Whether we’re new to the game or living in airports full-time, we all make mistakes from time to time. And while I’ve largely been able to keep it together ever since my disastrous China Eastern non-journey from a year ago, apparently I was due for a travel mishap.
This time, this mishap came in the form of an iPad that was left in a seatback pocket.
How it happened
This probably isn’t the first time in the history of air travel that someone has left an iPad behind, and I sure wish there was a better story to go with it. But honestly, I was tired, it was a long week of work, and I’d just spent two hours trying to drive forty miles from western Maryland to Washington’s DCA.
So when we landed at Detroit’s DTW, my mind wasn’t on the contents of my seatback pocket. Rather, I was thinking about how on earth I was going to get my luggage from fifteen rows back while running almost a half mile to the opposite end of the A-concourse, where my next flight was currently boarding.
It wasn’t until I sat down on my connecting flight and opened up my laptop bag that I realized that it was missing. Oh crap.
I immediately got up and alerted the flight attendants, to see if they could call down to the gate. I knew exactly where the plane was, and hoped that with the right set of phone calls, a miracle would strike.
The problem was, I had already boarded, so of course I couldn’t leave the plane. And neither could they.
To their credit, the flight attendants tried calling down to the gate, to no avail. Our gate agent came down the jet bridge to talk to me, and offered calling down to the gate agent from my previous flight, but he got no response. Finally, after multiple attempts to call down, he offered to walk down himself.
But of course he couldn’t do that until after the plane took off. And while I could offer him my phone number, Delta policy doesn’t allow gate agents to call passengers directly.
So while the crew gets an “A” for effort (if any of you are reading this – thank you!!!), I knew that as soon as the boarding door closed, I would be subject to the online world of Delta’s lost item claims.
What I learned
This (sadly) isn’t my first rodeo with Delta’s lost items, and as much as I like to talk to human beings whenever possible, this is one area where the online form is the way to go. Apparently, all of Delta’s lost items eventually go to a centralized location after 24 hours of holding, and the web form is basically a necessity.
Unfortunately, ever since the advent of their new website, many of the tried-and-true links are nowhere to be found. So the first thing that I had to learn was…
1. Where to go to fill out the form
The agent at Delta’s lost items desk did provide a few helpful tidbits, the most helpful of which by far was this link. It takes you straight to the landing page for lost items, which looks something like this:
I knew I needed to fill out the form right away, because my phone agent had warned me of another very specific piece of advice:
2. The sooner you fill out the form, the more likely you are to get your item back
Our time together on the phone was short, but she made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the best way to get a lost item back was to fill out the form right away. Apparently, the last items in are the first ones out, so if you don’t want your item to disappear into a black hole, it’s best to strike while the iron is hot.
(Diamond Medallion desk this was not, but she made this much pretty darn clear.)
In addition to the item description, there is a space on the form for contact details and flight information:
All-in-all, the form was really easy to fill out. It wasn’t until after I sent everything in that I did some further research, and realized that I might have missed a crucial component, which brought me to my next learning:
3. Have something on your device that differentiates it (or better yet, a serial number!)
It had never been more clear to me than in that moment that I have the world’s most nondescript iPad. The case is gray, the background is generic, and the size is the same as most of the world’s other iPads. I wasn’t about to provide login details for any specific apps, and I found myself wondering how I could possible describe the thing, knowing that a clear description could be the make-or-break in ultimately getting it back.
Maybe you’re more on top of it than I am, but I don’t exactly keep track of the serial numbers of my electronic devices (and half the time I forget that they even have serial numbers).
And then it occurred to me that the answer might live with Verizon, where I learned that…
4. Your mobile phone provider may have key details, like serial numbers
I knew that this was my best shot, and immediately logged into my Verizon account, where I pulled up their live chat support. Within about five minutes, I had a serial number in hand.
And no, I still wasn’t convinced that this would be enough to get my iPad back. But on the plus side, my live chat led to a couple of gems like this:
…and this:
Of course, I had already filled out my online form, and was concerned that I would be out of luck. But I went back to the confirmation email that Delta sent, and realized quickly that…
5. You can update a lost item claim even after you’ve filed it
This part was actually the easiest – Delta’s original lost item email provides a link that allows you to update your claim, as needed. I added the serial number – and a description of the background picture, just for good measure – and hoped that my additional information would be enough to track the iPad down.
The whole updated took all of 90 seconds to complete.
And then I waited.
The final outcome
Six days later (and three days after the requisite “No luck yet, but we’re still looking” email) I received another email with the following text:
We are happy to tell you that we have located an item that closely matches the description of your reported lost item. We have, to the best of our ability, verified that the item matched to your lost report is indeed your item. You will need to click on this link within 45 days and provide the following information:
- Verify the shipping address for your item.
- Choose a Shipping Service Level.
- Provide payment information
After we receive this information, your item will be shipped, you will receive tracking information by email, and we will close the report. We cannot hold these items in perpetuity, so if we do not receive a reply within 45 days, the item will be salvaged and the report closed. We are grateful for your business and we hope to welcome you onboard Delta again soon.
