Surprising Lost-and-Found Call from United a Year After Incident
May 2, 2014, 8:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Programs: UA LT Gold, American Kettle, Hertz #1 Presidents Circle, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 927
Surprising Lost-and-Found Call from United a Year After Incident
This really shocked me yesterday. Back in February of 2013 I filed a lost article report. I thought I had switched jackets with the person next to me in BF. Turned out that I had grabbed my wife's jacket when I left and there was no lost article.
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
May 2, 2014, 8:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
This really shocked me yesterday. Back in February of 2013 I filed a lost article report. I thought I had switched jackets with the person next to me in BF. Turned out that I had grabbed my wife's jacket when I left and there was no lost article.
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
May 2, 2014, 10:55 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
I left a very nice Cutter & Buck jacket in the overhead of a PMUA 737 after arriving late at night on a delayed flight at least ten years ago. I had only worn it once. I called the arrival airport the next day and they said no one had turned it in. Should I try again?
May 3, 2014, 4:44 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SRQ
Programs: UA Plat-Million Miler (1.6MM), IHG-Plat Amb; Amex Plat-P, Marriott-Gold;Hertz Gold; Hilton-Gold
Posts: 762
Me too...
In March 2013 I left a pair of Bose Noise Canceling Earphones on a flight from SRQ-ORD. I called UA and they told me that a set was turned in on that flight and was being held at ORD lost and found. When I went to UA-ORD lost and found they did a bunch of looking and strange looks and told me that no such item was found on that particular flight. Maybe it will turn up one day... NOT !
May 3, 2014, 7:52 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: UA-GS, Hyatt-Defiantly Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, SPG-Platinum
Posts: 499
Was HP frequent flyer in the days when they had "hubbed" CMH. Partner was CO. HP used CO ground crew at EWR. Flying via EWR en route to Europe, LHR, I think. Left brown 40R leather jacket; FAs in F had taken it to the closet and didn't return it. I forgot all about it, until I was on the TATL.
When I returned state side, I called HP and asked, "who would have handled it? CO or HP?" I was told the HP would have handled it. So after calling and writing HP, nothing could be found. Not surprising, really. Brown J. Crew in one of the most common sizes? I was betting someone's boyfriend was enjoying that jacket. I even followed up with CO at one point, but they couldn't find it.
About 18 months later, I happened to be flying to, rather than thru, IAH. As I went down to baggage claim, I spotted a huge CO lost and found. I asked the very friendly clerk if he would have the item there. He told me that all items left over x months (x=6, iirc) would be moved to an offsite storage facility, but gave me a number to call.
When I returned to CMH, I called the number, only option VM, left one, but wrote off the coat. No kidding, two weeks later a box appears at my office, with my brown leather jacket!!! The exact one. Amazing.
I take that brown leather jacket all over the world, and except for my wife and black Labrador, it might be my best travel friend!
When I returned state side, I called HP and asked, "who would have handled it? CO or HP?" I was told the HP would have handled it. So after calling and writing HP, nothing could be found. Not surprising, really. Brown J. Crew in one of the most common sizes? I was betting someone's boyfriend was enjoying that jacket. I even followed up with CO at one point, but they couldn't find it.
About 18 months later, I happened to be flying to, rather than thru, IAH. As I went down to baggage claim, I spotted a huge CO lost and found. I asked the very friendly clerk if he would have the item there. He told me that all items left over x months (x=6, iirc) would be moved to an offsite storage facility, but gave me a number to call.
When I returned to CMH, I called the number, only option VM, left one, but wrote off the coat. No kidding, two weeks later a box appears at my office, with my brown leather jacket!!! The exact one. Amazing.
I take that brown leather jacket all over the world, and except for my wife and black Labrador, it might be my best travel friend!
May 3, 2014, 9:03 am
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
That's when the iten goes from being lost to being stolen. I would have filed a police report on the spot.
May 3, 2014, 9:31 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 429
Was HP frequent flyer in the days when they had "hubbed" CMH. Partner was CO. HP used CO ground crew at EWR. Flying via EWR en route to Europe, LHR, I think. Left brown 40R leather jacket; FAs in F had taken it to the closet and didn't return it. I forgot all about it, until I was on the TATL.
When I returned state side, I called HP and asked, "who would have handled it? CO or HP?" I was told the HP would have handled it. So after calling and writing HP, nothing could be found. Not surprising, really. Brown J. Crew in one of the most common sizes? I was betting someone's boyfriend was enjoying that jacket. I even followed up with CO at one point, but they couldn't find it.
