Phone lost at IAH (17 Aug 2018) & now found
#31
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,398
A missing iPhone can be remotely disabled by a user. At that point, the iPhone is essentially a brick unless one knows the password to reactivate it. So people are assuming that the thief may have just tossed the phone once it became unusable.
#32
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 506
I'm sitting in 3rd story of a 5 story apartment building and getting full GPS lock. Just because you don't have clear sky visibility and you're indoors doesn't mean you can't get a GPS lock.
#34
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
Just hopped on here to see if there was an update, and sad to see there isnt. I guess this isnt a case of an employee found it and took it to lost and found as it would have been connected/notified to the OP already.
Sorry for this outcome if thats how it works out.
Sorry for this outcome if thats how it works out.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,396
Four weeks later I got a phone call from United Lost & Found: "Kale73, we've found your iPad. Where would you like it shipped?"
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
Cell Phone Found at IAH!
I wouldn't give up so quickly. Several years ago I left an iPad in the seat-back pocket of a UAX flight inbound to IAH. I was involved in a VDB that happened after I had boarded the flight and while de-boarding to accept the VDB I forgot my iPad. I realized it about 5 minutes after the plane departed and notified the gate agent, who said she was able to get word to the receiving GA at IAH (not sure about that, but that's what I was told). When I got to IAH about an hour later, I went to the gate where my original flight had arrived. No sign of the iPad. I chalked it up as lost.
Four weeks later I got a phone call from United Lost & Found: "Kale73, we've found your iPad. Where would you like it shipped?"
Four weeks later I got a phone call from United Lost & Found: "Kale73, we've found your iPad. Where would you like it shipped?"
A few things to note:
1. There is a green halo around the location, apparently indicating the precision of the locational beacon. I did not notice such a halo when I was tracking my phone after I lost it, but it may have been there, and the apparent excursions onto the tarmac that I noted in my original post may simply have been locational tracking error;
2. Its current location is the United lost and found office, which is in Terminal B at IAH;
3. The process of actually getting the phone back from United has involved two telephone calls from United to me, two calls from me to United, and a rather unsettling final resolution that "An agent in Houston will email you when they have more information on how I can retrieve the lost item." Apparently it would simply involve a visit to the office if I were at IAH.
#37
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: United Mileage Plus Premier
Posts: 775
Glad they found it. Since you are not there in person to present ID and claim it I am going to guess/hope they are just making sure you are indeed who you say you are. Be patient and they will get it back to you but I would expect you would be asked to pay the shipping.
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
New Thread for Immediate Help Locating Lost Items
During this whole ordeal a friend of mine mentioned that one would think that with all of the social media outlets we have it should be possible to simply post an alert that help is needed at a given location. For example, were an FTer available in Terminal E at IAH on the morning of August 16 I could have directed them to my phone's location as determined by the Find My iPhone APP and set off the lost phone alarm so that they could hear it, find it and return it to me. I am wondering if there is scope to set up such an "Immediate Boots on the Ground Help Needed" thread on FT. Note that the thread would not be tied to a specific airline, as this one is, since what we need are FT bodies at a specified location. I have noted calls for help on FT such as mine from time to time, but I stumble upon them rather than see them as a directed outcome from FT. One could even set up notifications, like an Amber Alert, when an FTer needs help. FTers could opt in or out of the notifications, as they wish. Thoughts?
#39
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
During this whole ordeal a friend of mine mentioned that one would think that with all of the social media outlets we have it should be possible to simply post an alert that help is needed at a given location. For example, were an FTer available in Terminal E at IAH on the morning of August 16 I could have directed them to my phone's location as determined by the Find My iPhone APP and set off the lost phone alarm so that they could hear it, find it and return it to me. I am wondering if there is scope to set up such an "Immediate Boots on the Ground Help Needed" thread on FT. Note that the thread would not be tied to a specific airline, as this one is, since what we need are FT bodies at a specified location. I have noted calls for help on FT such as mine from time to time, but I stumble upon them rather than see them as a directed outcome from FT. One could even set up notifications, like an Amber Alert, when at FTer needs help. FTers could opt in or out, as they wish. Thoughts?