Since this was 100% my fault, I did have to pay for the shipping back to my house, and they do require you to fill out a separate form. In other words, you can’t just use the contact information that they have on file, and you have to fill everything out within 45 days.
Still, I was reunited with my iPad (and its beat-up case) less than a week later!
If only the shipping costs coded as “travel”…;)
Key Learnings
Aside from the obvious “don’t forget your stuff,” I do think there were a couple of key factors that ultimately led to my success here, and they are worth recapping. So here’s what I would do in the event that you (or a loved one) leaves an item behind on a Delta flight:
- Bookmark this link, so that you don’t have to go on a wild goose chase on the website.
- Fill out the form as soon as possible.
- Keep your serial numbers for electronic devices somewhere on file.
- Put some sort of differentiator (sticker, address, etc.) on small items that you may be more likely to lose.
- If you don’t have a serial number, turn to your mobile phone provider for help.
- Be ready with payment and shipping information in the event that your item is found.
And, most importantly, check your seatback pocket every time.
Bottom line
First off, to whomever found the lost iPad in the seatback of 12C two weeks ago, wherever you are, thank you!
I know that there was a lot of luck involved here, and that my iPad found itself in the hands of the right people, which is far from a guarantee. But I do think that Delta has a solid system in place here. This is the second time that I’ve had something of value returned to me, which tells me that something behind the scenes is working.
And ultimately – and I know I’ll get some flak for this – it’s reasons like these why I keep going back to Delta. Sure, their redemptions might be laughable and their new boarding process baffling, but when bad things happen, they seem to know how to fix them.
More importantly, they actually seem to care.
So while the policies may not always be as customer-friendly as we all would like, to me, service comes down to what the actual, personal, on-the-ground and in-the-air experience looks and feels like, week after week.
And in this case, they hit it out of the park.
Have you ever had to file for a lost item? How did it turn out?
the link included is invalid now! such an encouraging story - do you have a current link?
I, too realized as I reached the gate for my next flight from Atlanta to JFK that I had left my Ipad Pro next to my seat in the front row of First Class this past Sunday. I tried to get the agents at that gate to call the other gate and they rebuffed me. They told me to contact lost and found. Not cool. I filed forms with both the airport and Delta. I've heard nothing yet. Will update as I hear.
I left my brand new iPad on a Delta flight to SLC. I realized my loss within 20 minutes, but was already onboard my next flight to DEN. I filled out the Lost Item form immediately before taking off from SLC. Luckily I remembered that Apple provides all my device serial numbers under my Apple account.
The next day I worriedly contacted Delta via Twitter. The Delta rep was sympathetic, so he called the...
I left my brand new iPad on a Delta flight to SLC. I realized my loss within 20 minutes, but was already onboard my next flight to DEN. I filled out the Lost Item form immediately before taking off from SLC. Luckily I remembered that Apple provides all my device serial numbers under my Apple account.
The next day I worriedly contacted Delta via Twitter. The Delta rep was sympathetic, so he called the Delta baggage office in SLC and found out they had it. He also noticed that I would be flying backing in 6 days through SLC with a long lay, so asked if I wanted to reclaim it then. I enthusiastically said YES!, and asked if I should do anything to confirm this arrangement. He replied no, that the Delta person at SLC would put a note on the iPad to hold it for me to personally pickup.
Over the next 5 days, I continuously checked the FindMyiPad app and saw the iPad was indeed sitting in the SLC Delta baggage claim area. BUT then the day before my flight back to SLC, the iPad was showing itself to be in Green River WY! A day later, Topeka KS.
I called Delta and after 25 minutes got to talk to a real person who told me the iPad was on its way to their Alabama Lost & Found Dept, and that I would just have to wait for up to 45 days(!). However they also suggested I still stop by the SLC baggage office to find out what happened.
Since my return trip layover in SLC was over 3 hours long, I did in fact go to the Delta baggage office. Inside I found 3 or 4 very bored looking staff members. I explained that I was SUPPOSED to pick up my iPad that night, but they all just shrugged their shoulders and acknowledged my iPad had been sitting on a shelf for 6 days, but they gave it to UPS the day before because it had been unclaimed.
I'm very frustrated on the needless confusion and lack of clear information from Delta through this whole process. Yesterday my iPad reported itself in Fort Payne AL, not far from the gigantic Unclaimed Baggage ecosystem in Scottsboro, AL. I'm just holding my breath that it truly goes through a Delta scanning facility and gets traced back to me. I'll update this comment as this story continues.....
Follow up to my earlier post. I received an email from lostandfound.aero yesterday saying that they had a found an item matching my iPad report. It provided a link for choosing a return shipment option. To my surprise, the shipping charges were very reasonable. I could have gone with the $18 "Smart Post" option, but that included no insurance, so instead went with $40 2-day shipment with insurance. Today I've received the tracking information from...
Follow up to my earlier post. I received an email from lostandfound.aero yesterday saying that they had a found an item matching my iPad report. It provided a link for choosing a return shipment option. To my surprise, the shipping charges were very reasonable. I could have gone with the $18 "Smart Post" option, but that included no insurance, so instead went with $40 2-day shipment with insurance. Today I've received the tracking information from FedEx and look forward to receiving my lost iPad in 2 business days. (Just hoping the FedEx driver doesn't throw the package onto my porch!)
