I mentioned in passing in my recent Turkish Airlines 777-300ER trip report that my phone flew out of my lap and into the bowels of the seat during our rough landing in Istanbul. Finding it turned out to be an ordeal…
I know better than to try to adjust the seat and look for it. That’s a sure way to damage the phone and perhaps even start a fire onboard. Usually when I drop my phone it is at least visible. But I couldn’t find it or even see it.
A FA noticed I was searching for something and asked if she could help. I admitted that I lost my mobile phone and like a pro, she nodded and asked me to step aside. She began searching for it. Five minutes passed and you could tell she was getting stressed. She called over a colleague.
Both of them could not find it. Meanwhile, I was standing in the aisle trying to stay out of their way while observing their search.
Five more minutes passed and neither of them could find the phone. I was going to try to connect to the internet on my laptop and use the Find My Phone App on iCloud to ping the mobile device.
Suddenly, a FA shouted out that she had found it. Where did it end up? In a tiny crevice on the center console between seats. Take a look at the picture below.
I’m not sure how the phone got there and what the purpose of that space is, but this created the next issue: how to get it out.
You see, the crevice was not intended to be opened and was deep–there was no way to fish it out with even the skinniest of fingers.
Over the next five minutes, the FAs very carefully used two cardstock safety cards to gently lift up the phone. Failing several times, finally the phone was secured.
CONCLUSION
With a huge smile across her face, the FA handed me the phone and said, “iPhone 10. Don’t lose it!”
The phone was secure.
Thanks Turkish Airlines! Remember, always hold your phones tightly upon landing.
Those things appear to be “kick plates” to protect the walls of the center console from people’s scuff marks and/or damage from their shoes. So rather than having to replace to entire center console from damage, they can just replace the kick plate.
It’s a pocket for safety cards, but Turkish Airlines use the pocket between the ottomans to keep it.
Ive has a couple of similar experiences, both on UA. Lost an iPhone to the bowels of a UF seat upon landing in SYD. After 15 of trying to take the seat apart the FAs called maintenance who really took it apart and found it. The second time was on an sCO 777 in UB. I had it in the little tray below the TV and during take off it flew out, hit the ground and slid down the aisle and under the seats about 5 rows back. After we leveled off The FAs had to ask a lady to raise up here footrest so we could search and found it pretty quickly. Needless to say I’ve learned my lesson and the phone stays in my pocket on take off and landing now.
I think you should take more care of your stuff. #justsayin
Yeah, seriously. iPhone 10, don’t lose it!
time to put a leash on your phone ?
I had a similar situation on my Delta flight from SYD-LAX. Phone got into a section of seat after turbulence on the 777. No one could get it, so on landing pilot met me and the mechanics came and spent 30 minutes taking the seat apart. They said it happens almost everyday.
Good on the FAs.
A small black USB memory stick slipped out of my hands on final approach. The carpeting was black too. Upon landing, I was able to use the flashlight on my iPhone to find it under my seat. My life was on that memory stick. I was sweating ….
I found this story similar to something really funny that happened to me a couple yrs ago. While we were taking off, my phone slipped out of a pocket on the seat in front of me. It slid down throughout the cabin (a far trip it made since i was sitting in the 2nd row up front) and surprisingly did not get damaged. Crew heard the loud knock as it punched the panel in the rear of the aircraft. They thought smth was wrong w/ the door. FA immediately returned me my phone after we got up to certain altitude. Funny thing is that it made a small dent in the panel.
Wow, phone of steel!