is it time to stop flying?

[parsonstrish]

Sitting in T.7, JFK, BA lounge, awaiting dep. QF108 to Syd (eventually).

I did something one hr. ago I thought I would never do. I lost my Aussie p/port and tickets. Got through security, stood outside duty free shop just inside the dep. area while my friend went and bought a book for the trip.

Why I looked at my tickets again whilst waiting for her, will always remain a mystery to me. But that's what I did. Put tickets in p/port and I 'thought' I put them in purse.

Went to food court next, as we got up to leave there, I went to get my bp out, not there. I looked and looked and looked. In purse and cabin bag.

Without going into every little detail and multiple tears, I was able to get other tickets (syd-bne) using my US p/port which has perm. visa in it. Thank God.

Counter agent assures me someone will turn Aussie p/port in and will be waiting at the gate. I'm just feeling numb and can't be that positive.

Questioning my abilities to ever fly again. I make all my own travel, accom., tour arrangements, never any problems. Just unbelievable that I did this.

Thanks for listening. (I'm not even thinking what I'll do abt. cancelling or how to do it, my aussie p/port if not turned in).

 

[Mal]

It happens to everyone ... I've left my passport at security screening once - luckily got it back no worries. My current passport has a bit of water damage to the photo now (heavy rain), so looking forward to "challenges" with that (but not wanting to get it replaced as one visa will cost $200 to get restamped).

People book the wrong flights, book flights for the wrong days, double book, forget to get visas, pack the wrong items - the list goes on.

There's a great thread over @ FT Most foolish error/omission you've made while travelling? What did it cost you? - FlyerTalk Forums

Anyways, hope it all works out well for you.

 

[JohnK]

It happens to most of us. I would not stop flying if that happened to me.

If you passport does not turn you shoild be able to lodge another aplication for another passport. Good luck and hope that things sort themselves out.

 

[codash1099]

Yep. Been there, done that (twice). First time was many years ago in Paris, where my wallet and passport fell out of my coat pocket when I threw it across the back of a couch in a restaurant. Didn't notice until the next day, and I didn't know where I had lost them. My bloodhound instincts led me back to the same establishment, where it was all still on the floor.

Second time in YVR when I left it all, including some foreign currency, at immigration. After panicking (only slightly), reported it and after a delay, it was returned to me minus a 50 pound note.

Have I learnt? Probably not. cough happens.

 

[MrHyde]

As mentioned these things happen.

I am not very careful of how I carry my passport. In most cases, it just in my trouser pockets or the first pocket of my laptop bag (its been there for the last 9 months, even though I've been overseas only once).

The one time I lost it, it slipped out of my pockets and down the side of the car seat on my way to the airport in Wellington. As luck would have it, I always take the same airport service in Wellington,... gave him a quick call when I realised the passwport was missing. He made a quick U-turn and came back to give me my passport. I still shudder to think what I would have done had it been a taxi that I dropped the passport in.

 

[drewbles]

Ironically enough, I just left my phone in a cab on the way to the airport. Not as vital as a Passport, but it's pretty essential to my job and would have caused a headache if it was not returned.

Fortunately, I managed to track it and send messages to it. Next PAX found it, and it's now on its way back to me (and QF have offered to move me to the later flight if necessary if the phone doesn't get here in time).

Pisses me off but won't stop me from taking cabs!

 

[drron]

It is why mrsdrron carries the passports,tickets,extra cash and does all the packing.would be lost without her.
My Problem-an advanced case of CRAFT.

 

[Must...Fly!]

We all do this at some stage..whether it be a passport on a holiday or wallet during a normal day...hopefully all works out.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

My passport fell out of my handbag onto the floor underneath my seat on an Alaska Airlines flight SFO/SEA. I realised when I got to the hotel & asked for passport & I couldn't find it.

I called AS & asked if anything was handed in from that flight & they said no however the plane went on to DFW after SEA & it was discovered then. Passport worked its way back to SEA but we were then in LAS however reunited with it 6 days later in NYC where it was sent via Fed-Ex courier to the hotel.

Sigh of relief.

Not a nice feeling not having it with you however in your case at least you had your passport to enter the USA & you just have to come back to Australia.

It doesn't mean you should stop flying, it just proves you're human like everyone else.

Now I always try and put my passport back in exactly the same spot every time which is a separate zippered compartment in my handbag. It's too easy to put it somewhere else in the rush then forget where that somewhere else is.

 

[JetLagged]

trish - no, never stopflying: being above the clouds is too way worth it!

Have had numerous panic attacks when couldn't easily locate my passport and travel wallet - yes, it was always there - just either somewhere where I didn't think to look because it should have beenelsewhere in my bag (my fault) or overlooked in the panic attack (again, my fault).

Just one sobering thought - IF your passport does not find itws way back to you (heaven forbid), then contact DIFA absolutely ASAP!

Anyway parsontrish - God bless!
Anyway Trish Parson - still, God bless!

 

[JohnK]

Second time in YVR when I left it all, including some foreign currency, at immigration. After panicking (only slightly), reported it and after a delay, it was returned to me minus a 50 pound note.

Finders fee? :-|

Anyway parsontrish - God bless!
Anyway Trish Parson - still, God bless!

I am sure parsonstrish is a nice person and would not point out that you have mis-spelt her name Trish Parsons and AFF username. :shock:

 

[awilcockson]

My first ever holiday away, flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast.