The morale of this story is 1) the airlines are truly trying to reunite lost items with their owners, 2) they have outsourced this whole operation to nettracer.aero aka reunitus.com, 3) you simply have to be patient for the process to work, i.e. item gets shipped to Scottsboro AL where the sorting and matching operation takes place.
If anything, this whole experience would be less stressful if airlines would be more transparent about how the process works. And they need to better communicate to their own employees who are involved in the lost-item experience (their social media chat monitors, gate agents, etc.) to not overpromise. In my case a Twitter Delta employee claimed to have arranged for me to pick up my lost item in Baggage Office at SLC, but that office didn't have procedures in place for that to truly to happen.
I left my iPod in seat pocket what I realized after couple of hours of my airplane landed in PDX airport. I’ve filed out online Delta form. I was waiting for two days and then I decided to go on PDX airport to Delta office lost and found and they had my iPod over there.
Very happy
Thank you Delta
None of the links posted worked. It was a blank page every time. I was never able to find this page. I reported my last item within an hour after leaving it on the plane I kept getting information that it was not found however, it sat in the same place in the airport for a week, and then it was put on a train. I have no idea where it went or how to...
None of the links posted worked. It was a blank page every time. I was never able to find this page. I reported my last item within an hour after leaving it on the plane I kept getting information that it was not found however, it sat in the same place in the airport for a week, and then it was put on a train. I have no idea where it went or how to look for it, Delta keeps claiming they never found it and Salt Lake City airport said they never found it but somebody found it and put it on the train going somewhere.
It took them 277 days to find my Ipad, even though I filed a lost item report the same day, and provided the iPad serial number. I pressed them a number of times, and they eventually said, "it's lost; file a claim with your insurance". A total clown show if you ask me.
No one attempted to steal it; you could see from the tracking it was just sitting in a warehouse in SLC...Just...
It took them 277 days to find my Ipad, even though I filed a lost item report the same day, and provided the iPad serial number. I pressed them a number of times, and they eventually said, "it's lost; file a claim with your insurance". A total clown show if you ask me.
No one attempted to steal it; you could see from the tracking it was just sitting in a warehouse in SLC...Just very lazy people, not doing their jobs. The fact that Delta farms this out to "lostandfound.aero" is very silly since it just makes us all think they don't care...oh, you mean Delta "we care" doesn't actually care? Apparently that's what is really going on. ;)
Delta contracts their plane cleaning to a separate company. The people who clean the plane routinely just keep the items they find so they can sell it.
if you lost something of value on a Delta plane, your chances of retrieval are low.
Thanks for sharing that and that is really disappointing to hear it was a full-size iPad and I am still paying for it.
I left my iPad on Delta FLT 2997 from LAX to Atl Sat June 18 on seat 5C. I have filled out the form for lost items but Delta says it has not been found.
I tracked it on Wed. June 22 where it was in Delta baggage. On that day it started moving through Atlanta to Fort Payne, AL, Fyffe, AL, and Scottsboro, AL where I lost contact because battery was dead.
...
I left my iPad on Delta FLT 2997 from LAX to Atl Sat June 18 on seat 5C. I have filled out the form for lost items but Delta says it has not been found.
I tracked it on Wed. June 22 where it was in Delta baggage. On that day it started moving through Atlanta to Fort Payne, AL, Fyffe, AL, and Scottsboro, AL where I lost contact because battery was dead.
Where does Delta send items lost on the plane?
We had first class tickets. Seems Delta stewards would surely document the seat and flight where the item was found to provide exceptional service!
I filled out the form and I’m currently tracking the iPad I left at the Seattle Airport. It was in Salt Lake City overnight and is currently in Wyoming, it appears to be on a UPS truck based the stops it’s made. Does anyone know if Delta has a central Lost and Found center it might be in route to? Anyone remember where an Item was sent from?
I am currently in the process of trying to reunite with my drivers license. I believe I left it at a Delta Gate before my connecting flight earlier this week. I filed a claim and did everything I could think of. That airports lost and found had nothing. I’m just frustrated, yeah
Thanks for this page
New link for Delta's Lost & Found Reporting, which worked today (April 18, 2022): https://app.nettracer.aero/lf-pax/delta/lostandfound/landing
I agree with you on that.
Thank you to JB that updated link helped me file report. This blog should update its embedded link.
just left my portable Nintendo that I take on all my work trips. Hope I have your luck! thanks for sharing this
I also have filled out a loss item form with BWI/Delta. The difference is I did not lose the personal item myself. Approaching the check in baggage desk, (Oct 11. 2021) to ask for a wheelchair that was indicated on my board pass, the desk clerk ask me to have a sit and someone will be down to escort me to the security check in. When approaching the seat I had a carry on bag...
