An entire Garuda Indonesia crew has been temporarily suspended, after a passenger had his iPhone stolen onboard a flight, with the belief that a crew member have been the culprit. This story has gone viral in Indonesia, given the extent to which the passenger has investigated this situation, and how (sort of) damning the evidence is (thanks to David for flagging this)…
In this post:
Phone goes missing on Garuda Indonesia flight, ends up in crew hotel
This incident happened on June 6, 2025, and involves Garuda Indonesia flight GA716, operating from Jakarta (CGK) to Melbourne (MEL). A man named Michael Tjendara was traveling on this flight. During takeoff, he sat in seat 30D, and placed his iPhone in the seat back pocket. After takeoff, he moved to seat 32E, to be able to rest during the flight.
However, after the aircraft landed in Melbourne around 11AM local time, the man realized that his phone was missing. He reported the incident to the crew, though at that point some passengers had already disembarked, so it wasn’t practical to search the aircraft cabin.
He reported this issue to the Garuda Indonesia station manager at the airport, and also filed a claim with the airport’s lost and found department. At this point, you’d assume that anyone could be behind this, but this is also where it gets interesting.
He was tracking the location of his phone, and shortly after 1PM, the phone’s location was at the Mercure Southbank Hotel, which is also the Garuda Indonesia crew hotel. So he immediately drove to the hotel with his family. The hotel manager reportedly confirmed that the crew had checked in there, and “no other passengers” (I’m not sure how they’d know that, but I’m just passing on what’s claimed).
So at this point he contacted Garuda Indonesia’s station manager, and he actually came to the hotel. A search was conducted in some of the hotel rooms of crew members, but not all rooms were inspected. Until shortly before 4PM, the phone was still detected inside the hotel.
At around 4PM, the entire crew left the hotel. Then around 40 minutes later, the phone was suddenly detected at the edge of the Yarra River, around 100 meters from the hotel. So the passenger and the Garuda Indonesia station manager both searched the Southbank Promenade, including checking trash cans, bushes, and drains.
Then shortly after 5:20PM, the phone was still showing as being at the riverbank, and shortly after 7:30PM, the iPhone was showing as being in the middle of the Yarra River.
Garuda Indonesia has taken the step of suspending the entire crew, pending an investigation. As the airline explains in a statement:
“To facilitate the investigation process, all cabin crew members on duty have been temporarily dismissed from flight duties. We continue to communicate with the passenger and will accompany him until the process is completed, as part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and comfort of all passengers.”
My take on this Garuda Indonesia stolen phone story
We actually hear of iPhone theft on airplanes a fair bit, and a surprising amount of time, the crew is involved. I find that kind of shocking on a couple of levels. For one, you’d hope that crew wouldn’t be involved in passenger theft. But even more than that, stealing an iPhone just seems outright dumb, for the very reason we’re seeing here — it’s easy to track the location of a missing iPhone, and that can be pretty incriminating. It seems like a high risk and low reward way to go about stealing.
I’ve gotta say, this story is much more interesting than the typical “iPhone goes missing on a plane” story. For one, this guy did quite some sleuthing, and the extent to which he put effort into finding his phone is quite something. Furthermore, huge kudos to Garuda Indonesia for how cooperative they’ve been, with the station manager even coming to a hotel to help search crew rooms.
For the most part, Garuda Indonesia flight attendants are lovely, and I couldn’t imagine a vast majority of them trying to steal anything from a passenger. At the same time, there are always some bad apples, and the evidence here definitely points in the direction of a crew member being involved:
- iPhone data tracking doesn’t lie, and clearly the phone was at the crew hotel
- Of course it’s possible that someone else happened to be at the hotel who stole the phone, but it seems unlikely they’d dump the phone, unless they knew they were under investigation
Based on the information we have, I think it’s highly likely a crew member was involved, though not “beyond a reasonable doubt,” if that’s the standard required.
On the surface, suspending the whole crew seems like an overkill. At the same time, this is clearly just temporary, until an investigation is completed. I hope the airline is able to figure out who is behind this, and that they get the proper punishment (and not the rest of the crew).
I can’t help but wonder if only one crew member truly knew of this, or if some crew members are covering for one another. At a minimum, I’d have to think that crew members at least have a suspicion, based on how different people were reacting to these accusations.
Bottom line
A story is going viral in Indonesia about an iPhone that was stolen on a Garuda Indonesia flight. While it goes without saying that anyone could be behind this, the iPhone was tracked to the crew hotel. The airline took these accusations really seriously, to the point that the station manager even went to the hotel and started searching rooms of crew members.
