A stowaway iPhone has catapulted through the membership tiers of Qantas' Frequent Flyer program, almost reaching Gold status in just four days.

In those four days, the iPhone, hiding in a seat pocket, traveled six international sectors on an Airbus A330 in Qantas business class. Through all its adventure, it was tracked on the iPhone's Find My Phone app, with a helpful band of followers watching on australianfrequentflyer.com.au.

The journey began innocently on Qantas QF143 from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) to New Zealand's Auckland International Airport (AKL). An Airbus A330-303, registration VH-QPA operated the flight, and the phone settled comfortably into the luxury of business class in seat 3E.

The Qantas A330 has 28 seats in business class, configured in seven rows with a 1-2-1 layout. The aircraft also has another 269 seats on the other side of the curtain, but that's of little consequence to this adventure. After leaving the plane, the owner, who goes by the pseudonym of Mrs. Rugby, discovered her phone was missing and immediately set about finding it.

Okay, we found it, so can we get it back?

The first thought was it was left in the Sydney airport Qantas lounge, but by using the Find My Phone app, Mrs. Rugby spotted it was still on the aircraft. By this time, the phone had flown back to Sydney on Qantas QF 146 and, after a short layover, was headed for Hawaii, touching down at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

The phone stayed in its seat and returned to Sydney the next day. After that, it picked up the pace and did a Sydney to Auckland return on May 8, although it seems that Mrs. Rugby's dogged determination was finally getting through to the unanswered phone on the Qantas help desk.

Anybody who has lost luggage or left something on an aircraft can understand the pain and agony Rugby was going through, although many sensible suggestions were coming for the equally concerned followers. Mrs. Rugby told Qantas where the phone was, so why didn't a Qantas person just go and get it when the aircraft was making its stops in Sydney? Perhaps they put it down to just another passenger who was "not match-fit to travel after COVID," which CEO Alan Joyce said was the reason for Easter's airport chaos in Australia.

A phone with silver frequent flyer status in just four days?

As for the phone, if it had evaded discovery and stayed on the A330, it was due to go to Bangkok within a few hours of landing in Sydney. On its itinerary was a flight to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), returning to Sydney, and returning to Auckland, where Mrs. Rugby was still holidaying.

It would have been amazing if Mrs. Rugby got back on the same aircraft, sat in the same seat and picked up the phone as if it had never been abandoned. But the phone, and the loyal band of followers, would have known that little secret.

Mrs. Rugby has awarded it Qantas Silver status, and they are happily reunited. This has deliberately been a light-hearted look at what confronts passengers when they need an airline's help, particularly where lost bags or personal property is involved. Qantas could have resolved this much quicker, and Mrs. Rugby, who appears to be a Qantas Platinum frequent flyer, given the comfort of knowing the phone was secure and in safe hands.

Have you ever left something on an aircraft, and how was it resolved by the airline?

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Source: australianfrequentflyer.com.au