RichHI1 - 11/02/2012 17:05 GMT
On a recent flght on AA the passenger across the aisle dropped her iphone into the gap bewteen the sides and with help from myself adn the crew it took us over an hour to retrieve it. Otherwise the crew said the engineers would have to take the seat apart at LAX.
I have seen similar incidents with Pens and MP3 players on QF, BA and various other carriers in the FIrst cabin.
DO any posters have experience or advice? I always keepm y glasses and iphone in my footwear, so they do not drop into the seat while I sleep and more importnat for me I do not forget them on the plane. What are tips from others to prevent droppign things while asleep?
MarkCymru - 11/02/2012 17:36 GMT
I wish I knew.
I dropped a phone on a United flight last October and realised it after I had got off. I called their lost and found within an hour with the seat number and details. Several calls went unreturned ("if you don't hear from us, it means that we have not found your property" said the recording). Imagine my amazement when I saw that a United trans-Pacific flight had turned back in January because they had found a phone on board that no-one would claim. I must admit that it crossed my mind that they were getting their just desserts ....
I'm a habitual dropper. I dropped my i-pod down the side of my Air India seat in December. The crew (who were amazing) stayed on the plane for 20 minutes after all the other passengers got off. An FA with very slim hands retrieved it.
I now buy things with a pink or red case or buy a vibrant cover for them. That way, I'm likely to see them when I look around the seat before getting up. And, if worst comes to worst, the FA will find it easier to fish them out. A man with a pink ipod gets a few odd looks but I felt vindicated by my AI experience.
Now you know why airlines give those amenity kit pouches away. Perfect for phones, glasses, sim cards - just throw out the rubbish they put in first!
Saffjoyfox3 - 11/02/2012 18:47 GMT
Unless I've got my glasses case, I keep my glasses in the pull out draw at bottom of the new CW seat on BA, or in the handy storage area at the front of the OF seat unit in row 1.
I have also kept things in amenity kit pouches after keeping what I want - I recall the old oval Virgin one in UC (with space NK products) about nine years ago was quite handy size-wise and I used that a few times. The old BA Anya Hindmarch bags with images from the BA archive are especially good size-wise, and I still use those.
I also only ever take basic pens onto flights along with marker pens as I recall a colleague of mine on a KLM flight a few years ago who lost a special Mont Blanc pen that he'd been given.
RichHI1 - 11/02/2012 22:02 GMT
As airlines compete to offer better and different first class offerings. WOuld it not be of beneiit to include a slide out tray to make removal of items easy for cabin crew?
KeaneJohn - 11/02/2012 22:33 GMT
I actually use a very handy tiny drawstring bag handled accessories that was used for the Swiss Business Class in flight amenity kit on a MCT-DXB-ZRH flight. (the outbound one was a NAVYBOT travel document wallett which incidently I always use now.
Probably the 2 most used kit bags (apart from the Virgin Economy bit bags of 10 years ago that are perfect as beach towell bags) that I have ever had.
I left my glasses next to my seat when I went to wash on a Swiss flight. Coming back I saw some commotion round my seat and it transpired the FA had knocked my glasses into the seat while making up the bed. It took them aboutt 30 mins to retrieve!
I also use the Navybot bag which with two sections is very handy.
stevescoots - 12/02/2012 10:33 GMT
I always use an old bulgari emerates bag from years ago. only thing I have ever lost was the 2 into 1 adaptor for my bose headfones.
bose gave me a free replacement :)
superchris - 12/02/2012 19:11 GMT
On a flight to Australia last year, business class with Qatar, my wife announced that she had dropped her watch down the side of the seat. I spent about 20 mins with no success. Only when I told her we should buy a new one on holiday she 'fessed up, that her engagement ring, wedding ring and an eternity ring were attached to the watch strap!
On landing we had engineers pull the seat apart and finally with the help of a wire coat hanger, we retrieved it about an our after landing. Qatar's new C seats have storage a plenty.
Mrs. LP does that as well Superchris, though she has not lost them down a seat. Must be a woman thing!
BeckyBoop - 12/02/2012 19:56 GMT
I have never had this problemo but in flight i do keep everything in my handbag the only thing i take out is my hand cream and a mag that i buy in the airport xx
CJMILLER - 16/02/2012 13:20 GMT
I once put my rings (engagement/wedding & eternity) on the drinks space between 2 seats on the old style Business seats on Qantas - all 3 rings fell down - as we refuelled at BKK the staff brought an engineer on board to open up the whole seat - after a VERY tense hours wait he found them - initially they thought they have falled through the whole plane & wouldn't be retrievable - lessons learnt - now I leave my rings on!
judynagy - 24/02/2012 02:10 GMT
Seems to me that I lost stuff on planes for years until I got serious about it after dropping a gold bracelet in a Virgin suite and being saved by the FAs and several flashlights. I use the drawstring bag, the bright-color cases, NEVER just put anything down, always put it where it belongs .... I now always wear a top with a chest pocket for stashing glasses etc when I go for a walk.. And yes, gentlemen, I do think it's a female thing ... which drives me extra nuts when I lose something!
RichHI1 - 24/02/2012 12:21 GMT
One tip, I carry a small LED flashlight / Torch on my key ring or in carry on just in case. Been very useful when screw came out of a pair of glasses.
NNoah16 - 24/02/2012 12:41 GMT
I like First Suites on Emirates because there is a good safe place to store small items like phones, pens, ipods glasses etc. Saying that, I once forgot my jacket in the coat closet going to "warm" Dubai and had to go back to the airport lost and found to get it back. It was actually wrapped with a vacuum packed clear plastic cover to keep it sealed which I liked. I lost a pair of reading glasses on BA new First two weeks ago that were never handed in to lost and found... BA did not want to know about it..
Ftrichard - 01/03/2012 12:11 GMT
I lost my cellphone somewhere down the side of an Etihad business class seat and had to stop looking as we were about to land. The crew promised that we would look further after landing but when the pilot hit the brakes, it came sliding out from under the seat!
Seems this happens to a lot of us so maybe ask the captain to hit the brakes hard next time it happens to you (-;
RichHI1 - 01/03/2012 12:25 GMT
In my experience Air France pilots don't need telling.
RichardBarr - 16/03/2012 08:33 GMT
Had it happen on an Air France Flight when my reading glasses disappeared on a long haul flight. The Flight Attendant said "Yes, those seats eat things quite often" She offered to have an engineer come aboard to take the seat apart but as I always keep extra glasses around, it wasn't worth the effort for a US$ 4.50 pair of specs. Since then, I've been very careful not to sleep with things in my pockets.