Safe Travels,
James
#40
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,379
During this whole ordeal a friend of mine mentioned that one would think that with all of the social media outlets we have it should be possible to simply post an alert that help is needed at a given location. For example, were an FTer available in Terminal E at IAH on the morning of August 16 I could have directed them to my phone's location as determined by the Find My iPhone APP and set off the lost phone alarm so that they could hear it, find it and return it to me. I am wondering if there is scope to set up such an "Immediate Boots on the Ground Help Needed" thread on FT. Note that the thread would not be tied to a specific airline, as this one is, since what we need are FT bodies at a specified location. I have noted calls for help on FT such as mine from time to time, but I stumble upon them rather than see them as a directed outcome from FT. One could even set up notifications, like an Amber Alert, when an FTer needs help. FTers could opt in or out of the notifications, as they wish. Thoughts?
FT is really all about travelers helping other travelers. Not that i have any idea about the logistics about such a thing, but to echo the earlier poster, having users opt into a being a "FT ambassador" or something (subject to similar rules for the coupon connection forum or something) that can be notified for things like lounge meets or lost phones....
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,320
GPS might work next to a window, it's certainly not going to work in the middle of a building. The carrier frequency is simply too high, it won't get through. What you're actually seeing is location from wi-fi and cell towers--and that's not all that accurate.
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,396
They will ask for credit card information to cover the shipping charges. The silver lining is that the charge displays on your statement as United Airlines, which yields 2 RDM / $ if you use an Explorer or Club card!
#43
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,842
I got a call from United last night (4 days after the phone went missing) that it was in the United Lost and Found office in Terminal B at IAH. I turned on the cell service remotely and checked the Find my iPhone App, and lo and behold there it is:
A few things to note:
1. There is a green halo around the location, apparently indicating the precision of the locational beacon. I did not notice such a halo when I was tracking my phone after I lost it, but it may have been there, and the apparent excursions onto the tarmac that I noted in my original post may simply have been locational tracking error;
2. Its current location is the United lost and found office, which is in Terminal B at IAH;
3. The process of actually getting the phone back from United has involved two telephone calls from United to me, two calls from me to United, and a rather unsettling final resolution that "An agent in Houston will email you when they have more information on how I can retrieve the lost item." Apparently it would simply involve a visit to the office if I were at IAH.
A few things to note:
1. There is a green halo around the location, apparently indicating the precision of the locational beacon. I did not notice such a halo when I was tracking my phone after I lost it, but it may have been there, and the apparent excursions onto the tarmac that I noted in my original post may simply have been locational tracking error;
2. Its current location is the United lost and found office, which is in Terminal B at IAH;
3. The process of actually getting the phone back from United has involved two telephone calls from United to me, two calls from me to United, and a rather unsettling final resolution that "An agent in Houston will email you when they have more information on how I can retrieve the lost item." Apparently it would simply involve a visit to the office if I were at IAH.
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
You know, I think this is a great idea.
FT is really all about travelers helping other travelers. Not that i have any idea about the logistics about such a thing, but to echo the earlier poster, having users opt into a being a "FT ambassador" or something (subject to similar rules for the coupon connection forum or something) that can be notified for things like lounge meets or lost phones....
FT is really all about travelers helping other travelers. Not that i have any idea about the logistics about such a thing, but to echo the earlier poster, having users opt into a being a "FT ambassador" or something (subject to similar rules for the coupon connection forum or something) that can be notified for things like lounge meets or lost phones....
Else, it's a free-for-all. First it's find a phone, then help me locate/buy/ship. Then we're into gofundme and other 'causes'.
#45
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
During this whole ordeal a friend of mine mentioned that one would think that with all of the social media outlets we have it should be possible to simply post an alert that help is needed at a given location. For example, were an FTer available in Terminal E at IAH on the morning of August 16 I could have directed them to my phone's location as determined by the Find My iPhone APP and set off the lost phone alarm so that they could hear it, find it and return it to me. I am wondering if there is scope to set up such an "Immediate Boots on the Ground Help Needed" thread on FT. Note that the thread would not be tied to a specific airline, as this one is, since what we need are FT bodies at a specified location. I have noted calls for help on FT such as mine from time to time, but I stumble upon them rather than see them as a directed outcome from FT. One could even set up notifications, like an Amber Alert, when an FTer needs help. FTers could opt in or out of the notifications, as they wish. Thoughts?