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Phone lost at IAH (17 Aug 2018) & now found

Phone lost at IAH (17 Aug 2018) & now found

Old Aug 18, 2018, 10:46 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by narvik
I probably missed it, but why does one assume that a stolen iPhone ends up in a trash can?
Just seems unlikely to me that someone steals an iPhone at an airport and then dumps it in a trash can at same airport.
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.
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Old Aug 19, 2018, 12:38 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by fastair

Except the gps function inside a building isnt gps, its just an approximation from cell towers. I work at the airport and when I track mine (inside) it often shows in the middle of the tarmac. Location accuracy declines without direct line of sight to satellites
Not entirely true. You need to check how strong the signals the phones are getting. In most phones WiFi location + GPS can get you very accurate locations.

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.
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Old Aug 19, 2018, 1:42 am
  #33  
 
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..OTBE

Last edited by trooper; Aug 19, 2018 at 1:47 am
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Old Aug 19, 2018, 9:51 am
  #34  
 
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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.
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Old Aug 19, 2018, 9:32 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by hscottm
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.
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?"
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 9:27 am
  #36  
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Cell Phone Found at IAH!

Originally Posted by kale73
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?"
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.
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 10:43 am
  #37  
 
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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.
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 11:50 am
  #38  
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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?
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 11:54 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
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?
Perhaps this could be an extension of Flight/Lounge Connect? FT already knows where its members are going to be (at least if you update that section). Wouldn't be too hard to code up a feature that notified those who said there were in IAH that day to give them an email notification of this. Perhaps like an AMBER alert like feature? Key here would be how to design the system to avoid being overly spammy and/or abused.

Safe Travels,

James
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:01 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
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?
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....
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:06 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
the GPS location is more in the center of the terminal than where the UA gates are.
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.
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:26 pm
  #42  
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Originally Posted by gene2632
Be patient and they will get it back to you but I would expect you would be asked to pay the shipping.
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!
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:28 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
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.
So happy to hear that your phone was found! There are good people out there and this is an example of those folks. I hope you get it back quickly
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:41 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by ryman554
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....
100% agree, if rules like in place for CC are required.

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'.
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Old Aug 21, 2018, 4:19 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by economyplusfan
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?
Care to amend your review of the situation, where you were pretty emphatic that you left it for 30 secs, and someone stole it?
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