where they were found?
Totally my fault of course. However, the items have not showed up, and the lady at Bagport who run the lost property office at LHR for BA (and other airlines) told me that uniquely, BA often do not provide the flight details for property left on planes, let alone the seat number. Hence, although I have registered the items on the MissingX website, the chances of me being reunited with the items are lessened.
My travel insurance will pay for part of the cost if they don't turn up. I wonder where they went to as the Headphone box was large and could not be missed by cleaners. More to the point, why can't BA pass the details of lost property to their agent with at least the flight details where they were found?
#2
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: B A Gold
Posts: 89
Always the chance another passenger nabbed them when passing ! I had a bad knee once so waited for plane to clear and saw a camera in opposite CW seat .... one of last economy passengers picked it up and I assumed would hand over to CC at door. As I got on bus I saw he still had it. I questioned him and he said he was going to hand in but why would you not give it to CC ? I said I knew who was sitting in that seat and releaved him of it and handed it at reclaim ... some dodgy buggers out there
#4
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,311
The suggestion that BA break the link between missing items and flight/seat is news to me. It would be interesting to hear from anyone in the know whether it's true, and why. I have a vested interest because being absent minded I am inclined to leave nice things on planes and have never succeeded in getting any of them back.
#5
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,020
Anything we find on the aircraft after arriving at T5 is taken by the crew member and handed in to the BA Baggage Office in the baggage hall. Whilst there we fill out a form with the flight number, where the item was found, including seat number if known, and a description of the item. The item is then delivered to the Lost Property Office landside, behind domestic arrivals, at some point in the next 24 hours. How long the item stays there before going offsite I don't know.
#6
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Leicestershire, UK
Programs: BA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite & Lifetime Gold, Heathrow Rewards Premium, Tesco Clubcard
Posts: 656
Are you able to track your iPad or lock it out at least? I believe you can do this via the iCloud website if you don't have the app installed on any other devices.
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Always the chance another passenger nabbed them when passing ! I had a bad knee once so waited for plane to clear and saw a camera in opposite CW seat .... one of last economy passengers picked it up and I assumed would hand over to CC at door. As I got on bus I saw he still had it. I questioned him and he said he was going to hand in but why would you not give it to CC ? I said I knew who was sitting in that seat and releaved him of it and handed it at reclaim ... some dodgy buggers out there
As to the item, even if it is not logged as to flight number and seat, at least the iPad has a serial number on it which you ought to be able to pull up somewhere between your receipt, AppleCare, and anywhere you register your device.
#8
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,355
This brings back a sad memory (sad in my eyes at least) but I left my MacBook in the pocket of 1A in CE. I hadnt realise until the following morning.
I landed on the last flight into LGW, weary eyed I crawled into the Hilton south terminal and awoke to the annoying frustration of it all. I was awake early enough to head back to North Terminal, when BA were living there, to ask someone. The aircraft was still parked up and closed up. Some very helpful staff managed to get onboard and check before the next operating flight but no MacBook was found.
I checked with lost property for a few weeks to come after but nothing turned up. I registered it with the local police. I never saw it again.
I heard rumours that other eagle eyed passengers take stuff or the cleaning contractors have quite a good side business from leftovers on aircraft. I doubt we will ever know the truth but if its ever a financially valuable item you can probably bet it wont end up in a lost property office!
I know its just a MacBook but actually it was the white version they dont do anymore and part of the Steve Jobs era. I was keen on keeping it beyond its use.
Sorry you lost your stuff. I wish there was a better way of getting stuff back.
I landed on the last flight into LGW, weary eyed I crawled into the Hilton south terminal and awoke to the annoying frustration of it all. I was awake early enough to head back to North Terminal, when BA were living there, to ask someone. The aircraft was still parked up and closed up. Some very helpful staff managed to get onboard and check before the next operating flight but no MacBook was found.
I checked with lost property for a few weeks to come after but nothing turned up. I registered it with the local police. I never saw it again.
I heard rumours that other eagle eyed passengers take stuff or the cleaning contractors have quite a good side business from leftovers on aircraft. I doubt we will ever know the truth but if its ever a financially valuable item you can probably bet it wont end up in a lost property office!
I know its just a MacBook but actually it was the white version they dont do anymore and part of the Steve Jobs era. I was keen on keeping it beyond its use.
Sorry you lost your stuff. I wish there was a better way of getting stuff back.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Somewhere between SFO and LAX...FYI aka FAT
Programs: BAEC - back to lowly blue. Marriott - Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 464
Gee, I have one of those... Mr. J and I have been wondering how to permanently clear off our information and get rid of it. Heavy thing...
#10
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Silver, UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum., Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,488
I was flying MCT-KUL-MEL J on WY transferring to MH. I had inadvertently left my laptop bag (with laptop and phone) on the WY 330 and only realised it when well on my way to the MH gate. I really had very little time to make my connection, so proceeded to the gate. To my huge surprise and relief, on arrival at the gate I was presented with my laptop bag by an MH staffer. To say I was knocked out would be a huge understatement.
So there are honest airport employees, but in a minority?
#11
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,382
Well, I had an experience at KUL last year that (briefly) restored my faith in human nature.
I was flying MCT-KUL-MEL J on WY transferring to MH. I had inadvertently left my laptop bag (with laptop and phone) on the WY 330 and only realised it when well on my way to the MH gate. I really had very little time to make my connection, so proceeded to the gate. To my huge surprise and relief, on arrival at the gate I was presented with my laptop bag by an MH staffer. To say I was knocked out would be a huge understatement.
So there are honest airport employees, but in a minority?
I was flying MCT-KUL-MEL J on WY transferring to MH. I had inadvertently left my laptop bag (with laptop and phone) on the WY 330 and only realised it when well on my way to the MH gate. I really had very little time to make my connection, so proceeded to the gate. To my huge surprise and relief, on arrival at the gate I was presented with my laptop bag by an MH staffer. To say I was knocked out would be a huge understatement.
So there are honest airport employees, but in a minority?
#12
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,210
Crew and cleaners deal with lost property all the time. Im not saying that theft doesnt happen, but Id have thought it is a very small minority of property. I wonder where the aircraft went to next and whether it was handed in there!
#13
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 532
Ref the missing items, I know it doesn't help much but a friend of mine is very forgetful / permanently jet-lagged and to my knowledge has in the last few years left one nearly brand new MacBook and a couple of iPads on BA flights and they have always got back to him within a week.
#14
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: london
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 266
I recently found a power bank in the seat pocket in front, it was quite chunky so not that easily missed. I gave it to one of the crew. It had obviously been missed from the journey out. It would have been handed in at LHR when the owner might have been looking to see if it had been handed in at AUH.