EyeInTheSky
Veteran
http://www.insideedition.com/investigative...ostandFound.htm
This story made us look real bad tonight.
This story made us look real bad tonight.
Inside Edition
- Thread starter EyeInTheSky
- Start date
28yearsnojob
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- Jan 2, 2004
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the story is so correctI disagree 100% with this story. This is typical media BS reporting at its slanted best. Think about the way this was carried out for a minute and I believe you will agree. The jerks place a portable cd player on a USairways aircraft without identification and wait TWO DAYS before trying to track it down. On the AWA flight they carefully place a large LEATHER jacket in the overhead bin complete with a ticket stub (name) in one of the pockets. Now which one do you think is more likely to be returned to the rightful owner?
No excuses for lost items disappearing, but this was obviously nothing more than USairways bashing by a pathetic program.
No excuses for lost items disappearing, but this was obviously nothing more than USairways bashing by a pathetic program.
OP
EyeInTheSky
Veteran
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #4
UFO it's amazing that an America West employee that makes probably half what our employees make went out of her way. On top of it, she made a huge impression. Funny that the TWO companies which lost the CD players (US Airways and Avis) have one big thing in common a present and former CEO: Dave Siegel. You need to watch the story. The print version is easier to take than watching it on the telly.
EyeIntheSky,
Very very interesting. We could probably speculate about the connection between Avis and Usairways CEO and the missing items, but this is disregarding the manner in which Inside Edition carried out their experiment. A portable cd player is almost as easy to pocket as a twenty dollar bill. In other words some items are much easier to make vanish without detection than others. This is in no way less of a crime, but if Inside Edition wants to make this a fair report they need to repeat the "job" after switching the items between the various companies.
If a cleaner is working his/her way through the cabin and finds a portable cd or a large leather jacket which would be easier to pilfer? And if that person turns in the found item which will be easier to track and return to the rightful owner? (the portable cd or the jacket with ticket stub in the pocket)
Again, I am totally against any theft, but this report was pathetic at best.
Very very interesting. We could probably speculate about the connection between Avis and Usairways CEO and the missing items, but this is disregarding the manner in which Inside Edition carried out their experiment. A portable cd player is almost as easy to pocket as a twenty dollar bill. In other words some items are much easier to make vanish without detection than others. This is in no way less of a crime, but if Inside Edition wants to make this a fair report they need to repeat the "job" after switching the items between the various companies.
If a cleaner is working his/her way through the cabin and finds a portable cd or a large leather jacket which would be easier to pilfer? And if that person turns in the found item which will be easier to track and return to the rightful owner? (the portable cd or the jacket with ticket stub in the pocket)
Again, I am totally against any theft, but this report was pathetic at best.
Not seeing the story in its entireity I cant comment on what actually is supposed to have happened on the US plane to the CD player, but I can tell you that I have had someone come off a plane, remember they lost something, and return right away to claim it only to have had it disappear. This was before ANY cleaner got on the plane. The only thing we can guess was that another passenger saw the item as they were walking up the aisle and decided they wanted to keep it. There was no other way the item could have disappeared since the plane hadnt been touched yet.
Also ANYTHING with a name on it is going to be easier to track down the owner. Even if they had just put a return address sticker on the bottom of the CD, it would be a place to start. If an item isnt found right away and the plane has gone thru a couple of cities, its very difficult to track someone down for anything without a name since you dont know where/when the owner might have traveled.
This includes cell phones and PDAs guys!
Also ANYTHING with a name on it is going to be easier to track down the owner. Even if they had just put a return address sticker on the bottom of the CD, it would be a place to start. If an item isnt found right away and the plane has gone thru a couple of cities, its very difficult to track someone down for anything without a name since you dont know where/when the owner might have traveled.
This includes cell phones and PDAs guys!
Art at ISP
Veteran
I left my PDA in the seat back of a 737 once arriving in MIA. I was not yet a US1, called the Gold line, they connected me to the gate, and a wonderful agent went on board, retrieved the PDA and gave it to me when I went back to the terminal after picking up my rental car.
The employees above received their due recognition as I was very vocal to management (Consumer Affairs) regarding their going beyond the call of duty.
Just one of many ways that U people shine. Keep it up.
My best to you all....
The employees above received their due recognition as I was very vocal to management (Consumer Affairs) regarding their going beyond the call of duty.
Just one of many ways that U people shine. Keep it up.
My best to you all....
I would hope someone in corporate communications would get on them about the 100s if not 1000s of letters on file about US employees going out of their way to return left behind items. About a month ago, US Daily had one about an employee that returned a child's blanket. Nail the jerks at Inside Edition to the wall!
BoeingBoy
Veteran
- Nov 9, 2003
- 16,512
- 5,865
- Banned
- #10
If I can add a word of advice for our passengers - well, maybe two...
First, the obvious - try not to leave anything behind. Of course we're all human, so on to #2.
As soon as you discover that you've left something behind (either in the boarding area or your inbound connecting flt), let someone know. The sooner the search begins, the better the chances of finding it.
From my experience, if you mention it to the F/A's and give them enough information (where, what, when, name), they'll pass it on to us up front. When workload permits, we can either call back to the departure station (or contact them through whatever station we're over) and get the search started.
Obviously, we can't guarantee results. Over the years I've been able to pass the word back that the "lost" item will be arriving at the passengers destination on so-and-so flight at such-and-such time. Unfortunately, there have been the times that the best we could do was tell the passenger to talk to a CSA at the end of the flight.
Jim
First, the obvious - try not to leave anything behind. Of course we're all human, so on to #2.
As soon as you discover that you've left something behind (either in the boarding area or your inbound connecting flt), let someone know. The sooner the search begins, the better the chances of finding it.