I also have filled out a loss item form with BWI/Delta. The difference is I did not lose the personal item myself. Approaching the check in baggage desk, (Oct 11. 2021) to ask for a wheelchair that was indicated on my board pass, the desk clerk ask me to have a sit and someone will be down to escort me to the security check in. When approaching the seat I had a carry on bag with a large black neck pillow and a Maryland logo on the end of this pillow that was strap to the handled of my carry on. The carry on was placed under the wheelchair by a TSA staff member and I was wheel to the security check in. The staff member placed the carryon on the belt and I placed my purse in a bin on the belt with my phone and shoes. Once I came through the security to retrieve my items, I ask about my neck pillow and it was not there. The TSA staff member said he would go back and check and bring it to the terminal that he wheel me to. This did not happen by the time I was boarding the plane, and I reported to the staff member checking the boarding pass. He indicated that I should report it to my finial destination, in which I did so, even though the pillow had not left the BWI airport and never made it through security. Once I return home from traveling (Oct. 15, 2021) I contacted the airport BWI Delta loss and found and filled out the form. Each week I received a email indicating that my loss item have not been discover and after three weeks if the pillow has not been discover, the airport will close my case. This is not right as I did not lose my item I should at least be offer a replacement or be reimburse for the item that this airport staff member loss
Thank you to Josh Adams for the hint! I called the Delta L&F at the FLL Airport and they had my item! By the way, the new URL for Delta's L&F website is http://delta.com/lostarticle
I have a very different and frustrating experience: I have a lost item with Delta (an Apple watch, also in the backseat pocket). I was able to watch it fly around the country through Find My before it died. I filed a report with a serial number right away, no word. I'm not sure it's even been found? I called MSP Delta baggage claim and no one ever picks up. They would need to get...
I have a very different and frustrating experience: I have a lost item with Delta (an Apple watch, also in the backseat pocket). I was able to watch it fly around the country through Find My before it died. I filed a report with a serial number right away, no word. I'm not sure it's even been found? I called MSP Delta baggage claim and no one ever picks up. They would need to get the ship number of my flight and check seat 11F and it'd be there. They only keep the report active for 4 weeks before closing it. It's been 3 weeks since I lost the item. No human or customer service person has been able to help me - they all point me to the claim form. Perhaps because I don't have status?
Here’s an updated link as of Oct 1, 2021! Just submitted my claim! If this link doesn’t work for you, I talked to the virtual assistant to get the link! https://app.nettracer.aero/lf-pax/delta/lostandfound/landing
Thank you for this post. I have some information to share that provides additional steps to take that can (and did in my case) lead to recovering your iPad (or really, any item). Here in mid-2021 there is some very, very key information not conveyed by this post that you should know.
I left my iPad on a Delta flight on Friday afternoon. Monday night I had the iPad back--and I probably could have had...
Thank you for this post. I have some information to share that provides additional steps to take that can (and did in my case) lead to recovering your iPad (or really, any item). Here in mid-2021 there is some very, very key information not conveyed by this post that you should know.
I left my iPad on a Delta flight on Friday afternoon. Monday night I had the iPad back--and I probably could have had it back sooner if I'd known that there can be other ways of getting your item back besides the Delta lost item form (which does still exist but is now at a different URL than what is listed in this post).
Subsequent to the introduction of AirTags, Apple has provided now the ability for Apple devices to share their location with other Apple devices over Bluetooth (in a way that preserves privacy) and as a result, Apple devices can now appear in Find My even when offline! So, first important piece of guidance: always try Find My. It might just work, as it did for me!
And when I found the location of my iPad, what I found was that it was with the Delta lost and found office at ATL (I had left my iPad on my flight to ATL). Mind you, the only communication I received as a result of my submission of the Delta lost item form was a "we haven't found your item yet" email. So, next important piece of guidance: call the Delta lost and found office at the airport where your plane arrived, don't rely on the Delta lost item form alone. I can't say how to get in touch with the Delta lost and found office at every airport, but for ATL there is a main lost and found phone number for the airport and via that number you can get to the Delta lost and found office. For me, once I got in touch with the Delta lost and found office, it was a straightforward process of them identifying my iPad and filing it under my name such that I simply needed to go there and claim it (I presume shipping could have been an option should I have needed it).
It's very possible that my submission via the Delta lost item form would have in time been matched up with my iPad located at the ATL Delta lost and found office, but I simply don't know if that would have been the case or not. What I know for sure is that by not relying on the Delta lost item form alone, I got my iPad back and even if I would have gotten it back anyway as a result of my submission via the Delta lost item form, I certainly got it back more expeditiously this way.
On December 1, I flew home from Paris back home to Indianapolis on the (new) Delta direct flight. I left my laptop in the airplane, on the floor near my seat. Neither the flight crew nor the cleaning crew noticed it, and it stayed on the airplane and went almost immediately back to Paris (overnight), arriving on December 2. There are still good humans in the world! The laptop was found back in Paris, and...
