[Sam Kapasi]

Hiya,

Been a long time since I wrote a utility thread. Well here's one that is sure to help the frequent fliers.

As most of you know

• I travel a lot. Like a lot, lot.
• I am a forgetful man who lives in a happy make-believe world.

That's where my story is going. Not once, not twice, but thrice. They say three times is lucky, I've been lucky all three times.
I hope the reading of these stories will help you recover things you may have forgotten or lost in travel.

Happy reading!

[Sam Kapasi]

Friday, 2009

D has never flown anywhere before. He's flying with me to Bangalore. We are at security. He follows everything I do, it's easy.

I take my laptop out, put in the plastic box, put my keys, wallet and mobile in the same tray.
He quickly places his wallet and mobile in the same tray and stands in the other frisking line.

The officer frisks me, stamps my boarding card and I walk over to the other side of the X-ray machine. I collect my bag, place my laptop back inside, put my keys and mobile and wallet in my pocket, leaving D's wallet and mobile on the tray.

I walk on and D soon follows.
Got the mobile and the other stuff?
I nod. D makes a good assistant I think to myself. He knows I'm forgetful.

Later on the plane (Go Air) just before the plane is taking off, an announcement is made.

Could Mr. DXXXXX GXXXXXXX stand up and identify himself?

D stands up confused. I'm confused too, what has he done?

The stewardess walks over to us. Sir you have left your mobile phone and wallet at the Xray machine.
I look up at the standing D in shock. You left it in the tray?
I asked you na! If you took my mobile and stuff!
You asked me if I took your stuff? Just who is who's assistant here? I took MY stuff!

We laugh, clearly the staff has his stuff (that sounds funny) and will give it to him shortly.

The flight is uneventful. However we receive no wallet and phone.

Thank you Sir, says the smiling stewardess as we walk down the aisle after touchdown.
Where's my wallet and phone asks a confused D to the stewardess who gave him the news before take-off.

On the X-ray machine in Mumbai just as I informed you Sir.
You don't have it?
No, the CSIA security do.

The penny drops.

In Mumbai?
In Mumbai Airport Sir.

[Suess]

thankfully haven't forgotten anything till now in plane..but as your story, once my father has dropped his wallet at IGI when coming out of the car to drop us at Airport. He got his wallet back by post but minus all cash(ca. 10-11k Rs)! some poor man must have been in real need. hope it has helped him.

[libranof1987]

My father once forgot his specs on a Delhi - Washington (IIRC) Jet Airways flight on Business Class.

When he mailed them asking about his specs, he was asked to send a picture which could help them identify. Apparently, they had some 20 pairs of specs so they couldn't really know which belonged to whom!

[Sam Kapasi]

We go straight to the Go Air office. Now what?

S is coming tomorrow to Bangalore. He can bring it with him.
Yes but how do we get it back from the security?

Now I come to the reason for my thread. You'd be surprised how few people know what the next steps are, who to call and what to do.
We spent the next hour outside the GoAir office, not even being able to run from pillar to post, since we couldn't re-enter the airport.

It was awful, with people trying to ask about the next flight out and trying to buy a ticket from agents who would look at us with weary eyes.

You left your wallet in Mumbai airport. I see.

She doesn't say it, but I can see the rolling eyes.
Basically it isn't GoAir's problem and that makes sense. But we live in a country where a non-passenger cannot enter the airport. No information is easily provided on what to do in such a case.

Finally here is what we were told to do.

D wrote a letter addressed to the Officer-in-charge, CISF, CSIA Mumbai, with the details of his flight and time. He informed the OIC that he had forgotten his items on the X-ray machine.

He described the wallet and its contents. He described the make, model and colour of his mobile phone.

He then went on to authorize the supervisor-on-duty, Go Air, Mumbai Airport to collect these items from the CISF on his behalf. (An important mention)

He faxed the letter to a colleague in Mumbai who then went to the GoAir reservation counter at Mumbai Airport.
Once again after waiting about an hour, the colleague was able to hand over the letter to the supervisor at Go Air who asked him to wait.

2 hours later, he had D's mobile and wallet. It was handed over to the other colleague who brought it to Bangalore (you need ID to fly back no?)

He thanked the supervisor at Go Air for doing what was required.

D was in business again. Lesson learnt.

[noopster]

Nice start. I can imagine the look on your friend's face when they told him it was back in Mumbai.

I thought this was a lost baggage thread. I always find it funny when people complain about losing luggage, because in my travels to about 20 countries so far I have never lost a piece of luggage yet. I always worry about telling anyone that for fear of jinxing it! Luckily don't travel much these days.

I left my jacket, wallet and cellphone at the security kiosk at Pune airport the only time I flew out of there last year. Thankfully I wanted to call ome and couldn't find my cell, so walked back there after about an hour. Since Pune is largely a sleepy airport, my stuff was lying just where I left it. Thanked my stars and the security folks and vowed to be more careful in future!

[Sam Kapasi]

June 2011

I'm on an Indigo flight to New Delhi.

I love Indigo. One big problem is that when you want to eat one of their delicious Junglee sandwiches, you must poke around around your backside till you can locate your wallet while the rather pretty stewardess waits there, smiling.

Removal is relatively easier than reinsertion, especially since now the food tray is open and there is a juice, a glass of water and a sandwich in front of you.
I guess it isn't too bad if you're medium-built. The Yeti is not. As sure as hell not.

So I reach under the food tray and push the wallet into the pocket in the seat.

Whatta mistaka to maka.

