Left Something on a Plane? KLM and Sherlock May Be Able to Help

KLM released this video last week and it is adorable. KLM shows how they are very proactive about items left behind on their planes. Their secret? A well-trained beagle named Sherlock hunts down passengers in Schiphol Airport (AMS) and returns these lost items to the rightful owners.

Dog lover or not, this is a very cute video. The only problem is the content is not true. No, KLM does not have a secret weapon named Sherlock who skirts through the airport with items left behind on the plane by passengers. Indeed if it were true, no doubt many more passengers would be leaving things on the planes waiting for Sherlock to bring the items to them. Instead, it is KLM’s way of saying they try to be very proactive reuniting passengers with their lost goods.

Hint to everyone: Help the airlines find you. Make sure you have at least a name and contact number attached to all your onboard valuables like cellphones, tablets, laptops, and headphones. I use a business card whenever possible. In the event the item is either left on the plane or maybe picked up by a seatmate thinking it is theirs, your personal information will get the item back to you much faster.