Airport Worker Leaves Hilarious Message for Passenger Who Left iPad Behind

A clip of an airport worker who left a video message telling a passenger "you're lucky" that she found the iPad he left behind on a plane has gone viral on TikTok.

The video was recorded by Christianna Peterson, a 24-year-old who works at California's Hollywood Burbank Airport, formerly known as the Bob Hope Airport. Peterson works for GAT, a company providing ground support, which is affiliated with United Airlines and other carriers, she told Newsweek. "I am a ramper, my day consists of unloading and onloading luggage, while maintaining a safe work environment," she said.

Peterson shared a video from her TikTok account @khrissywakeup showing the clip she recorded of herself on the iPad. The video has had 8.2 million views since it was first shared on January 6.

The TikTok clip shows a hand holding up an iPad near some seats on a plane. Peterson is shown on the iPad screen saying: "You're lucky I found this...holding it hostage until the gate agent comes around so I can give it to him."

The viral post comes as air travel sees continued strong growth after grinding to a halt at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, traffic in November 2023 was reported to be at 99.1 percent of November 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Peterson said that she found an iPad Pro on a United Airlines aircraft on January 4 in the first class seating area in row 2, seat B, which was an aisle seat.

Before making recording the video on the iPad, she "went to look for the gate agents but either one wasn't anywhere to be found, so I'm like 'I can't just leave it. How about I take a video maybe they'll [the iPad owner] see it." The airport worker thought that perhaps the video recorded on the iPad may appear on the device owner's iCloud service and alert them that the iPad was found.

Peterson said "the movement of the iPad lit up to the lock screen" and though the iPad was locked, she saw there was a camera and flashlight option on the lock screen, "so I went with the camera option to record the video." Once she was done recording it, she was "able to click on the video to watch it" and she recorded the video being played on the iPad using her own phone.

What To Do if You Left an Item on a Plane

The protocol for reporting and claiming an item lost on a plane may differ depending on the airline.

For United Airlines, as in the case of the viral clip, passengers are directed to fill out a form online, providing "a detailed description of the lost item, including the brand, color, size and any distinguishing features."

After the online form is submitted, passengers will receive a confirmation email with a tracking number for their lost item. "If we find your lost item, we'll send an email with simple instructions on how to get it back. We'll also send an email if we can't find your lost item within 30 days," the airline said.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can assist with any items that have been lost at security checkpoints.

The federal body says: "Lost and found items retained by TSA for a minimum of thirty (30) days, and if not claimed, are either destroyed, turned over to a state agency for surplus property, or sold by TSA as excess property."

"At a number of locations, lost and found items are turned over to the airport at the end of each day," the TSA notes. For any items lost in areas of the airport other than the security checkpoint should see the airport's website for the relevant contact information for recovering lost items.

'You're Lucky I Found This'

A caption shared with the viral post says: "Dear passengers, if leave you any devices, I'm taking a video."

A voice in the clip says: "I found this iPad on the plane...I'm gonna show you a video. If you left your iPad on the plane, you'll want to see this video too."

The footage shows a hand holding up an iPad and Peterson appears on the iPad screen saying: "You're crazy for leaving this on the plane...you're lucky I found this...holding it hostage until the gate agent comes around so I can give it to him."

The airport worker went on to say: "And where you left it was crazy. You left it in the seat, literally where the armrest is and I'm like how do you not feel it hit your leg or tug you down. You was in a rush to get off the plane I know, I know...but it's okay, I got your iPad and I hope you see this video.

"It will be with the CS [customer service] agent. Just come around probably 8, 9 in the morning and you'll get your stuff back. Don't leave this on the plane...you're lucky because someone would have took it and never been honest about it and this is a nice iPad."

Peterson told Newsweek that after she recorded the video, she handed the iPad to a gate agent and they were later in touch with the device owner who said: "Yea, I just realized I didn't have it."

Peterson said: "I'm not 100 percent sure if he's seen it [the video she recorded]" but she was later told that the owner had come to retrieve his iPad the following day.

The airport worker said the iPad Pro was among the three most expensive items she'd ever seen be left behind by a passenger. The other two included an iPhone 14 and a purse with $400 along with two American Express cards and a Costco membership card in it.

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