Trying to recover a family heirloom ring lost at RIC
Aug 21, 2019, 4:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
Trying to recover a family heirloom ring lost at RIC
Hello everyone,
Long story short, I'm looking for tips on how to maximize my changes of recovering a small but very sentimentally valuable object from afar.
Yesterday (Tue 8/20) I spent around 4.5 hours at gate B4 in RIC with my two young daughters and very under-the-weather husband awaiting the uncertain fate of United 4135, which was eventually cancelled. (We even got on the plane before it was cancelled, but that's another story.) I was wearing a gold ring with a large blue stone — financial value uncertain, but it was just given to me last Christmas by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother. At some point near the end of the saga I had the bright idea to briefly slip off the ring and set it down because I was doing something with my hands that might have caught and damaged it. I must have been distracted because the next time I remembered the ring it was 9:30 PM. We left very early this morning in a rush and I had no time to do anything but look briefly under the seats in the gate. I found a stray sock belonging to one of my kids (no joke) but not the ring.
I've called the airport lost and found, which says that items left at gates are usually handled by airlines and taken to their baggage offices. But it won't give me the number for the local United baggage office. Agent suggested I ask in person, but we were homeward bound and my family in the area lives pretty far away. Central United baggage number leads me through useless menus. United website suggests their Chargeback contractor, which seems to be mostly for items left on board, but I filed a report anyway.
Anything I'm missing? Anyone friendly with United staff at RIC?
Thanks in advance,
World's Worst Daughter-in-Law
Long story short, I'm looking for tips on how to maximize my changes of recovering a small but very sentimentally valuable object from afar.
Yesterday (Tue 8/20) I spent around 4.5 hours at gate B4 in RIC with my two young daughters and very under-the-weather husband awaiting the uncertain fate of United 4135, which was eventually cancelled. (We even got on the plane before it was cancelled, but that's another story.) I was wearing a gold ring with a large blue stone — financial value uncertain, but it was just given to me last Christmas by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother. At some point near the end of the saga I had the bright idea to briefly slip off the ring and set it down because I was doing something with my hands that might have caught and damaged it. I must have been distracted because the next time I remembered the ring it was 9:30 PM. We left very early this morning in a rush and I had no time to do anything but look briefly under the seats in the gate. I found a stray sock belonging to one of my kids (no joke) but not the ring.
I've called the airport lost and found, which says that items left at gates are usually handled by airlines and taken to their baggage offices. But it won't give me the number for the local United baggage office. Agent suggested I ask in person, but we were homeward bound and my family in the area lives pretty far away. Central United baggage number leads me through useless menus. United website suggests their Chargeback contractor, which seems to be mostly for items left on board, but I filed a report anyway.
Anything I'm missing? Anyone friendly with United staff at RIC?
Thanks in advance,
World's Worst Daughter-in-Law
Aug 22, 2019, 6:11 am
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,039
First, you aren't the world's worst daughter-in-law. that title probably goes to me, at least if you talk to my mother-in-law. 
You probably will have more luck obtaining information if you post in the United forum, so I've asked that the post be moved there.
You probably will have more luck obtaining information if you post in the United forum, so I've asked that the post be moved there.
Aug 22, 2019, 8:16 am
#3
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
And as kipper suggested, I've moved this thread to the United Airlines forum for more suggestions. Ocn Vw 1K, Senior Moderator and Moderator United forum.
Aug 22, 2019, 10:36 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
1. Sounds as though the ring was either picked up by the cleaning crew and turned over to UA or to the RIC L&F. I would call L&F again and get a definitive answer. The fact that items at gates are "usually" turned over to the carrier is not definitive. A ring such as you describe would stand out. This is particularly true because the ring could have been picked up by a good samaritan who turned it in elsewhere in the airport. Finally, it may have been picked up by someone who put it in their pocket, If that is the case, this is all fruitless.
2. UA, like most carriers, works through an online form. It is available on its website:
https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerid=2474
If you have not yet filled it out, please do so immediately. It is the fastest, best (and only) way to deal with this short of going to the airport (convenient or not).
2. UA, like most carriers, works through an online form. It is available on its website:
https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerid=2474
If you have not yet filled it out, please do so immediately. It is the fastest, best (and only) way to deal with this short of going to the airport (convenient or not).