Thank you Sir, see you again says the pretty stewardess. Indigo is the only airline where the captain himself comes out to say goodbye to the passengers. A nice touch.

We reach Delhi and I begin my day at work. The day is uneventful. I don't reach for my wallet, as I don't need money all day.

Which is just as well, because I've forgotten the damn wallet in that seat pocket!

In fact, a good 36 hours pass after the flight when I reach for my wallet. The minute I feel my bottom instead of my wallet, I freeze in shock.

I know exactly where my wallet was 36 hours ago!!

[Sam Kapasi]

I was distraught. Credit cards, debit cards, driving license, even some pre-paid forex cards -- losing my wallet was a complete disaster.

And it had even been more than a day since my flight. Hell I had thrown away the boarding card, I did not even remember my seat number (a consequence of flying too often).

And to make things worse, there was no time for me to go to the airport since I was in the middle of an event.
EVEN worse, my next event was in another city the next morning and there was no way for me to get onto that flight without proper ID.

I sent my colleague from New Delhi to the airport, fearing the worst. There was no possible way I'd get my wallet now.

He visited the Indigo Airlines office where they were extremely courteous and made him wait for about 45 minutes. Of course he had described the wallet in its entirety to them.

Though there was some playing office-office, finally a lady found it in the lost-and-found office.
The wallet was intact in every respect, including the cash inside.

My respect to Indigo staff for handling this wonderfully. My relief was immense.

[Sam Kapasi]

August 2011.

I'm on a Jet Airways flight back from Bangkok. At Bangkok Airport I have purchased a few gifts and interesting items and they are in a King Power plastic bag, up in the luggage overhead bins, along with my laptop bag.

I have fallen asleep during the landing (it's late) and am awakened by the rude thump of the wheels touching down.

I pick up my laptop bag and walk out, thanking the crew and you guessed correctly, leaving my duty-free shopping up there in the rack.
However this time, I remember it the minute the bus taking us to the terminal begins to move.

Take me back to the plane, I inform the bus driver, I have forgotten something onboard!
He says he cannot, it is a security issue. I must get off and contact Jet Airways ground personnel.

But I haven't entered the terminal yet. I am sure you will go back to get more passengers, just take me back!
He cannot.

I get off at the terminal and run to the Jet airways staff waiting.
I have left my duty free shopping on the plane! I need to get it from the plane!

I'm sorry Sir, you have to cross immigration and you must inform the staff waiting near the baggage belts.

I find myself moving further and further away from my precious shopping.

Post-immigration, near the baggage belt I find 2 Jet Airways staff and explain my predicament to them. They are both busy with their walkies and tell me I have to wait a while before they can assit me.

I wait. 15 minutes later it is the same story. 45 minutes later, everyone has taken their bags off the belt and gone, except me who is sitting there with his bag.

Bag hai kya? He hollers into the walkie. Plastic duty-free bag?
He turns to me. They have your bag.
A smile of relief. Will someone get it?
You have to wait.

The problem was, that the plane was taxied really far away and they did not have the staff nor the means to get back to the plane to get my bag.

2 hours later (and after calling a few friends and pulling a few strings to get things rushed up) - somebody emerges from the baggage side with my King Power.

Got it!! And big thanks to Jet Airways!

[traveloholic]

Yet another amazing thread by Sam Kapasi, each thread of yours is a treat to read and same with this too. You've kind of rekindled my memories of lost articles on a flight.

Once I've lost a Nokia N95 on Delhi-Hyderabad Jet Airways flight, never to be found again.

On second occassion, I was returning back from my Honeymoon in Kerala by KingFisher Airlines and forgot my P&S Camera in the Seat Pocket. Was too engrossed oogling at the KF Stewardess and the mishap occured. I was lucky to get it back from their office. Had to show them my ID Proof, Boarding Pass and also present myself personally, when they switched on the camera with my permission to have a look at one of the pics to ensure that it was my camera. As I was returning from my honeymoon, all the pics had me in them. Hence, not much of a hassle as they understood the emotional value of those pics and processed everything in a jiffy and also joked about my loss with a quirky statement "Sir, we've saved you loads of money. If you would have lost this, then you would have had to go to your honeymoon again"

[vivek_vt]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Removal is relatively easier than reinsertion, especially since now the food tray is open and there is a juice, a glass of water and a sandwich in front of you.
I guess it isn't too bad if you're medium-built. The Yeti is not. As sure as hell not.

Hilarious! I almost laughed aloud in office! This thing is true for even medium built people. Just cant find the pocket opening with the wallet pushing towards it!

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by traveloholic

On second occassion, I was returning back from my Honeymoon in Kerala by KingFisher Airlines and forgot my P&S Camera in the Seat Pocket. Was too engrossed oogling at the KF Stewardess and the mishap occured.

Interesting, so you forgot your camera in the seat pocket as you were oggling at the air hostess while returning from your honeymoon with your wife.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Interesting, so you forgot your camera in the seat pocket as you were oggling at the air hostess while returning from your honeymoon with your wife.

HAHAHAHAHAH! I was thinking just the same!

Traveloholic buddy, you'll be so royally screwed if this page finds its way to your better half!

Awesome though!

[phamilyman]

LOL Sam and traveloholic - good stories.

Sam, you've had your phone get returned to you in Kingfisher once, no? You once mentioned on TBHP once no

[mmxylorider]

The only thing I ever forgot on a plane was a book by Upamanyu Chatterjee (The mammaries ...., sequel to English, August). I'd purchased that at the airport counter and put in the seat pocket after reading a few pages.

Needless to say, I spent no effort in trying to get that back.