I left my iPod in the seat pocket!

December 23, 2006 10:04 AM

I left my iPod in the seat pocket on a flight from SFO to IAD (I changed planes and went on to ROC) yesterday. I've made some attempts to locate it, but with the holiday travel and the huge backup due to Denver being closed, I'm having little success. I'm jumping through the hoops with the airport and airline, but having a tough time due to the heavy traveler volume. Has anyone else lost an item by leaving it in the seat pocket and got it returned? Any tips?
posted by mhm to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total)

Post the airline and flight number, and I might be able to help you find that plane's movements and where it can be expected today. Frankly I think it's a lost cause once the overnight contract cleaning crew finds something like an iPod, but if you're lucky, maybe they didn't bother digging into the pocket. If you bug someone at the airline and have your ducks in a row, there's a long shot that they can get a gate person to go check the seat.
posted by rolypolyman at 10:15 AM on December 23, 2006

Calling the airline's baggage service at IAD (who will usually relay your message to the gate) is the best approach. I've lost valuable electronics on planes before, and I've always had them returned.
posted by Merdryn at 11:11 AM on December 23, 2006

I've lost my passport in the seat pocket before and had it shipped to me by calling the airline directly and talking to customer service. Of course, it did help that passports have your name printed in them.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 11:47 AM on December 23, 2006

I left my laptop in the seat-back pocket on a Salt Lake -> Cincinnati flight, where I was connecting to France. My now-wife (we weren't even married yet!) got it back. It was waiting when I got back.

She says just keep calling Lost&Found in IAD. If you can, find out whether the aircraft made a quick turnaround and went on somewhere else, and where that was. Small things like ipods might not be noticed for a leg or two.
posted by gleuschk at 3:39 PM on December 23, 2006

I don't want to be a party pooper, but I have lost so many things in the back pocket of plane seats that I have trained myself to put everything in my pockets into my carry-on bag before I sit down. I have never been successful getting anything back, despite trying quite hard on many occasions.

That being said, I wish you the best of luck. Call lost and found, fill out any forms you can, keep trying.
posted by cmicali at 3:44 PM on December 23, 2006

I left a Nikon D-70, extra battery, lens & card on a plane (stupid, yes, I know) - but someone found it & turned it in. By going immediately to the lost & found, I got it back. Since you didn't go immediately, your best hope is going to be to keep calling. There are a lot of honest people at the airport - don't give up hope.
posted by clarkstonian at 3:59 PM on December 23, 2006

I did a similar thing and my travel insurance paid up with little fuss.
posted by TrashyRambo at 4:14 PM on December 23, 2006

Tip for not losing the next one (or it, should you recover it) - don't use the seatback pocket. As a weekly traveler, I can't stress this enough - those things eat up personal belongings like silent cloth and metal monsters. I either put it in my own pocket or lap, or (for larger items like my laptop) under the seat in front of me. Easiest way to not forget something is having it always visible.

Best wishes getting yours back.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:36 PM on December 23, 2006

Oh, and perhaps try here. More than likely someone honest would just give it back to the airline, but who knows...
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:38 PM on December 23, 2006

Yeah, keep bugging the airline. You might get lucky. When I worked in air cargo at SEA years ago, I had a pair of earmuffs make two trips around the world and I got them back.

Then I left them on a flight to Portland, and they were stolen. hah.
posted by drstein at 11:38 PM on December 23, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for all the tips. I've been trying to speak with someone, anyone, since I realized I left it there, about 45 minutes before my connecting flight boarded. The voice mailbox for IAD Lost and Found is full, Baggage services at UAL is jammed with other callers, the email link on the UAL website for baggage services is broken....ugghhh. I'll keep trying, but with the holidays and heavy travel it's tough going. Maybe Apple will come out with something even better at MacWorld and ease my loss ;)
posted by mhm at 8:22 AM on December 24, 2006

Lost my iPod the same way. The airline was helpful and optimistic about my chances, but I never got it back. Sorry to say, you've already done everything you can, now you have to hope you get lucky.
posted by Chris4d at 9:49 AM on December 24, 2006