About 18 months later, I happened to be flying to, rather than thru, IAH. As I went down to baggage claim, I spotted a huge CO lost and found. I asked the very friendly clerk if he would have the item there. He told me that all items left over x months (x=6, iirc) would be moved to an offsite storage facility, but gave me a number to call.
When I returned to CMH, I called the number, only option VM, left one, but wrote off the coat. No kidding, two weeks later a box appears at my office, with my brown leather jacket!!! The exact one. Amazing.
I take that brown leather jacket all over the world, and except for my wife and black Labrador, it might be my best travel friend!
When I returned state side, I called HP and asked, "who would have handled it? CO or HP?" I was told the HP would have handled it. So after calling and writing HP, nothing could be found. Not surprising, really. Brown J. Crew in one of the most common sizes? I was betting someone's boyfriend was enjoying that jacket. I even followed up with CO at one point, but they couldn't find it.
About 18 months later, I happened to be flying to, rather than thru, IAH. As I went down to baggage claim, I spotted a huge CO lost and found. I asked the very friendly clerk if he would have the item there. He told me that all items left over x months (x=6, iirc) would be moved to an offsite storage facility, but gave me a number to call.
When I returned to CMH, I called the number, only option VM, left one, but wrote off the coat. No kidding, two weeks later a box appears at my office, with my brown leather jacket!!! The exact one. Amazing.
I take that brown leather jacket all over the world, and except for my wife and black Labrador, it might be my best travel friend!
May 3, 2014, 9:55 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: UA Premier Platinum 1.4MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 115
This really shocked me yesterday. Back in February of 2013 I filed a lost article report. I thought I had switched jackets with the person next to me in BF. Turned out that I had grabbed my wife's jacket when I left and there was no lost article.
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
Yesterday I got a Call from United as they thought they had a match for my jacket.
Do they really keep looking for stuff for over a year?
Anyway, congrats on getting your item back!
May 5, 2014, 5:25 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: UA 1k, US Airways Silver, SPG PLT, Marriot Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 536
Left an iPad on a DEN-IAH late February. Filed a missing report within an hour and setup "Find my iPad" to lock it the minute it connected to WiFi.
Stopped by lost and found, who never saw it. Needless to say, it's never shown up on GPS either. I'm not optimistic about getting it back.
Stopped by lost and found, who never saw it. Needless to say, it's never shown up on GPS either. I'm not optimistic about getting it back.
May 5, 2014, 7:41 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
Left an iPad on a DEN-IAH late February. Filed a missing report within an hour and setup "Find my iPad" to lock it the minute it connected to WiFi.
Stopped by lost and found, who never saw it. Needless to say, it's never shown up on GPS either. I'm not optimistic about getting it back.
Stopped by lost and found, who never saw it. Needless to say, it's never shown up on GPS either. I'm not optimistic about getting it back.
May 5, 2014, 7:46 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
May 5, 2014, 7:59 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southern California
Programs: UAL 1K 2MM
Posts: 118
Pre Merger I left my Bose in the seat pocket. FA not only got them for me but UAL realized I was connecting and brought them to my connecting gate. The note from the FA was still in there and said "Please help get these back to her. She was a really pleasant guest"
Ah. The good ole days.
Ah. The good ole days.
May 5, 2014, 11:06 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2011
Location: California
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Plt, Marriott Gold, National Exec
Posts: 45
Left an iPad in the seat back pocket on a flight back in December 2013. Filed a lost item report and they said that they had a pretty good recovery rate....what do you know....this week my iPad was delivered to my home!!!! Took 5 months but very happy to have it back. I do give them kudos....apparently they get about 200 ipads, 100 kindles, 75 smart phones and not to mention many other things left on the flights so you just never know. Thanks United!!!
May 5, 2014, 11:28 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: UA-GS, Hyatt-Defiantly Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, SPG-Platinum
Posts: 499
Newer iOS allows the same cable connect reset, but as long as the original owner established security on the device via iCloud, when the item is reset by the new "owner," the former owner's iCloud password must be entered before it can be reset anew.
But as Doc Savage noted, there's always a way....
May 5, 2014, 11:44 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Left an iPad in the seat back pocket on a flight back in December 2013. Filed a lost item report and they said that they had a pretty good recovery rate....what do you know....this week my iPad was delivered to my home!!!! Took 5 months but very happy to have it back. I do give them kudos....apparently they get about 200 ipads, 100 kindles, 75 smart phones and not to mention many other things left on the flights so you just never know. Thanks United!!!