Desperate for help - item left on plane

[Karmaisagod]

Hello. I left a small makeup case in a Ryanair plane yesterday morning after it landed at Birmingham airport from Barcelona. Its contents were of enormous sentimental significance to me - jewellery that had belonged to relatives who have since passed away.

I noticed this just as I was about to leave the airport and rushed back, then spent two fruitless hours waiting for airport staff to try and find it, but nothing.

I have left details with Lost Property, and have the link to check the list of items that have been handed in. I'm also in touch with Barcelona airport, where the plane returned to shortly after landing in Birmingnam, but nothing so far.

I am devastated. I feel so angry with myself for leaving this behind, and so heartbroken at losing the stuff. I can't sleep or stop crying.

Is there any advice or help anyone could give?

You are now in the hands of how honest our society is. Fingers crossed a decent person finds it.

If the jewellery was in something that looked like a make up case, it's quite possible that a cleaner would throw it out without opening it and realising the value. The poster who lost her ipad - yes, that was likely taken by a dishonest person, but this case may not have looked like anything valuable, sadly.

It might not have been noticed until the plane returned to Barcelona. Worth checking there

I’m pretty sure they contacted her, rather than the other way around because she had pretty much given up that it was going to turn up after two days. It was five days from the flight until she found out, one way or another, that it was found.

With kindness, they can / will do nothing.

When this happened to me I went back to the airport the following day. It was much easier dealing with it in person rather than with a remote system.
i got my stuff back, I happened to come across a very kind airline staff member who helped out.
is this an option for you? It’s about knowing you did everything you could to recover the items.

This happened to me too - we were burgled while on holiday - and I have never quite gotten over it.

Of all the things people said to me at the time, the only semi-helpful one was from my friend who said “at least it was only stuff. No one was hurt, and it is just stuff at the end of the day.” I don’t know why but that did help me a little. I’d still rather have my grandmother’s engagement ring back though.

I hope you get it back OP.

There are a lot of good people. I’d call the police station in the area if I’d found something and log it there.

Ex airline manager here! It might take awhile to be found not sure how often Ryan air have cleaners onboard to find it and hopefully hand it in ir else if handed in by the next passenger in the seat and handing it to crew you might have to wait for them to finish their sectors to hand it in and then for it to appear on the website!

But unfortunately lots of stuff just isn’t found!! I hope it does turn up for you!

My husband left his iPhone in a seat pocket on Ryanair. He did get it back but it took about a month.

A friend left a purse/wallet type thing in the seat pocket. She did get it back after about two weeks, the cash was gone (not a great deal, about £20ish) but her cards (already cancelled) and sentimental family photo were all there.

She was calling every day as the photo meant a lot to her and was giving up hope when it must have finally made its way through the system and showed up.

This was a Scottish airport, flight from US to here.

Dont give up hope yet OP.

Ohh, OP, I have no experience or advice to offer. But I just wanted to say that I really hope you get them back 🙏🍀 And, please, try and be compassionate with yourself 💐

I lost a sentimental but not expensive bracelet at security. I did get it back but had to go through all the form filling etc. DP left a jacket on Ryanair - bizarrely he got the outer jacket back but not the quilted liner! In my case the lost property iwas outsourced to a separate company and it took a few weeks to get it back,

I agree with others, sadly it depends if the person who finds it is honest. If the jewellery is unusual I’m wondering if it’s worth contacting the police sooner rather than later and letting Ryanair know if you don’t get a response from them.

I'm sorry this happened OP, it’s easily done when we’re trying to keep something safe. I hope you get it back.

Hi OP,

I used to be cabin crew many years ago, so not sure if things have changed. We'd almost certainly have found this doing post flight security checks if it hadn't been picked up by another passenger.

Often, if we found lost property that didn't pose a security risk after the ground agents had gone, we'd take it back to lock safely in the crew room. It could take a few days until it found its way to lost property depending on shifts etc.

Just editing to add, airlines didn't have their own lost property, it was a central airport one.

Hope you get it back

Nothing helpful to add but keeping everything crossed for you

Fingers crossed for you, I once left a phone and sunglasses - hubby thought id got them, I thought he’d got them. We realised straight away but ‘weren’t found’ which was amazing as we was last off the plane !

UPDATE: It's been found! The very kind lady at Lost Property found it and contacted me earlier. I drove over right away and everything was still in the case. I am so relieved!

When I picked it up I was both a little overcome and on a parking timer, so didn't ask the story of how it was found, by whom, where it was handed in... I wish I had, out of curiosity.

I took the lady some flowers and chocolates because I was so grateful that she called me so quickly.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments, advice and good wishes. The positive thinking definitely helped! X

So happy for you OP.

Loveliest update

So glad op

My DD left her phone on the seat of a Jet2 plane and realised when we were in the baggage hall. Jet2 had a member of staff in the baggage hall who was able to contact the crew who were turning the plane round, they found the phone and sent someone over with it. That meant a trip for them from one end of Stansted to the other. We had it back in about 20 minutes. Jet2 do seem to have a really strong customer service ethos and I'd always recommend them.

Really thought the worst but yay! So pleased for you.

@Mayflyoff, this is what I had hoped for when I rushed back. There was just about enough time for someone to do this before the plane took off again, and the staff at the first desk I was directed to (not Lost Property) could have done it, but could not be bothered, despite me being visibly distressed. Oh well. I could almost feel sorry for them for being so harsh and unsympathetic - imagine going through life like that.

THIS IS A VERY HAPPY ENDING! 🥳🤗🙏

Wow seems the sunshine has brought out the decent folks....

So pleased to hear the lovely stories on here. I left a fabulous new jacket on a Ryanair plane nearly 20 years ago. Realised as soon as I got off. They wouldn’t let me back on, wouldn’t contact the crew. I spent ages phoning and emailing afterwards but nothing.

Hope you have better luck Karma and keeping my fingers crossed for you 🍀

Amazing news. So happy for you. Now if only my ipad would turn up!