[mentos]

Last night while transiting from New York to Kolkata via Dubai, I set my laptop to charge near the boarding gate at Dubai Airport and forgot to collect it. I am back in Jamshedpur now and have just realized that I left my laptop behind.

I am too much concerned about the data in there which would be too much important for me. Can someone suggest me ways to retrieve it back.
There was a post from Sam about getting back lost articles from plane, but I guess I need to contact the airport authorities instead of Emirates.

Any help will be much appreciated.

[SushilBajpai]

Originally Posted by mentos

Last night while transiting from New York to Kolkata via Dubai, I set my laptop to charge near the boarding gate at Dubai Airport and forgot to collect it. I am back in Jamshedpur now and have just realized that I left my laptop behind.

I am too much concerned about the data in there which would be too much important for me. Can someone suggest me ways to retrieve it back.
There was a post from Sam about getting back lost articles from plane, but I guess I need to contact the airport authorities instead of Emirates.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Chances are very slim indeed that you'll get your laptop. However, if it is configured with some antitheft software/hardware, you might be able to send a message to whoever picks up the laptop, as well as find its approximate location if it gets connected to the net.

[mentos]

Originally Posted by SushilBajpai

Chances are very slim indeed that you'll get your laptop. However, if it is configured with some antitheft software/hardware, you might be able to send a message to whoever picks up the laptop, as well as find its approximate location if it gets connected to the net.

No, it was very much unprotected.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by mentos

I guess I need to contact the airport authorities instead of Emirates.

I think you should contact Emirates first.

Years ago, I forgot to collect my waist pouch (that I kept in the tray for scanning) at Chicago airport and realized it after I was aboard. I informed the British Airways staff, followed up with them over next 3 weeks or so and got it back. It had, among other personal things, some loose cash (that I had kept aside for incidental expenses ont the way) so I thought there was no chance to get it back, but the BA staff did a terrific job of co-ordinating with Chicago airport security etc to retrive it.


Good luck.

[DueLLeR]

I believe your best bet lies in contacting ground staff of Emirates at Dubai airport. You could describe your flight number, passenger details etc. to confirm your identity and then tell them the boarding gate near which you forgot your laptop along with its description (make, model, color etc.) and request them to courier it to you or hand it over to someone you know in Dubai. You may also need to provide the user name / password to your computer and tell them things about data, which only you would know (for example, wallpaper or files on the desktop) to establish your ownership.

But all this is possible assuming no one else has flicked it after seeing it lying around for long periods of time.

EDIT: This is the Emirates Call Center number for the UAE: +971 600 55 55 55

Good Luck!

Cheers!
DueLLeR

[phamilyman]

Emirates will sort it out for you - they pretty much run the show at the airport from what i've heard. They will manage your baggage the same way they would've managed if some ground handler had mishandled your baggage and not checked it on your departing flight!!

The only issue is the delay in lodging your complaint - you should've done it in flight!!

[NetfreakBombay]

Customs can be a headache here.

Reason is, for delayed baggage you need to get a declaration by Airline (counter signed by customs) while exiting the airport. This basically declares that you still have some gap left in 25k limit and were not carrying a laptop while you exited.

In absence of that, customs might try slapping duty on laptop.

[shankar.balan]

emirates pretty much owns the dubai airport. contact them quickly and see what they can do for you.
trouble is that typically in situations like these any other chap might have simply picked up the laptop and buzzed off usually within minutes of your own leaving the scene.
else some zealous security chaps might have taken it away, analyzed it and then possibly destroyed it because that is what they do to unaccompanied/ unclaimed luggage which is left lying around at airports and other public places (or so they say).
whichever way - just check with Emirates- they are a good airline and will do their best to look after your interests. no harm trying!

[vu2pmc]

hi,
For sure, T3 security would have located it and taken it into lost and found dept. Report officially with emirates with your boarding card as lost luggage. Description of Laptop/ possible identification tags would be helpful. Also, sent official email lost luggage reports to Emirates Security at T3 as well.
Good luck

[mentos]

I just had a word with Lost and Found. They have not received any such laptop yet. I have a feeling that it may still be lying charging there.

Originally Posted by vu2pmc

hi,
For sure, T3 security would have located it and taken it into lost and found dept. Report officially with emirates with your boarding card as lost luggage. Description of Laptop/ possible identification tags would be helpful. Also, sent official email lost luggage reports to Emirates Security at T3 as well.
Good luck

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by mentos

I just had a word with Lost and Found. They have not received any such laptop yet. I have a feeling that it may still be lying charging there.

That is a good feeling to have and it might just be true too, but did the Lost & Found try to check the place you had indicated ?

[vu2pmc]

Originally Posted by mentos

I just had a word with Lost and Found. They have not received any such laptop yet. I have a feeling that it may still be lying charging there.

Please prefer an official complaint with emirates quoting your boarding pass if you have not done it already . The boarding card number automaticall gives the gate no and boarding time etc...

[Rehaan]

Its in the airport, not some roadside bus depot. Less kleptomaniacs around, controlled people entering and exiting, and a 101 searches and checks for everyone who enters or exits. There's probably surveillance cameras everywhere too.

You have a GOOD chance of getting it back. Be proactive about it.


To minimize losses everyone should:
1) BACK UP DAILY : I use SecondCopy
2) ENCRYPT YOUR DISK if you don't want others to have access to your data : TrueCrypt comes highly recommended


cya
R

[noopster]

Rehaan, you are such an optimist *pulls cheeks*

Call me cynical but that laptop is probably long gone. Hell, laptops have vanished from our high-security *office* (has to be another laptop owner who slipped it out because you need a valid gatepass to do so). Your best bet was with airport security retrieving it, but that's now ruled out.

To the OP: I know you didn't mean to leave it there but you need to be more careful man! Not only did you and your organisation lose something of value, but if it had been detected as a security threat, time and effort would have been spent in ensuring that it was harmless.

[Rehaan]

I do honestly feel he'd have a better chance of getting it back from an airport gate than say, a starbucks, office canteen, etc. I'm optimistic when it comes to computers!


On a side note : A very hopeful "Plan B"

1) Are you logged into any instant messengers?
2) Is your Gmail logged in? (a) you can remotely sign out (b) it will automatically update you with all the recent IPs that have accessed your gmail - but you need to leave it signed in!
3) Do you have any sort of remote administration set up on the laptop?


If i were you i'd call the Dubai airport and Emirates 25 more times.

cya
R