Lost and Hopefully Found

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It is very frustrating losing something while traveling, I can speak from experience. I mean, in over a decade of traveling, I have only left behind a computer twice, a tablet, many tickets, a phone or three, headphones a few times, and maybe a few other random things. Did I get them all back? Nope.

That said, I do have a good success rate of getting my property back after abandoning it in the world. Remember this: when you leave something in a rental car, the seatback pocket of an airplane, or in a hotel room, it’s not the business’s fault, and they often do want to help you get it back. However, most do not handle the process well. I’ll give you a few stories and tips on getting your things back.

Act Fast

I don’t recall ever getting anything back when I waited to start the process or realized it too late. While you still have a shot, your chances decrease every hour the looking process isn’t underway.

When traveling for work, I carry two phones, my personal and my work one. I’ve left one of them in the seatback pocket of a flight more times than I’d like to admit, and I almost always realize it once I’ve exited the jet bridge. Each time, I immediately approached the gate, and they retrieved it.

I’ve left too many items in rental cars to count. If you have time, go right back. I once left a nice jacket in a National Rental Car and realized it before going through TSA. I made the journey back to the rental car center and, of course, the car had already been driven to a cleanup area. I politely told them I would wait while someone went and got it for me. About 15 minutes later, I had my jacket. If I had not gone back right away and just decided to fill out a lost and found request on their website, I doubt I would have gotten it back.

Realized Too Late

If you realize you lost something after you’ve left the area, you still have a good chance of getting it back, but acting fast is still imperative.

Just recently, I left my laptop on an American Airlines flight. I had been using it on a flight to Charlotte, where I had a connecting flight to Wilmington, NC. I finished what I was working on as we started our descent. There was a good amount of turbulence, so I felt it safer to tuck it into the seatback pocket than to try and get up and access my bag. Well… you know where I left it.

I didn’t realize until the next day in Wilmington. I quickly opened the Find My app on my iPhone and saw my laptop was still at CLT Airport, its location appeared to be near a baggage claim office.

I’ve learned in the past that calling anyone is pointless. Everyone just points you to a lost and found website, so I went directly there. After filling out the form, it asked if I had a tracker on the lost item and, if so, to upload it. I felt good about that detail and, even after years of not getting things back, I was optimistic.

Two days later, I received an email and text from American Airlines saying they had an update, they had not found my laptop but would keep trying. I was puzzled and now far less optimistic. Time for Plan B: using my network.

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Using Your Network

Depending on the importance of the item and the closeness of your network, it may be time to call in a favor. Remember: there will be a cost to ship the item back to you, so having someone retrieve it and mail it may cost less, minus the favor you now owe them.

I left the same laptop once on a bus but didn’t realize it until I was already on my flight. I called a friend who tracked down the bus and mailed it to me.

This time, I had to call a friend to activate his network, since he used to live in Charlotte. The only person he trusted with this task wasn’t responding. Time for Plan C (which can also be Plan B if you want to flip them around): social media for the win.

Social Media

Companies have an online reputation to protect. While you flipping out about a lost item isn’t going to kill their brand, an opportunity for them to be the hero now presents itself. My preference in these cases is X (formerly known as Twitter).

How you tweet matters. If you start a tweet with @AmericanAir, it’s considered a reply/mention, not public in most timelines. To make it public, you want the @ in the middle. Here’s how it should look:

I need help @AmericanAir, I left my laptop at CLT Airport, and no one can find it. I can track it and see it. PLEASE HELP!

That will likely trigger a response within minutes asking you to DM them with more info. If no progress is made within a day or two, try another tweet:

I still need help @AmericanAir, You say you can’t find my laptop, but I track it back to your office at #CLT. HELP!

Still nothing? I have some other thoughts…

The Airport Itself

Remember, an airport is a business separate from the airline. It has its own offices, security, and often a police force.

In my case, I located the lost and found form on Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s website. I filled it out honestly, saying I believed I left it on the plane but that American Airlines said they couldn’t find it. I needed their help.

I once left a jacket with my keys in it at a restaurant at MCI (Kansas City). I called the airport and was told to call the non-emergency number for airport police. I did and was connected to a very friendly person who said they’d follow up. A few hours later, a manager from the airport called me, he had my jacket.

Go Get It

Lastly, go get it.

In my case, I was so annoyed at American Airlines that I started looking at cheap flights back to CLT to follow the ping from “Find My.” I searched nearby Concord, NC (code: USA) and found a $38 flight on Avelo and a cheap Delta flight home. Best part: I wouldn’t have to fly American Airlines.

I told myself I’d book it if I didn’t hear anything in 36 hours. Well, 24 hours later I received a text:

“We found your laptop. Click here to select your shipping service and submit payment.”

Perfect! Did using social media help? Did the airport? Who knows, but I know it didn’t hurt.

Summary

Losing something while traveling is maddening, but not hopeless. The key is acting quickly, leveraging technology (like trackers or Find My), and knowing when to escalate. Whether you rely on friends, social media, or even book a return flight to go get it yourself, there are ways to recover lost items. Businesses generally want to help, but the system isn’t always efficient. Take charge, be polite but persistent, and have a plan A, B, and C ready to go.

• Act fast. Every minute matters.
• Use tracking devices. I recommend Apple AirTags for everything.
• Leverage your network. Know someone near where you lost it? Call in a favor.
• Go social. X (formerly Twitter) is often the best place to get a public response.
• Contact the airport. Fill out their form or call airport police if needed.
• Stay persistent. Don’t give up. Tweet again, call again, follow up.
• Be willing to go get it. If feasible, a return trip might just be the fastest fix.

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