On December 1, I flew home from Paris back home to Indianapolis on the (new) Delta direct flight. I left my laptop in the airplane, on the floor near my seat. Neither the flight crew nor the cleaning crew noticed it, and it stayed on the airplane and went almost immediately back to Paris (overnight), arriving on December 2. There are still good humans in the world! The laptop was found back in Paris, and it was shipped from Paris to the central processing facility in Alabama, and I got the happy email today (Thursday, Dec 12). I paid for overnight shipping, so I should have my laptop back in hand on Saturday, Dec 14. I was so overjoyed when I got the email from Delta that I cried. I believe it was crucial that I provided my serial number on the Delta lost and found form. So don't lose hope, if you are waiting/hoping to get your item back from Delta! Good endings sometimes happen after all! I am very thankful for all of the baggage claim people that I've talked to during the last week. They handle many complaints. I called several of them back today, to tell them thank you for the encouragement, support, and excellent customer service during the last 11 days. Needless to say, I have been pretty nervous, wondering about the eventual outcome! This story had a happy ending today! I am forever thankful to Delta. This will definitely continue to be my direct flight from Indianapolis to-and-from Paris!
I just received the coveted email from Delta saying they had located my iPad! I cannot believe that it was found as I lost it at the beginning of the busy Thanksgiving weekend! I was not sure, but thought that it might have slipped out of a carry-on bag at my feet at some point during a flight from DCA to Atlanta. I did not realize that it was missing until I reached my desitination...
I just received the coveted email from Delta saying they had located my iPad! I cannot believe that it was found as I lost it at the beginning of the busy Thanksgiving weekend! I was not sure, but thought that it might have slipped out of a carry-on bag at my feet at some point during a flight from DCA to Atlanta. I did not realize that it was missing until I reached my desitination that day in Little Rock. I flied forms with TSA, DCA airport Authority and ATL airport Authority and then finally Delta because I really did not know when exactly I lost it. (thought I might have left it in security at the beginning of my day). At first I did not include my serial number and was hopeful that "find my iPad" feature on my phone would help. As some other commenters have said- forget about "find my ipad if the airlines have it, because this feature does not work if the device is offline. But..finding my iPad's serial number in the "settings" tab of my iPhone was a game changer. I edited my lost item report with the serial number and within two days received notice from Delta that they had located the iPad. I almost didn't receive the email because it went to my spam folder- so check that too!! I hope others have good luck reuniting with their lost items.
I realized at baggage that my ipad was missing and went directly to Delta Customer Service for help. They did make a call to have my seat pocket checked but nothing was found. I was advised to file a report to have the previous flight checked. I did file my report immediately included a description and serial number of my 2 month old ipad. I have not received any emails or messages from Delta and...
I realized at baggage that my ipad was missing and went directly to Delta Customer Service for help. They did make a call to have my seat pocket checked but nothing was found. I was advised to file a report to have the previous flight checked. I did file my report immediately included a description and serial number of my 2 month old ipad. I have not received any emails or messages from Delta and it is impossible to check the status of the report. I am instructed to get on the Website but there is no way to check the status using my report ID number. Very frustrating.
I just searched online again and found Nettracer https://live.nettracer.aero/delta-paxview/lostandfound and submitted my ID number.
My report is closed so that's it. Have to buy a new one!
I left something in the gate area and found my way to the landing page that you linked as soon as my two-hour flight landed. I do have a question – is there a way to check on whether they have made any progress in finding my item (it was a piece of clothing, not an electronic device – but I just got it two weeks before, for my birthday!)? I find myself thinking about...
I left something in the gate area and found my way to the landing page that you linked as soon as my two-hour flight landed. I do have a question – is there a way to check on whether they have made any progress in finding my item (it was a piece of clothing, not an electronic device – but I just got it two weeks before, for my birthday!)? I find myself thinking about it a lot and I’d love to go somewhere to hear some news if there is news – or do they contact you only if there is news?
I, too, left my Ipad in the seatback pocket on a Delta flight! Just got word (one week later) that they found it! Thank you Steph for walking me through the process, and thanks also to the commenters for additional tips (especially Kyle for the tip about Apple ID storing device serial numbers).
My daughter dropped her iPhone after a hard landing and it fell to the side as she sat on the window seat. As we searched for it, we found a significant gap between the floor and wall of the airplane that we believed the phone fell into. Never did find it, but we can see via Find My iPhone that it is indeed on the plane as it’s been all over the country the last...
My daughter dropped her iPhone after a hard landing and it fell to the side as she sat on the window seat. As we searched for it, we found a significant gap between the floor and wall of the airplane that we believed the phone fell into. Never did find it, but we can see via Find My iPhone that it is indeed on the plane as it’s been all over the country the last few days. We shared this information with Delta, but to date they have done nothing to recover the phone and no one appears to care. Very frustrating knowing the phone is on the plane.
I am in the process of recovering my lost HP laptop from the Delta flight. Same story - left it in the seatpocket in front of my seat. Realized it on the way home from the airport and filled out the report within 1 hour. Called Delta agent at FLL, but to no avail - according to her the cleaning crew (who she represented) did not find/returned anything from that flight. Still hope my experience...
I am in the process of recovering my lost HP laptop from the Delta flight. Same story - left it in the seatpocket in front of my seat. Realized it on the way home from the airport and filled out the report within 1 hour. Called Delta agent at FLL, but to no avail - according to her the cleaning crew (who she represented) did not find/returned anything from that flight. Still hope my experience will have as good of an outcome as described in the article. So far (two days after filling the report) I received no status update from Delta (other than the initial acknowledgment).