From my experience, if you mention it to the F/A's and give them enough information (where, what, when, name), they'll pass it on to us up front. When workload permits, we can either call back to the departure station (or contact them through whatever station we're over) and get the search started.
Obviously, we can't guarantee results. Over the years I've been able to pass the word back that the "lost" item will be arriving at the passengers destination on so-and-so flight at such-and-such time. Unfortunately, there have been the times that the best we could do was tell the passenger to talk to a CSA at the end of the flight.
Jim
Dea Certe
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 889
- 0
I can confirm that most US employees will go above and beyond to help recover a lost or misplaced item. Some years ago shortly after take-off, a customer came to me absolutely frantic about his very expensive camera he'd left in the boarding area in LAX.
I reported it to the pilots, who called OPS who then sent a person up to check the boarding area. Amazingly enough, there it was! OPS called the crew to find out what the customer wanted done with it; send it on the next flight, hold for his return in the Station Manager's office or mail it to his home. The gentleman got his camera back and was kind enough to send a letter of thanks to all involved.
I'm proud to work with such fine people. I find this to be the rule rather than the exception. I've seen CSA's hunt people down who left a book on board with the boarding pass inside as a page marker. I've seen them track down people who have left folders with what appear to be "work" in a seatback pocket.
I've even had my apron returned to me. It was left in a galley on an RON. The mech's checked the last crew and had it forwarded to my mail file!
That's the kind of people I work with and am so glad to have this experience.
Dea
I reported it to the pilots, who called OPS who then sent a person up to check the boarding area. Amazingly enough, there it was! OPS called the crew to find out what the customer wanted done with it; send it on the next flight, hold for his return in the Station Manager's office or mail it to his home. The gentleman got his camera back and was kind enough to send a letter of thanks to all involved.
I'm proud to work with such fine people. I find this to be the rule rather than the exception. I've seen CSA's hunt people down who left a book on board with the boarding pass inside as a page marker. I've seen them track down people who have left folders with what appear to be "work" in a seatback pocket.
I've even had my apron returned to me. It was left in a galley on an RON. The mech's checked the last crew and had it forwarded to my mail file!
That's the kind of people I work with and am so glad to have this experience.
Dea
Dont call me Shirley
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 3,270
- 306
Your mother knew best when she sent you off to camp or school: placing your name on your stuff.
At one of UAIR's focus cities, about two mobile phones are found on the average day, several PDAs each week, and even a laptop from time to time. When the electronic devices are not password protected and do not have dead batteries, a caring UAIR agent (when he or she has the time) will scroll through the various menus in hopes of finding identifying information (I've talked to many a "mom" on many a moile phone) or call the vendor with the s/n and ask Verizon or Blackberry or whoever to contact the owner. This can take time and sometimes UAIR staff do not have a lot of extra time. I've been on lengthy holds with compannies like Sony only to be transferred again and agian before being connected to someone who may oir may not be able to access the owner information.
For items like CD players calling the manufactorer is pretty much a lost cause, unless the owner returned the warrenty card.
It would be sooo much simpler if people were to affix a name/address/phone label on their portable electrinic. Put those free address labels that organizations like the SPCA send you (complete with little plaintive pictures of puppies) in hope that you will send them money (and shame on you if the puppy pics don't tu ag your heartstrings enough to make you send some money ) to good use! Stick them on your mobile phone, PDA, and pager. ANd have mon sew your into your scarf and gloves, too!
In regards to the Inside Edition piece, I didn't see it, but know that it attracted the attention of UAIR officials.
BTW, I once left my overcoat in retal car in Hamburg. The nice folks at AVIS mailed it to me in the US!
At one of UAIR's focus cities, about two mobile phones are found on the average day, several PDAs each week, and even a laptop from time to time. When the electronic devices are not password protected and do not have dead batteries, a caring UAIR agent (when he or she has the time) will scroll through the various menus in hopes of finding identifying information (I've talked to many a "mom" on many a moile phone) or call the vendor with the s/n and ask Verizon or Blackberry or whoever to contact the owner. This can take time and sometimes UAIR staff do not have a lot of extra time. I've been on lengthy holds with compannies like Sony only to be transferred again and agian before being connected to someone who may oir may not be able to access the owner information.
For items like CD players calling the manufactorer is pretty much a lost cause, unless the owner returned the warrenty card.
It would be sooo much simpler if people were to affix a name/address/phone label on their portable electrinic. Put those free address labels that organizations like the SPCA send you (complete with little plaintive pictures of puppies) in hope that you will send them money (and shame on you if the puppy pics don't tu ag your heartstrings enough to make you send some money ) to good use! Stick them on your mobile phone, PDA, and pager. ANd have mon sew your into your scarf and gloves, too!
In regards to the Inside Edition piece, I didn't see it, but know that it attracted the attention of UAIR officials.
BTW, I once left my overcoat in retal car in Hamburg. The nice folks at AVIS mailed it to me in the US!
MarkMyWords
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 1,900
- 1
I agree with Dea. How many times have we read about the honest employees that turn in envelopes of money, wallets, etc and every penny is accounted for? I have seen first hand the many galliant efforts of employees to get even the smallest items back to their rightful owners.
This entire Inside Addition piece was so skewd it isn't even funny. A hotel employee finding a piece of property in a hotel room is very easy to find the owner. A jacket with a boarding pass in it, is easy to find the owner. A CD player on an airplane, that could be taken by anyone on that or the next flight, with no ID, is much harder to figure out who the rightful owner may be.
This entire Inside Addition piece was so skewd it isn't even funny. A hotel employee finding a piece of property in a hotel room is very easy to find the owner. A jacket with a boarding pass in it, is easy to find the owner. A CD player on an airplane, that could be taken by anyone on that or the next flight, with no ID, is much harder to figure out who the rightful owner may be.
