I lost one of my Apple AirPods on my United flight from Chicago to Los Angeles, but could not have been more impressed by the help I received in searching for it. It almost made the loss worthwhile.
My old Bose QC14 noise-cancelling headphones stopped working so I just used my AirPods during my last trip. That proved to be a big mistake. I fell asleep on my flight to LA with the wireless headphones in my ears. When I woke up, the right ear headphone was missing.
I wasn’t initially concerned. I took a quick look around my seat and on the floor but could not find it. Still, I figured I’d find it when we landed.
The Search
But after landing, I simply could not find it…even after pulling the cushions off my seat.
The two first class flight attendants noticed I was crawling around on the ground and one asked me what I lost. After mentioning I had lost one of my AirPods, one began helping me search. Then another. Then another.
It must have been comical for the passengers who were disembarking from Door 1L to see a passenger and three flight attendants stooped over or crawling around.
The 757-300 is one long aircraft and as passengers continued to disembark, the gate agent came onboard. He too joined the search posse.
I even went to the “Find My” app on my iPhone and enabled a “sound” on the AirPods. It makes a faint cricket noise, but we could not discern the chirping in the cabin.
But alas, we could not find it. Who knows how far back it went on the aircraft or if another passenger picked it up…
Here’s what struck me. I’ve flown United regularly for 15 years now and this sort of service would have been unheard of just a few years ago. Now of course there was always flight attendants who would go the extra mile…even in the darkest days of bankruptcy.
But the graciousness (apologizing as if it was their fault I fell asleep with my AirPods on) and desire to help displayed by the flight attendants and gate agents was truly heartwarming.
When I finally gave up the search, the gate agent also apologized, told me to file a claim with lost and found, and wished my a Merry Christmas.
CONCLUSION
If you happen to be on N57869 this week, a Boeing 757-300, keep an eye out for a lone AirPod for the right ear. I was seated in 4F. Meanwhile, I learned my lesson and won’t be putting those on any longer if I am in a relaxing mode on a plane…
Kudos to the flight attendants on UA1186 and the ground staff for helping me search. Even though the search provided futile, I greatly appreciated the extra effort.
For next time….
Open the Find My app.
Select the Devices tab.
Choose your AirPods from the list.
Tap Play Sound.
Of course it’s not going to be as loud as the “ping” that you can force your iphone to make from an Apple Watch, but it may have helped.
Oh, I should add that. I did that…
You were in 4F which is business or first class. Of course they helped you. This is the silliest article I’ve seen.
My mom’s bracelet broke off during a flight on Air Malta. When we landed, about three of four attendants spent a good 15 minutes looking for each and every piece. That was wonderful service.
Lol good luck. I lost a Nintendo switch due to a rush from plane to another gate in Denver due to United delays.
Got a TS email from their lost and found and employees said “oh well sucks to be you”.
Sorry about the lost AirPod. Apple does sell replacement AirPods. Just have your serial number ready (Settings > General > About > AirPods).
Does this qualify as lost baggage under your credit card protection? I heard a rumor that it does (because you carried it on). But I never tried it.
Could be an interesting and educational blog post to make a claim and see how Chase (assuming you booked this trip on your Chase Sapphire) handles the claim.
Hello. Thanks for a great article! I actually have a right AirPod with no mate or case. I’ve tried to find the owner without success. If you have not found a replacement, shoot me an email and I will be happy to mail you this one.
Yeah as Nate Nate said, you could definitely claim it if bought on a purchase protection cc. I’ve “lost” (aka had stolen) a pair of shoes and headphones on separate flights, so this should work the same way.
Purchase Protection coverage is different than the Lost Luggage coverage. Not all Purchase Protection coverage covers lost items, and you may need a police report. I guess Lost Luggage coverage would also require paperwork from the airline. Most likely you didn’t do that…
I tried and the baggage agent laughed at me (in a nice way) and said I was wasting my time.
A few weeks ago I lost my drivers license on an AA flight to SMF. I realized only at the rental car center. I took the bus back and begged the counter to have someone go onboard to look for it. She called someone. Five minutes later they called back and said they couldn’t find it. I was suspecting of course they never really tried. I put in a claim with lost and found with AA but know that this is useless.
A week later I get it back in an unmarked envelope postmarked from Portland, OR. A passenger took the time to mail it back.
In the process I learned something valuable. I went online with the DMV and lo and behold for $35 you can order an expedited duplicate DL. It arrived in two days. I now carry two in separate areas when traveling.
Interesting. Same DL number?
My faith in humanity was restored by AVIS last year. I was returning the rental car at Vegas which has a single rental car facility somewhat offsite. I boarded the bus to head to the terminal only to realize I didn’t have my phone….I immediately rode back and 15 mins later arrived to where I dropped the car off only to notice that the car I was in had been driven off. I tried to flag down the Preferred agent only to be told it had been driven offsite to be washed/etc. An attendant was out there and hopped into another car; 20 mins passed and I assumed the worst. As I was about to give up, the attendant pulled up with my phone in hand. I realized that I had been somewhat judgmental assuming by his appearance that he may have taken it and would return saying it couldn’t be found. I immediately handed him $20, thanked him profusely and all was well.
Having lost cameras/etc on various a/c over the year, more often than not I’ve come to expect that these are items that will just be pocketed and to write off the loss. Subcontracted cleaners in my opinion seem less likely to turn these items into lost and found, or at least from what I witnessed in the past.
The point of my post is that every now and then someone will do what is right. I left my ipad on a plane I had just arrived on at HND; I had already cleared customs and was on a train headed to Tokyo center. It was probably at that point 30 mins prior to the plan turning to head back to SFO when I arrived back at the airport. However I approached the ticket counter agent; at first I didn’t think she understood what I was saying and then disappeared for about 20 mins. Afterwards she appeared, apologized profusely (which blows me away with Asian culture even though it was my fault I left it), and handed me the Ipad. Had the situation been in EWR, would it have had the same outcome? Probably not…..I would be told to fill out a form to send to lost/found and they would update me if there was anything turned in.
Is “waht” a german word? jk! I bought some knock off ear buds and they work fine but I hate charging them. I still use the ol’ cord. lol