Left my mobile in the seat pocket. Cost me $50 for a taxi to deliver it to my hotel. That was a lot of money back then But I've learned my lesson, nothing goes in the back of the seat pocket that I'm not willing to leave behind.

Was staying in a (dodgy) hotel for one night in the grassmarket, Edinburgh. Thought I'd do the right thing and "hid" our passports on the top shelf of the built in wardrobe, under the spare blankets ... checked out the next day and realised a couple of hours later what I'd done! Nervous 24 hour wait until the next guest had checked out before I was allowed back in to find them safely where I'd left them. Could have been a disaster, we'd just moved to the UK, and the passports had our Ancestry Visa stamps which we needed to start work!!

 

[winfred]

Losing the passport is nothing compare to what I have done:

- turn up at airport and when I was asked to present my passport at the check in counter, I gave the lady my driver's licence. She insisted that I give her my passport as I was going to NZ.


- while transitting in Sydney I fell asleep in the waiting area and woke up to an empty airport. I was abused for a considerable amount of time as they unloaded all the bags to find mine before taking off without me, 1 hour late.

- I turned up at the airport for a flight to Singapore in F on a classic award ticket. I gave the lady at the check in counter my "passport" that turned out to be "information booklet" that came with my new passport. My passport was later found in the drawer at home.

So losing your passport is no big deal and it could be worse.

 

[simongr]

I had am moment like this on board my recent flight to India - no matter how hard I looked I couldnt find my passport on board - thankfully for some reason I had stashed it in my suit bag. It was a time of absolute panic though...

Without going into every little detail and multiple tears, I was able to get other tickets (syd-bne) using my US p/port which has perm. visa in it. Thank God.

Out of interest how do you still have a valid visa for travel to Oz in a US passport? When I naturalised they cancelled my perm visa in my UK passport and I was informed I could not travel into Oz on my UK passport again...

 

[parsonstrish]

Just arrived back in Oz. Awaiting final flt. to home. My p/port was not turned in.

Now I have to try and find out where I've written the number down. I kept meaning to p/copy my p/port before this trip as every other trip but of course didn't.

Will try and explain situation tomorrow to a phone number I just googled. Still worried that someone will try and use my p/port.

Don't know why Simon you had to relinquish your other p/port. But dual citizenship bet. us and oz.

Great to be back.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just arrived back in Oz. Awaiting final flt. to home. My p/port was not turned in.

Now I have to try and find out where I've written the number down. I kept meaning to p/copy my p/port before this trip as every other trip but of course didn't.

Will try and explain situation tomorrow to a phone number I just googled. Still worried that someone will try and use my p/port.

Don't know why Simon you had to relinquish your other p/port. But dual citizenship bet. us and oz.

Great to be back.

Trish just checking that the airline pulled out the white immigration card when you checked in so it won't look like you overstayed your visa in the USA.

So as far as Australian immigration are concerned you left Australia on your Aussie Passport & you (this same person) returned on your US Passport versus one Australian Trish Parsons departing Australia & an American Trish Parsons arriving in Australia?

How long can a US Passport holder stay in Australia for? They might think your're an American Citizen who just arrived in Australia & if you don't go overseas for awhile it might look like you're overstaying your stay in Australia.

 

[simongr]

Don't know why Simon you had to relinquish your other p/port. But dual citizenship bet. us and oz.

I still have my UK passport - the perm residency visa has been cancelled. It is technically illegal for an Australian citizen to enter the country on a non-Oz passport (quite how they can prove this is another story).

 

[BensAdventures]

Don't stop flying, as everyone has said, it's just one of those things.

I've been consisting traveling for the past 3-4 years and never really lost anything until this trip. 10 days ago I lost from $2000 camera (alcohol and stupidity might be to blame), but it was found the next morning!! Then 5 days later I checked into my hotel, used my credit card, but by the time I left the hotel one hour later it was gone. All my credit cards, $250 US dollars, everything except my passport.... Again found within 15 minutes, no cash missing. I'm so so so lucky!

I'm flying home tonight, so I have 14 hours to try not to misplace anything else!

 

[Maca44]

My Problem-an advanced case of CRAFT.

drron, I have suffered from that same condition for many years, and the older you get the condition seems to get worse.

At Sydney T1 about 10 years ago filled out the departure card on a table immediately outside the door to immigration, but was lucky I realised I had left my passport on the table within a couple of minutes. Returned to table to find a guy asking around if anyone owned the passport, saw/ID'd me from photo and was on my way.

Then in September this year at a baseball game in Vancouver lost my wallet with all my credit cards, D/Licence etc, and only about CAN$50. I don't think it was lifted, and I suspect it fell from my back pocket of my jeans at the game. Didn't get the wallet and contents back, but Amex were fantastic and couriered a replacement card to me within 2 days. It was going to take Visa and Wizard up to two weeks, but I would have been home by then.

It would take a near death experience to make me even consider not travelling and even then I would still have to travel. **it really does happen sometimes and we just have to adapt.

 

[parsonstrish]

Thanks for all the sharing of experiences. I wasn't serious that I would stop flying but it has been a humbling experience. I'm the person who loves the organization of all things for trip. When travelling with a friend they are always happy I'm doing it all.

Just rang and cancelled my p/port. The guy also said same as a couple of you, the visa in my US p/port for permanet residency is nill and void now a citizen. US p/port was stamped in Sydney.

Once I'm over this, I'll call immigration and check out what you said Oz Beach Babe. It seems to be getting more and more complicated but it is just one of those things. I'm sure all will be good.