Case story ·
Lost Property at Istanbul Airport: iPhone and Bag Returned to the Netherlands
A traveller contacted us after leaving a small black crossbody bag at Istanbul Airport. Inside were her iPhone and house keys. The bag had already been found in the international airside area and registered with the Istanbul Airport Lost & Found office. Because she had already returned home, she needed someone in Turkey to collect the lost property on her behalf and arrange its international return to the Netherlands.
Collecting the bag from Istanbul Airport Lost & Found
Once the item had been registered by the airport, we confirmed the lost-property reference and the details required for collection.
After the necessary authorisation was arranged, we collected the bag from Istanbul Airport and checked the contents against the owner's description. The iPhone and house keys were both inside.
We then prepared the item for international shipping, using suitable packaging to protect both the phone and the other belongings during transport.
Shipping the lost iPhone from Turkey to the Netherlands
After collection, the parcel was shipped from Turkey to the owner's address in the Netherlands.
The international shipment reached the Netherlands quickly and the carrier made the first delivery attempt. The owner was at work at the time, so the delivery could not be completed.
Normally, another delivery attempt or collection arrangement would follow. In this case, however, the tracking later stopped progressing and several days afterwards the carrier advised that the shipment might have been lost within its network.
When the carrier could not locate the parcel
Once a parcel enters an international courier network, its physical movement is handled by the carrier. We cannot directly control what happens inside that network, but we can act on behalf of the customer when something goes wrong.
We immediately opened an investigation with the carrier, followed the tracking and investigation updates, and kept the owner informed throughout the process.
Rather than leaving her to deal with the carrier alone, we continued following the case until the parcel was located.
Fortunately, the shipment was found.
The parcel was recovered and collected
After being located, the parcel was transferred to one of the carrier's local pickup points in the Netherlands.
The owner was then able to collect the bag herself, with her iPhone and house keys safely inside.
The case did not end with a successful front-door delivery as originally planned, but the important result was the same: the lost property that had been left behind at Istanbul Airport was recovered, collected from the airport, shipped internationally and returned to its owner.
If your item is being held at Istanbul Airport
If your lost property has already been found and registered at Istanbul Airport Lost & Found, it may be possible for an authorised third party to collect it on your behalf.
The exact procedure can depend on where the item is being held, the type of property and the authorisation requirements. Once collection is completed, we can also arrange professional packaging and international delivery to many destinations worldwide.
This can be particularly useful for travellers who have already left Turkey and cannot return to Istanbul Airport personally to collect their belongings.