I have done this twice. (Different iPads and about six years apart for what it is worth). I got it back both times, on Qantas and Jet Airways. Luckily both times at my home airport so I picked it up in person a few days later once they confirmed they had it.
First, adding info to the lock screen won't help if the battery dies. I lost a tablet on a Hawaiian flight and they said they can't charge any devices due to liability concerns.
Second, if it's on airplane mode, Find My Device features won't work until it gets on a known WiFi (with no sign in screen, most free airport WiFis have a sign in). It is highly unlikely there will be one at...
First, adding info to the lock screen won't help if the battery dies. I lost a tablet on a Hawaiian flight and they said they can't charge any devices due to liability concerns.
Second, if it's on airplane mode, Find My Device features won't work until it gets on a known WiFi (with no sign in screen, most free airport WiFis have a sign in). It is highly unlikely there will be one at the central Lost and Found.
Finally, as soon as you realize your device is locked, you should disconnect it from your accounts (Apple ID, Gmail, ect...) just like you'd cancel a lost credit card. In fact, your credit card info is likely on your device somewhere. This way if someone decides your lost device is theirs, the best they can do is reformat it.
Good story, and tips in the article and comments. What also stuck out to me is why you could not have exchanged cell phone numbers with the gate agent. I imagine the gate agent brought up this "policy," when you talked to them. But if you had a willing gate agent, despite any corporate policies to the contrary, it would be difficult for Delta big brother, to prevent you and a gate agent from exchanging cell#'s.
Two experiences to share:
1: United LHR > LAX. I managed to leave a MacBook Pro in the seat back. I realised my mistake when I was already through immigration & customs so had no way back. Went to a check-in agent. She made a bunch of calls, and personally went to get the missing computer from the gate. Really exceptional service.
2: Lufthansa BCN > FRA. I left a camera bag in...
Two experiences to share:
1: United LHR > LAX. I managed to leave a MacBook Pro in the seat back. I realised my mistake when I was already through immigration & customs so had no way back. Went to a check-in agent. She made a bunch of calls, and personally went to get the missing computer from the gate. Really exceptional service.
2: Lufthansa BCN > FRA. I left a camera bag in the luggage bin (in a very well padded case). I realised my mistake after the bus-ride to the terminal (already a minus point). Was given an email address to contact, no possibility to get it back then & there. I was able to pick it up a week later from the airport, however it had clearly been dropped / thrown some distance as the internal lens elements had become separated (sadly I only checked external at the time I got it back).
I left my suit coat and newly received doctoral hood on a flight change in Atlanta. I didn't miss it until I was boarding the next flight. No one gave me any real hope of retrieving it. But my wife and I kept inquiring and one day they told me they had it would send it to me if I sent them shipping costs. They were badly wrinkled, but I have them!
I had almost the exact same experience when my daughter left her phone in the seat...Delta was great! 3 wks later we got her phone back in perfect condition. The gate agents were so great about helping me at DTW!
I’m happy your iPad came back. My yellow iPhone 5C did not. I realized I had left it in a seatback pocket when I was in baggage claim. I went to someone from Delta and he supposedly called the gate. I knew what seat I had been in, everything. No luck. So I filed the online claim immediately from the car. Supplemented it too. Nothing. Makes me mad because I was right there. Oh well...
I’m happy your iPad came back. My yellow iPhone 5C did not. I realized I had left it in a seatback pocket when I was in baggage claim. I went to someone from Delta and he supposedly called the gate. I knew what seat I had been in, everything. No luck. So I filed the online claim immediately from the car. Supplemented it too. Nothing. Makes me mad because I was right there. Oh well now I have an XS that will be harder for me to lose because it’s awesome and I’m on it constantly.
Glad you got it back.
Far better than my experience sadly. My father gifted me his Citizen dive watch and at one point in time I had taken it off and placed it in my snowboard bag. Well coming back to Seattle, after spending christmas in Salt Lake one year, my wife and I were flying Delta and I discovered I had left said watch in with my snowboard gear and, fearing a stickyfingered baggage...
Glad you got it back.
Far better than my experience sadly. My father gifted me his Citizen dive watch and at one point in time I had taken it off and placed it in my snowboard bag. Well coming back to Seattle, after spending christmas in Salt Lake one year, my wife and I were flying Delta and I discovered I had left said watch in with my snowboard gear and, fearing a stickyfingered baggage inspection I removed it.
Fast forward to the end of the flight, I'm having a migraine brought on by a cold starting up and the fact my ears won't equalize pressure while coming in for landing. Meanwhile I had emptied the contents of my pockets into the seatback pocket to comfortably fit in my seat(I'm 6' 4" and at the time 340lbs). Soon as the door opened I was up out of my seat, stuffing things back into place, grabbing my carry-on and rushing off the plane due to the incredible pain I was in, leaving the watch behind in the process. A fact I discover half way home.
So upon getting into my house, the furst thing I do was fill out the lost item form, giving as much detail as possible like yourselfdown to row and seat where it was exactly left and wait.
I didn't even get the "We're still looking" email, I got no correspondance at all in fact. Considering it was the last flight of that night I know some lucky passenger didn't win the seatback lottery, and instead believe a less than scrupulous Delta crewmember pocketed it.
