leachster

ok, this is all my fault. I've accepted it.

Last night on the NCE-LHR flight I left my passport in the seat pocket. I realised this the second the transit train door closed from B to A.

No problem I thought, I'll get to the desk and tell them and someone somewhere can bring it to me (this wasn't a DYKWIA moment, its a passport so assumed it would be fairly high priority).

So, back to the start....Everything went wonderfully well. First off the plane, The lift was waiting. The train was waiting in the station. I was the only person from the plane on it. Just after the doors closed I realised I had not picked up the passport (schoolboy error I know but...) in the front pocket of the seat where I had stupidly left it with my phone).

2 minutes later I was at BA customer services explaining the situation. The lady behind the counter told me she would get "the guy" to go and get it (first mistake, I thought it would simply be a radio call to the gate saying "please bring the idiots passport from the plane"). After 30 minutes she then told me that the plane was locked.

Still, what do you expect when you leave the passport on the plane. Someone has to lock the damn thing incase someone steals it.

So, after a lengthy chat with immigration I was allowed into the country assuming BA would pick the passport up in the morning (when the security company unlocked the plane). Second mistake.

After exiting the airport I wasn't sure that people where taking the enormity of my situation as seriously as I was, so I walked over to customer services (who were all just walking off) and talked to a rather lovely customer services manager who assured me that he would leave a message for the 'arrivals manager' who would ensure that the passport would be picked up first thing in the morning. 5:30 to be exact.

Long story short, my passport is still either (a) still in the seat pocket of 9J or has (b) been sold on the black market for thousands of pounds. I don't know a damn thing about selling found passports and assume most of the worlds population are similar.

Right now, I have no passport. Not a single person either in BA / Heathrow or Immigration has got a single intention of helping me. The passport office told me, helpfully, that certain airlines don't require a passport to travel back to France so maybe I could try them. Which airlines the guy was unwilling to tell me, instead he suggested I ring every airline and ask (I assume this was some sort of joke).

I've rang BA numerous times today (some good, but pointless, and some really bad) and I am getting nowhere. Each person tells me a different story.

Does anyone know what is supposed to happen in these circumstances?

Michael Roberts

I don't know what's supposed to happen but I am somewhat amazed on two things:

1. That planes get locked that quickly
2. That immigration still let you in

bluemoon68

a) you report your passport lost:

https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport

b) you arrange for an emergency appointment for a replacement passport;

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

leachster

indeed. although I am british with a driving licence (which helped)

leachster

thanks, tried that, although supposed to be flying home tomorrow and the HMPO only give 1 day-turnaround-passports to people who haven't lost them (unless you have a bereavement)

When I Travel The World

I had this happen to my flying BA LHR-JFK a few years ago, maybe one to many glasses of champers on the flight over.

I got to immigration and they asked for my passport, and that's when I noticed, the BA crew was just coming off the flight and through immigration so I called over to them, and one of them called back to the gate to the cleaners who very kindly brought my passport from my seat to immigration so I could clear.

It was worrying to say the least !

dougzz

Not sure this is entirely relevant. But I had mine stolen on a train from Brussels to Cologne. I then had an overnight train from Cologne to Vienna. So I eventually had to report it missing in Vienna, to a police office bemused that I couldn't even state which country it had been stolen in. With that report and some pics, I was able to get a temp passport (like an A4 sheet) from the embassy in Vienna that allowed me to fly home, which was from Bratislava rather than Vienna, cheap flight, and this was Slovakia pre-Schengen. When I finally applied for a new passport in the UK I think they seriously doubted my story, I think the assumption was I'd sold it. Don't know about now, but then (maybe 2007) if you'd 'lost' the old one it was a definite interview.

leachster

I think that's the worst thing...I wasn't worried a bit. But that's exactly the kind of thing that I supposed was going to happen.

seaskybound

Rule#1: Never ever put passport in seat pocket.
Rule#2: Never put anything of value in seat pocket

When I Travel The World

Since I had my flight from HE** and the lady stuff a nappy into my seat back, I have never put anything in my seat pocket since.

cayman4522

I can offer some insight for everyone . BA lost property (property found on a BA aircraft or in a BA lounge) is managed by the arrivals department. When they get a call for something, a person is then dispatched in a vehicle to go to wherever the customer thinks they left their property. This person, however, could already be on another 'job' so getting to your aircraft will not be instantaneous. It can also take time to drive on the ramp - lots of rules and round about ways to get where you are going, including a very slow speed limit.

That aircraft could very well have been locked up by the time they got there and they can no longer board the aircraft to look.

It is also possible that the cleaners found it first who are not BA staff.

The last I knew, any UK passport that is found is to be given to Border Force who in turn will destroy it - this is for both border and your protection.

Hope this helps - there are always lots of complexities when it comes to anything at the airport - safety and security are very big factors so things just don't happen as quickly as you may like.

leachster

thanks Cayman, that is the first duplicated piece of information I've received all day. That, personally, makes sense. What is now annoying is the other pieces of 'misinformation' I've received throughout the last 24 hours.

Deltus

Couldn't you have used the underground walkway to return to your gate and collect it from the aircraft yourself?

leachster

damn, damn, damn!!!!!!!!

cayman4522

Well - of interest they would not let you back on the aircraft - against the rules . If the crew were still there at the aircraft door they could have checked for you..

No point beating yourself up over it - you would be amazed at the stuff people leave on board