Left my laptop in MUC and trying to get it home to SYD [resolved]

[daichisuba]

I did an absoutely stupid thing on my return flight home from my Europe holiday this past weekend and forgot to grab my laptop from the tray once it had been scanned by security at MUC. I was flying J class on Emirates, and only noticed that I forgot to grab it when I boarded the plane and took my seat. The cabin crew were very helpful and tried to get the ground staff to trace it, but there was just not enough time and the doors had to close.

Emirates lodged a report with their lost property department, but also told me to report it to Munich airport myself. Thankfully the laptop was handed into the Munich airport lost and found. Good thing I had labelled it with my name to make it super easy to identify.

Now the pain begins. Given that the laptop is sitting with Munich Lost and Found, Emirates is saying that they cannot receive it and cannot help me further. Munich Aiport can release the laptop for an admin fee, but they provide no options for shipping and handling outside the EU.

"If you wish a delivery outside the European Union or if there is any cash, identity document or dangerous goods inside, you have to order a courier service of your choice. Please note that in this case we do not pack items for shipping"

I've contacted DHL and Fedex who refuse to transport a used laptop. UPS won't pack it for shipping, and if I want to use their services, I need to sign up for a business account and also engage a third party broker for the item to be finally clearerd at SYD customs.

I didn't expect it to be so hard. I appreciate that there may be some risk associated in carrying an item containing a lithium battery, but is there really no option other than to fly back myself to collect it? I was hoping Emirates could assist further, but from their perspective (and I agree), they didn't lose it and it never entered the aircraft, so they aren't responsible.

I'm hoping someone has some ideas or even suggestions of other couriers that could package and transport it back home.

I can't believe I'm such an idiot

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @daichisuba but sorry about the circumstances.

I wonder if anyone on AFF has enough status on LH's Miles & More to ask the LH Concierge at MUC to see what might be done? I know the Air Canada concierge used to do stuff like that. @Mattg you are frequently in the German sphere - know of any AFFer who might have that LH status? or even live in Munich?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah, the battery is the potential problem here

A poor guy in Australia post the other day was trying to send an instant camera as a gift and they wouldn’t accept it because if the inbuilt battery power.

Mobile phones are in the same category. Have you tried googling for a solution? Maybe someone has come up with a workaround.

Or maybe, try your insurance company? They might have a suggestion if it’s in their interests to get it shipped rather than replace it for you (if you had insurance to cover that).

 

[Mattg]

Welcome to AFF @daichisuba but sorry about the circumstances.

I wonder if anyone on AFF has enough status on LH's Miles & More to ask the LH Concierge at MUC to see what might be done? I know the Air Canada concierge used to do stuff like that. @Mattg you are frequently in the German sphere - know of any AFFer who might have that LH status? or even live in Munich?

I do know people in Munich who could possibly collect the laptop, but I'm not sure what they would then be able to do with the item, given most couriers won't accept it?

I think the OP's best bet is to find an AFFer flying from MUC to SYD in the near future. (I won't be doing this route again myself until October.)

Perhaps the OP could also have a look to see if SendMyBag might ship it?

What is prohibited to ship | Help Center | Send my Bag

<p>Items which are prohibited on all Send My Bag services include, but are not limited to; aerosols (or any pressurized container), perfume, nail varnish (or any other flammable liquids), toner/ printer cartridges, tobacco, alcohol, money (including ...

www.sendmybag.com

 

[justinbrett]

You should be able to remove the battery and then most couriers will take it. But you'd have to buy a new battery.

 

[bertflyer]

I did an absoutely stupid thing on my return flight home from my Europe holiday this past weekend and forgot to grab my laptop from the tray once it had been scanned by security at MUC. I was flying J class on Emirates, and only noticed that I forgot to grab it when I boarded the plane and took my seat. The cabin crew were very helpful and tried to get the ground staff to trace it, but there was just not enough time and the doors had to close.

Emirates lodged a report with their lost property department, but also told me to report it to Munich airport myself. Thankfully the laptop was handed into the Munich airport lost and found. Good thing I had labelled it with my name to make it super easy to identify.

Now the pain begins. Given that the laptop is sitting with Munich Lost and Found, Emirates is saying that they cannot receive it and cannot help me further. Munich Aiport can release the laptop for an admin fee, but they provide no options for shipping and handling outside the EU.

"If you wish a delivery outside the European Union or if there is any cash, identity document or dangerous goods inside, you have to order a courier service of your choice. Please note that in this case we do not pack items for shipping"

I've contacted DHL and Fedex who refuse to transport a used laptop. UPS won't pack it for shipping, and if I want to use their services, I need to sign up for a business account and also engage a third party broker for the item to be finally clearerd at SYD customs.

I didn't expect it to be so hard. I appreciate that there may be some risk associated in carrying an item containing a lithium battery, but is there really no option other than to fly back myself to collect it? I was hoping Emirates could assist further, but from their perspective (and I agree), they didn't lose it and it never entered the aircraft, so they aren't responsible.