Some years ago I left my Kindle in the seat pocket of a CX flight after an hour tarmac delay (wine service started already there, might have been partly the reason) at HKG going to Tokyo..
Sent an inquiry, they realized it was at Haneda, next day they had it back and I could collect at HKG. Well done CX.
May I share my contrasting (also successful) experience with Hawaiian airlines? I also left an iPad in a seat back , flying from Honolulu, to the 9th island (Las Vegas). We landed at 4 pm and it wasn’t til about 8:30 that I realized my iPad wasn’t in my bag. A quick call to McCarran airport lost & found gave me a recording letting me know they were closed for the day. Another call to...
May I share my contrasting (also successful) experience with Hawaiian airlines? I also left an iPad in a seat back , flying from Honolulu, to the 9th island (Las Vegas). We landed at 4 pm and it wasn’t til about 8:30 that I realized my iPad wasn’t in my bag. A quick call to McCarran airport lost & found gave me a recording letting me know they were closed for the day. Another call to the Hawaiian Pualani line (call center in Philippines) suggested only that I call the airport lost & found...
However not 10 minutes later I got this email
“Aloha Judith,
A valuable item was found in your seat area on HA6 from Honolulu to Las Vegas today. If you did leave an item on the airplane, Can you please contact us by REPLY ALL to this email along with the description of possible item left onboard. Once the item is confirmed, you can arrange a pick up time. Ticket counters are located at Terminal 3.
our ticket counter hours are below.
Daily: 6:15am-9:00am / 11pm-1:30am
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun: 2:45pm – 5:30pm
If you did not miss anything on the aircraft, I apologize for bothering you.
Thank you
Xxx xxxx Operations Manager, Las Vegas Station”
Anyway, a couple emails & an Uber back to the airport & I had my iPad with its beat up cover back, no serial number needed...(yes I feel very lucky about the outcome)
How does Delta match the serial number? Because it’s not engraved on the phone right and the only way for delta to know is to unlock the phone and look in settings ?
Not like my Delta experience.
In my case we almost certainly had the item stolen by the cleaning crew after we deplaned and before new pax boarded. Thanks NOT to Delta gate agents who were probably aware of what happened but played dumb.
Similar but better outcome on ELAL. After a long 12 hour overnight flight we left one small valuable bag onboard. While we realized very quickly their security protocol would not...
Not like my Delta experience.
In my case we almost certainly had the item stolen by the cleaning crew after we deplaned and before new pax boarded. Thanks NOT to Delta gate agents who were probably aware of what happened but played dumb.
Similar but better outcome on ELAL. After a long 12 hour overnight flight we left one small valuable bag onboard. While we realized very quickly their security protocol would not let us near the plane but we were urged to find the lost and found at the baggage area. By the time we got there the item was logged in and waiting. They demanded ID and a boarding pass to show we were on that flight. Never that lucky in Italy!
This may be a little old school, but I attach an address label to most everything. Luggage, back of phone's, computers, tennis rackets. They're usually small enough to not be too obtrusive but informative. With my donations to different charities, I have plenty of them!
In addition to taping your business card (or an address label with phone and email), you might enroll in a service like www.Return.Me, a global recovery service, which provides little stickers for all your electronics and a web based service to list your gadgets and report/track a lost item. It's worth the small price.
Another travel item - in a NYC taxi (if you aren't Ubering) get the receipt or take a pick of the medallion info. If you lose your stuff you'll be able to file a claim online and it goes through the police who reach out. A coworker left his cell phone when he got dropped off at JFK, realized it at the gate, did the online form (had a receipt b/c it was a work...
Another travel item - in a NYC taxi (if you aren't Ubering) get the receipt or take a pick of the medallion info. If you lose your stuff you'll be able to file a claim online and it goes through the police who reach out. A coworker left his cell phone when he got dropped off at JFK, realized it at the gate, did the online form (had a receipt b/c it was a work trip) and by the time he landed he had a call to send his info like you had (name/address/payment) to get it overnighted to him, it was already recovered.
Long ago I left my Kindle in the seatback on USAirways (I said it was long ago) and was able to get back to the gate but the next flight had boarded. I assumed it wouldn't have been turned in (was first generation, totally new electronic device). I asked anyway and luckily I had named something oddly specific that showed when it was turned on so I was able to use that and she handed it to me, no paperwork. She said if I didn't have anything to really specifically identify it it would have been a pain, she wouldn't have been allowed to hand it over. I doubt I'd have been able to get to the Amazon page to find the serial number, either because I hadn't thought of it or because free and fast wifi wasn't really a thing back then (and I was in a hurry as I had another flight to catch).
Now with cloud storage I think keeping the serial numbers in a file would be a great idea, and something uniquely identifying on the home page.
Recently there was an article about a man who boarded a flight and found the previous passenger's wallet in the seat back, it had just a little money in it too. He didn't trust the crew to handle it promptly so he took it, added a couple hundred bucks and mailed it to the man's house on the license.
