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Policy on “lost” item?

3dogmom
Explorer C

My husband was on SW #1600 on 2/11/19 from CLE-DAL, with a stop in STL. After the STL passengers deplaned and the through passengers were counted, he moved up a couple of rows. As the flight left for DAL, he realized that his jacket was still in the overhead bin behind him. Except it wasn’t - when he asked the flight attendent, she told him that she thought someone had left it behind and given it to the gate agent in STL. Why she didn’t ask the remaining passengers if it was theirs, or offer to notify the gate agent is beyond me. We have filled out the official lost and found form (1521042) and are waiting not-so-patiently to hear back, but do we have any recourse here? It’s not like he left it on the plane - a SW employee took it and lost it for him. BTW - it had a boarding pass with his name on it in a pocket. 

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Policy on “lost” item?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@3dogmom wrote:

Except it wasn’t - when he asked the flight attendent, she told him that she thought someone had left it behind and given it to the gate agent in STL. Why she didn’t ask the remaining passengers if it was theirs, or offer to notify the gate agent is beyond me. 


Unfortunate, but I can see the FA's take on it and bet that this would happen more often than not if the situation repeated itself, the default assumption would be that a deplaning passenger had left it behind if no one was sitting near it. (She'd definitely ask anyone still sitting there, and maybe did ask anyone that was close but unfortunately your husband had already relocated.)

 


@3dogmom wrote:

We have filled out the official lost and found form (1521042) and are waiting not-so-patiently to hear back, but do we have any recourse here? It’s not like he left it on the plane - a SW employee took it and lost it for him. BTW - it had a boarding pass with his name on it in a pocket. 


You could write customer relations (question about past flight) and inquire about some LUV. Make sure your lost and found report includes the note about the boarding pass in the pocket which should improve your odds considerably! (I don't know if the standard protocol is to search pockets or not, but if you point that out as an identifying feature it could help.)

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Policy on “lost” item?

3dogmom
Explorer C

Thanks for responding @DancingDavidE - L&F report was verrry complete, including the BP. We just wanted to know if there is any kind of policy regarding this. FA had to pass my husband to take coat to gate, but didn’t say anything to anyone still on board.

Re: Policy on “lost” item?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@3dogmom wrote:

Thanks for responding @DancingDavidE - L&F report was verrry complete, including the BP. We just wanted to know if there is any kind of policy regarding this. FA had to pass my husband to take coat to gate, but didn’t say anything to anyone still on board.


I'm not aware of how this would be covered - I'd suggest calling the Customer Relations phone number as the best bet to reach Southwest directly about it.

 

If you didn't want to do that, you could also try Twitter or the Live Chat in the app, or the mail form on "contact us" on the website to reach someone official.

 

I've forgotten the original details - if this was within a day of the flight you could call the baggage office at the airport in case it was there before being sent to lost and found.

 

Good luck!

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.