While the iPhone ultimately wasn’t found during those searches, some time after the crew left the hotel, the iPhone was reportedly located in a nearby river. The entire crew has now been suspended, pending the outcome of an investigation.
What do you make of this Garuda Indonesia stolen iPhone story?
What a stupid idea not to search the entire Garuda's crew's hotel room when you are actually knows that the phone was still in the area. That was a ridiculous decision not to do that. If you searched the whole Garuda's crews hotel room, i can rest assured you will find it and you won't lose your 100 years memories in your LOL.
At the same time, you caught the culprit, win win situation-...
What a stupid idea not to search the entire Garuda's crew's hotel room when you are actually knows that the phone was still in the area. That was a ridiculous decision not to do that. If you searched the whole Garuda's crews hotel room, i can rest assured you will find it and you won't lose your 100 years memories in your LOL.
At the same time, you caught the culprit, win win situation- easy peasy japanese.
no same on Garuda.. you get your phone, internal investigation can be done internally.
Please REMOVE hotel name from article. Please respect crew security and privacy
Crew hotel info is hardly private ( as is anyone's personal info these days, sadly ! )
Such odd comments.
I agree kudos to Garuda being proactive.
Also impressed by how the pax researched the location of the device. There are many foot and auto/with sidewalks across the Yarra; it would easy to dump it. I've dropped iPhone into water and it still worked...once dropped it into a lake in Texas, and somehow still found it working.
As for the hotel, this is where the comments get idiotic.
Yes, breach of privacy.
...Such odd comments.
I agree kudos to Garuda being proactive.
Also impressed by how the pax researched the location of the device. There are many foot and auto/with sidewalks across the Yarra; it would easy to dump it. I've dropped iPhone into water and it still worked...once dropped it into a lake in Texas, and somehow still found it working.
As for the hotel, this is where the comments get idiotic.
Yes, breach of privacy.
Second, has anyone ever been on a business trip or attended a conference paid by a 2nd or 3rd party? It's just feeble-minded to think a 3rd party, even if they paid for the room would be able to invade privacy. Only authorities or hotel management could do so with reasonable cause...an iPhone is not reasonable cause, especially with no documentation against each member of the crew.
What you do on the employers property is different, even the parking lot. Then it's all fair game...
Dude was in economy. Was it too hard to put his phone in his pocket or was he trying to flaunt it? At most he had abit of recline so not lying flat on his side.
Even in business class when i go to sleep i put my phone and passport in my pocket.
So i guess that the phone is now swimming with the fishes in the Yarra River?
While probably accurate in theory the phone's location can be spooked. There are free apps that can be downloaded which essentially trick your phone into thinking it is elsewhere. The legit use of this is for developers who are testing and coding. A not so legit use is when I'm traveling but want access to YouTube TV or other services which only work in my home geography.
Tell me you have no idea what you're talking about just by talking.
The following is a quote from the posted article.
"I’d have to think that crew members at least have a suspicion, based on how different people were reacting to these accusations."
Please excuse me but I might be the one to be labeled as the thief based on nervous behavior although I was in the USA all along. There is a Seinfeld episode with George being accused of theft in a somewhat similar situation.
Why did he have it stolen?
The tracking still works when the phone is submerged in river water?? Could it have been on a boat perhaps?
And then there's the case of the baggage handler who illegally parked in front of a Starbucks. The outrage.
Kindly elaborate to enlighten my ignorance, if you please ?
Another 'wayward' airline employee ?
Don't know about baggage handles but police officers illegally parked all the time everywhere. Especially when there is no reason to park there except it's convenient for the officers.
I understand if they're doing some investigations or public safety reasons.
Getting coffee is not an official business.
Yippee ! .... It's donut time !!
The phones are stolen and then sold to professional criminal enterprises. Its extremely easy for them to them to unlock the phone. If the data is wiped then they sell the whole phone, sell for parts, or ship them to Africa where IMEI blocking doesn't work.
Or if not an African nation, Russia or China.
Seems pretty simple at this point.
Separate the crew.
Who was where? Find the person or group near the river.
Amnesty for everyone but the thief... if they come forward.
If they lie or coverup for the thief, fired.
Fire and arrest the theif.
EzeePeeZee !
Interrogate the crew after sensory depravation... Torture as necessary... Non-compliance will result in being thrown in the same river as where the phone is located !
Case closed !
...lol
I'm certainly not remotely defending the perpetrator(s)
, but curious as to the legalities of a search of the 'supects' rooms ? I wonder if even a probable cause search warrant would have been required if this was in the USA, if not Australia. Or maybe the crew gave consent to such activity. Could the fact that Garuda is paying for the accommodation influence their 'rights' for access ?