I'm hoping someone has some ideas or even suggestions of other couriers that could package and transport it back home.

I can't believe I'm such an idiot

Hi, I will be going through MUC airport on June 10, heading home to MEL via LHR and SIN and SYD. Could meet you at SYD airport to hand it over? Assume it will be ok in my checked bag (safely packed in the clothing)? Maybe send me a DM if you want pursue this?

 

[bertflyer]

Hi, I will be going through MUC airport on June 10, heading home to MEL via LHR and SIN and SYD. Could meet you at SYD airport to hand it over? Assume it will be ok in my checked bag (safely packed in the clothing)? Maybe send me a DM if you want pursue this?

I’ll probably have to remove the battery though, is that an easy thing to do? I’d carry the battery in my carry on in that case.

 

[justinbrett]

Hi, I will be going through MUC airport on June 10, heading home to MEL via LHR and SIN and SYD. Could meet you at SYD airport to hand it over? Assume it will be ok in my checked bag (safely packed in the clothing)? Maybe send me a DM if you want pursue this?

You can check it with the battery fitted. It just can't be a loose battery.

 

[daichisuba]

I do know people in Munich who could possibly collect the laptop, but I'm not sure what they would then be able to do with the item, given most couriers won't accept it?

I think the OP's best bet is to find an AFFer flying from MUC to SYD in the near future. (I won't be doing this route again myself until October.)

Perhaps the OP could also have a look to see if SendMyBag might ship it?

What is prohibited to ship | Help Center | Send my Bag

<p>Items which are prohibited on all Send My Bag services include, but are not limited to; aerosols (or any pressurized container), perfume, nail varnish (or any other flammable liquids), toner/ printer cartridges, tobacco, alcohol, money (including ...

www.sendmybag.com

Thanks so much for the suggestion @Mattg. Just checked SendMyBag and it seems to be the same deal. Aargh!

"Australia air cargo regulations prohibit the sending of any device which contains a battery. Batteries of any type, loose or within devices, must not be sent on this route."

 

[daichisuba]

You should be able to remove the battery and then most couriers will take it. But you'd have to buy a new battery.

Thanks for the suggestion @justinbrett. Unfortunately removing the battery from the laptop doesn't appear to be easy. It's a Microsoft Surface Laptop, so the battery is not really user removable or replaceable.

 

[daichisuba]

I’ll probably have to remove the battery though, is that an easy thing to do? I’d carry the battery in my carry on in that case.

Hey @bertflyer . Wow really? I'll DM you. That would be amazing. As mentioned in my other reply, the battery can't really be removed, but it might be fine. I checked in my bag with an iPad on the return flight. Emirates said it was fine as long as it was turned off.

 

[encryptededdy]

Generally you can check a bag with a lithium battery, provided it's part of a device and not a spare battery (power banks are spare batteries), are heat generating (e.g. cordless hair straightener), or exceed the capacity limit.

 

[jkbaus]

Hi, I will be going through MUC airport on June 10, heading home to MEL via LHR and SIN and SYD. Could meet you at SYD airport to hand it over? Assume it will be ok in my checked bag (safely packed in the clothing)? Maybe send me a DM if you want pursue this?

Lovely gesture.
Maybe I am over cautious but not keen to carry anything for an unknown person posting on a public forum. And OP is very new to the forum.

 

[Mattg]

How did you go with getting reunited with your laptop?

 

[andye]

Not that it's helpful, but last year, I took my mum for a minibreak to Seville from London and picked up his laptop from the hostel he stayed at 3 months previously. We couldn't find another way to retrieve it

 

[Daver6]

The company I work for uses FedEx and in the past DHL to send laptops around the world to new hires and replace laptops. So it can definitely be done.

 

[daichisuba]

Successfully outcome! I was reunited with my laptop last week thanks to the amazing assistance from @bertflyer . I'm so thankful he saw the message and reached out. It seems like it would have been painful try to sort it out another way.
Thank you to everyone else in this forum for your assistance and to @RooFlyer putting the call out to members.

 

[Duffa]

Well done, Bert.
No doubt, daichisuba was extremely grateful that you muled her/his $29,000,000 in stolen Bitcoin right under the noses of our Border Force lasses and lads.

 

[bertflyer]

Successfully outcome! I was reunited with my laptop last week thanks to the amazing assistance from @bertflyer . I'm so thankful he saw the message and reached out. It seems like it would have been painful try to sort it out another way.
Thank you to everyone else in this forum for your assistance and to @RooFlyer putting the call out to members.

It was a pleasure to help and the MUC lost and found was efficient in retrieving the laptop and passing it on after the appropriate paper work was exchanged.

 

[newmarket]

I’d be really uncomfortable picking up and managing items for an unknown person. That is really scary.

It’s great that it worked out, but what if it didn’t.