Steph, good points. The few times I have messed up (once last year with my wallet falling on the floor of an AA aircraft) I have found that insistence and perseverance EARLY is the key. Great tips though and the Delta links you provided are invaluable.
On a side note...Western Maryland! I have a cabin in Friendsville and am a WW kayaker often found on the Upper Y. Nice to know others in our little world of travel junkies enjoy it as well.
Great article. I just received my Kindle back yesterday. Delta flight same info, Amazon has your Kindle serial number. Also I helped a friend claim hers six months ago. Bit very easy smooth recoveries. Thanks Delta!
I’ve never left anything but I’ve found four phones in seatback pockets over the past decade. Three of them were on AA planes which landed late at night and spent the night at the gate. I boarded for my usual 6:20 am flight, discovered the phones and the FAs commented that they always get reuinted with the owners. Seems to be happening more now given that nearly every AA flight I take always ends with...
I’ve never left anything but I’ve found four phones in seatback pockets over the past decade. Three of them were on AA planes which landed late at night and spent the night at the gate. I boarded for my usual 6:20 am flight, discovered the phones and the FAs commented that they always get reuinted with the owners. Seems to be happening more now given that nearly every AA flight I take always ends with an FA reminding everyone to check the seat pocket for belongings. Glad you got your iPad back.
Yeah, in my rush to get home from dulles before the beltway became a parking lot, I left my ipad in the seat pocket on KLM. I called the next day and they confirmed it was there and I could pick it up at the airport any time the desk was open. When I got it, it was in a bag with my flight, date, and seat number, which seems to me the most obvious way of tracking an article like that.
I had a similar experience with Southwest. I had no expectations of ever being reunited with my iPad, but a few days after filling out the online form, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email asking for shipping and payment information. And I didn’t even realize I had left my iPad on the plane until I got to my destination and was looking for my iPad that evening.
Well, I guess there's a reason your name is Lucky.
Another good post Steph. I can’t remember how many items I’ve donated while traveling. The older I get the more systematic I am about packing and repacking, but even so every so often something gets left behind in the room or on the plane. My most resent donation was an old JBL charge I loved traveling with that was left behind on Jersey Island UK.
One time I left my laptop in a tray...
Another good post Steph. I can’t remember how many items I’ve donated while traveling. The older I get the more systematic I am about packing and repacking, but even so every so often something gets left behind in the room or on the plane. My most resent donation was an old JBL charge I loved traveling with that was left behind on Jersey Island UK.
One time I left my laptop in a tray at TSA, before pre-check was an option. They tracked me down and sent it to me FedX at home no charge. Pretty decent of them.
Same thing happened to me on Delta! Traveled LAX-JFK on a red-eye then a JFK-RDU flight the next morning only to discover the arrival day in Raleigh that I didn't have my iPad and case with me - usually the case was contained in my backpack but for unknown reasons I apparently separated them. I filed a report with Delta and several days later got a similar email that you did! I paid about $30...
Same thing happened to me on Delta! Traveled LAX-JFK on a red-eye then a JFK-RDU flight the next morning only to discover the arrival day in Raleigh that I didn't have my iPad and case with me - usually the case was contained in my backpack but for unknown reasons I apparently separated them. I filed a report with Delta and several days later got a similar email that you did! I paid about $30 for shipping which was worth every penny.
Everything got back fine including a $100 Delta giftcard that I keep when traveling in case plans change and I need some credit to book new flights. The package was sent from Alabama which is where I knew there's a major lost-luggage facility.
My wife left her iPad on a Southwest flight from Denver to LAX, and we had similar results. After about 2 weeks if was found and we paid $20 to have it shipped back.
You can go into the find my iPhone app click the lost mode which will allow you to set it up to lock your iPad/ iPhone etc when it connects to WIFI and display a message that can include your contact number.
A great post with really useful information for travelers. Unlike stories you see that tell the public don't fly on the day before Thanksgiving (DUH)
And in terms of being able to identify your device, simply. tape your business card or other ID on the back of your iPad. Then even those who have no idea how to turn on an iPad (or if the batteries are dead) will be able to contact you.
Since you mentioned Verizon, I assume your iPad has a celluar connection. You should have used find my iPhone to display a message with contact info on the screen.
Put your name and emergency contact information on your lock screen. If it’s ever lost, anyone turning it on will be able to tell who it belongs to. More importantly, should anything happen to you, police/EMS/etc. will know who to contact.
There’s a dedicated setting for this on Android devices. I’m sure iOS has something similar.
I believe iOS does not offer this, but it's easy to create a lock screen image that includes "if found, please contact" information. This suggestion should be one of the number of one pointers in this post and it is a disservice to readers that it is not (please know I am not trying to be rude in saying that, it's just a statement of my strong belief about the situation).
@ChocolateFactory - Oh goodness - somehow I missed that one. While stealing my iPad would take some next-level stalking now that it's safely back in my possession, I've gone ahead and edited it out.
Thanks for the heads up, and the kind words. :)
Great article, as usual. It seems like you included the personalized link for getting your iPad back though, I'd edit that out. ;-)
Also a quick tip for pulling Apple Serial Numbers, you can find the serial for every device associated with your Apple ID at support.apple.com