Also, I"d like to...
I'm certainly not remotely defending the perpetrator(s)
, but curious as to the legalities of a search of the 'supects' rooms ? I wonder if even a probable cause search warrant would have been required if this was in the USA, if not Australia. Or maybe the crew gave consent to such activity. Could the fact that Garuda is paying for the accommodation influence their 'rights' for access ?
Also, I"d like to know how the hotel knew that any other non-crew guests did not arrive off the same Garuda flight. Also, curious to know the final outcome, if no one 'squeals', 'snitches' or confesses ! Will the whole crew continue to be disciplined ? Talk about corporal punishment based only on circumstantial evidence !
Australian hotel security can't just barge into your room and demand to conduct a search, no. Likewise police need a warrant, permission, or "probable cause" to conduct a search. It's very unlikely that Victoria Police would have wasted their resources getting warrant for simultaneous raids on a dozen hotel rooms for the sake of one stolen iPhone.
Simple, the Station manager.
All rooms occupied by employees are rented out by the company.
People need to understand when you work for the company, they own the privacy not the employees.
I wonder what good a locked iPhone would benefit a thief. I mean my 16Pro won't unlock for anyone but me.
Am I missing something ? not having a criminal mind (at least that I am aware of.... )
Presumably it can be dismantled and some parts sold off.
The phones are stolen and then sold to professional criminal enterprises. Its extremely easy for them to them to unlock the phone. If the data is wiped then they sell the whole phone, sell for parts, or ship them to Africa where IMEI blocking doesn't work.
Apple should make Ethan Hunt edition of iPhone, should you choose to accept it, will self destruct in 5 seconds.
I want to add: Indonesian social media was abuzz with people expressing incredulity at how this was handled. A few were quick to mention contrasting experiences about how Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates would either actively inform them that they had left something behind, or were proactive enough to deliver lost/forgotten goods to a designated address.
The other day I was just talking about how GA crew members are the last good thing about...
I want to add: Indonesian social media was abuzz with people expressing incredulity at how this was handled. A few were quick to mention contrasting experiences about how Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates would either actively inform them that they had left something behind, or were proactive enough to deliver lost/forgotten goods to a designated address.
The other day I was just talking about how GA crew members are the last good thing about an airline going through an identity crisis. I'm terribly sorry that one crew member could cause this much anguish for his/her colleagues, not to mention the Garuda brand in a time they so desperately need people to actively choose them. In a free market though with plenty of options, though, customer service often determines the winner. Singapore Airlines chose wisely with their Indonesian banking partner, who also got ahead by offering standard-defining customer service experience.
Now, this begs the question: What would the insurance claim process of this look like?
This is such a bizarre story that it just has to be true! Had me amused the entire way. Especially with the, frankly, dumb decisions that led to all of it.
But, I must say: that title is awesome clickbait. A crew - from Garuda - allegedly steals a pax phone.....then it ends up in a river! Can't make this stuff up. Most entertaining.
Truth is often stranger than fiction!
Now AeroB13a would be bragging how great the iPhones are.
The question is, why are you acting like you're the one who developed it.
Imagine being proud of having a phone that everybody else has.
Mmmmh…Mr. Tjendara, maybe not too smart to post your frequent flyer and ticket number.
I just remember when Carsten Spohr left his „used“ boarding pass somewhere and some „hackers“ got his private information, e.g. cell phone number.
I scanned the PDF417 code using a barcode scanner, and I can access his booking details, PNR, personal phone number, email, how much he paid for the ticket, and his further trips (not yet flown). So scary. People shouldn't post and flex their boarding passes in social media uncensored.
Just wondering, Can he actually request to change his PNR code to the airline that he accidentally share it with everyone around the world?
If the station manager is that cooperative, why can't the passenger play a sound from his device.
Apart from the phone, the hotel breached privacy as they should not divulge who is staying there. Posting your boarding pass is also a stupid move as scammers can take all kinds of info and use it for nefarious activities. I assume the crew was suspended once back in Indonesia. They could hardly abandon them in Melbourne
The hotel did not breach privacy. The station manager is a representative of the company that has a contract for accommodation with the property. He did not ask about any other guest. He asked about employees of his company who were travelling on company business.
How about "Tiny Bubbles" ? ...lol
Seems like complicated logistics: is the crew still in Melbourne? Was a replacement crew flown in? Are they pilots also suspended?
Will Garuda replace the iPhone?