What's the best way to retrieve something you left on a plane?

Question

I think I may have left soemthing on a flight last Friday? Other than call the Lost and Found office at the airports, what else can I do?

Answer 1

Go back in time.

Answer 2

Honestly if you wanted this long, you can probably forget it. Depending on what it was, it will either go down to Operations and float around there for a while. Depending on how large the airport is, it will eventually make it to Baggage Service. Smaller airports its easier to give to BSO, but larger airports its mostly unlikely. While FA's do an aircraft sweep, they miss alot, especially if it was left in the seatback pocket. The cleaners may find it, but they hardly check this either.

If it was something large and of value, you may want to go up to the baggage service office and ask. 9 times out of 10 if it was something small that was not of value, its unlikely it will turn up. Sometimes there are honest people and the item will remain in BSO. If the crews missed it and it went to the next city, it could be sitting there. But usually things left on the plane will float around the system or will be in baggage service. It varies by station. Ive worked in several stations the smaller airports like Jackson, MS that have 4 gates it was easy to get items to BSO. In the larger airports like Las Vegas where the BSO is on the other side of the property and a mile away, it was rare to have things make it to BSO because we'd get busy working flights and forget or by the time we were ready to go home, no one wanted to take the items to BSO because it wasnt even close to the gates or ticket counter. We kept a box in the break room at the gates which rarely got over to BSO.

If it was an item of high value, we'd lock it up in the safe behind the ticket counter until it was claimed. There is a box of 1,000 cell phones and accessories, sunglasses and books in the BSO.

You can try calling, you'll likely get the runaround unless it was something easily identifiable, you can go in and fill out a claim and a world tracer can be submitted and a telex sent to all stations the aircraft flew to that day. IT just depends on how valuable that item was to you.

Answer 3

The flight attendants have to do a mandatory aircraft sweep for security reasons after each flight (since 9/11) IF anything is found it goes directly to the lost and found. You have to go to the airport and near baggage claim there will be a BSO Baggage Service Office, where all the lost luggage is kept. That is your best bet, if you call you will get crap for answers.

Answer 4

I think your chances depend on how valuable it is. I left my cellphone on a plane and even though I realised just after I'd left the plane, I couldn't get it back.
Try calling the airline - they're much more concerned with customer service than the airport would be...

Answer 5

just go back to the airport and give them your ticket number and when the plane lands the employes will get it.

Answer 6

Somebody else might have tooken it already

Answer 7

well it depends what airline you flew on some are nicer than others.