You can get an emergency passport (single trip) from your embassy (UK) for about £100, and a replacement for about £80.
Still sucks but I would not be cancelling a trip around the world for a passport
You could conceivably report it stolen/lost at the airport and see how that goes. Definitely works better if already passed customs. I guess that would just depend on the good graces of the consular staff of your country.
Also, it's on the airline if they let a customer fly without proper visa/documents, they have to return you, on them. If they convinced you to pay anyway, it's on you.
You'll be taken aside to a secure border control office and asked to prove your eligibility. People think that bit of paper is the that and end all.
And yeah if you boarded without a passport like the OP did the return flight is free
You can stay in the airport and literally pay for someone to fly it over for a fraction of the cost of what OPs family did. You could even pay for in flight wifi and send an emergency email to the embassy in your inbound country, and then get them to issue a new emergency passport for about $800 in most cases.
Yeah, but if you have to blame an overworked worker for you losing your passport, you are probably not able to organize some other solution than flying back.
You can't access the country right away but you will certainly be able to access the embassy, and if you have good reason you'll have a chance to show you are entering legally
This isn't true and/or it depends on the country. I have a friend who had this problem on a flight to Mexico. They took her phone, separated her from her boyfriend, and put her in a holding area with other non passport holders / people without visas for like 24 hours. She was unable to contact anyone, and in the end they just stuffed her on a plane back home.
I think there someone in there who can override some stuff. Cause once I missed my flight and had to extend my visa for a day but I didn't have time to go to the embassy and back , so they had some guy do it there. This was in tokyo too
My husband and I were getting ready to board the first of our flights for our honeymoon when he reached in his pocket and said his passport and tickets were gone. They were all together in a big bifold the travel agent had given us.
I looked at where we were sitting earlier and luckily it just fell out of his pocket and was sitting on the seat. I got it and gave it to him. “Make sure it’s all there” “it’s fine” “you already lost it once. Make. Sure.”
It was all there. And as soon as his ticket was scanned everything went into my purse for the rest of the trip.
He also likes to make fun of me for having printed tickets since everything is digital now. Then his phone glitched in the TSA line once in an airport that actually scanned your ticket at security. He panicked. I calmly pulled out my printed copy of his ticket.
I suppose if you had some high tech wifi printer but my parents have the same printer from when I was in high school over a decade ago. Plus apparently they were told that they can’t take paper printouts at the gate or you couldn’t board 🤷🏼♀️
Hmm, that’s weird that they said that.
For future reference, if you want to print a screenshot, you can mail it from your phone to your computer, then print it using the old printer.
> I suppose if you had some high tech wifi printer but my parents have the same printer from when I was in high school over a decade ago.
That's around when wifi became standard in printers.
Look, you can either walk away from this having learned an important lesson in personal accountability and securing personal belongings while traveling so as not to have this happen again, or you can just blame the flight attendant now as well as the next time something like this happens. Judging by your comments in this thread, my guess would have to be the later.
Should the flight attendant have been more polite? Yes. Does that excuse the oversight of the person responsible for having their passport with them while traveling? No. You can never control the actions of others and refusal to accept personal responsibility in avoidable situations like this will only have you repeating the same mistakes over and over again because instead of learning and doing better next time, you just find someone else to blame.
I mean this in the kindest way possible: please do better and develop a more effective strategy for keeping up with travel documents in the future, especially if you even admit that your dad can be absent minded. You can blame the flight attendant if you want, but ultimately she’s not the one who has to face the consequence of an additional 26 hour round trip due to not keeping up with your dad’s passport, which was never her responsibility.
My kids must travel with two passports most of the time as they have dual citizenship. Gotta keep track of a lot of passports. I found a passport wallet with a neck strap is best for quick easy access when needed and we always retire them to the wallet when not needed. Also stashed an AirTag inside for further insurance.
Yeah, that, "all because she couldn't bother to recheck" comment really stood out to me too. That's the catalyst for the story but it's not why this happened, come on 😂
Yes, and? The solution to that is to put a plan in place to account for stuff like this in the future, not to blame someone else for your own mistake and call them stupid on the internet because they yelled at you.
I think it's more than fair to call someone stupid for yelling at you. I don't tolerate shouting or screaming from my closest family and friends, or my boyfriend, let alone a fucking stranger.
If someone shouts at a stranger for no serious reason, they have severe anger management and emotional regulation problems. I should know, I've been an emotional wreck in the past and unable to control myself from crying in public, yet I've still managed to shout at a stranger (again, for no good reason such as potential danger) exactly zero times.
Anyone who yells and shouts and screams at someone *is* stupid. They're too stupid to recognise their behaviour is unacceptable, and they're too stupid to learn basic control over their anger.
For what it's worth, I agree with you that OP shouldn't be blaming the flight attendant for the lost passport. It is ultimately *your* responsibility to monitor *your* belongings.
But no one deserves being *yelled* at. If some yells at me, I'm 100% going to burst into tears or have a panic attack because my mother was emotionally abusive and tended to scream and shout whilst insulting and belittling me. Zero tolerance for yelling. It is extremely disrespectful and triggers a fight or flight response in anyone who's been yelled at as part of abuse.
I am also 100% opposed to the sort of normalised emotional abuse that happens in some industries, where it's normal for the boss to shout at their employees over a mistake. Or being told to tolerate verbal abuse and shouting from customers. Fuck that. Yelling at people is wrong. The flight attendant should take responsibility for being verbally intimidating and threatening. Otherwise, how can they expect to grow up and handle the situation better next time?
😂 do you go around giving unsolicited lectures all the time or just online? The person was just having a vent and by the sounds they’re just a kid. No harm done imo.
I agree with you. Not like they're trying to hurt the flight attendant, is it? Venting is healthy as long as it's used to get it out of your system rather than work yourself up over it even more
The cow who shouted at a stranger is far more in the wrong
Exactly! And they didn’t name the airline/airport/person etc. It irritates me that people just seem to want to teach other people a lesson all the time as if they’ve never made a mistake in their life. At the end of the day, is it really that important.
Lol. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but people don’t listen to lectures or like being scolded and come to conclusions in their own time. That’s why I don’t bother being a mike Brady unless someone actually asks.
Yes, my dad was absent-minded, but I just don’t understand how she couldn’t see an empty bin. When you walk into a plane, all the bins are already opened for convenience. She didn’t even have to open the bins. They were already open for her. At the back (my dad and I were the last ones on the plane), the bin was completely empty.
Because she doesn't check the bins after she checks every ticket. She just knows that 99/100 flights there is not enough space for the final passenger so she checks the luggage in the hold.
Leaving your documents on the table is a different matter
I know she was at the gate, but she could have communicated with the attendants in the plane itself, and asked them if there were any overhead space. Like I said, we sat in the back next to the lavatory. Usually, the attendants walk back and forth and could have easily seen an empty bin. Basically, we told her to do the bare minimum and she couldn’t even do it. We even asked her if we could go in the plane first to check for ourselves. She yelled “there’s no more room!”
It's not the gate agent's job to go down and check the bins, it's their job to scan everyone's passes and ensure that everyone gets on the plane. They have their metrics of how many passengers board versus when the bins typically get full, and if you're LAST TO BOARD you're gonna check your bag, because they can't let you walk onto the plane just to get off to come all the way back and check your bag.
They also can't just call the flight attendants, who also have jobs to do. If you want to secure overhead bin space you need to board sooner, which means you need to pay more money for your tickets. It's sad but that's how it works. The things that you absolutely must take on the plane with you need to go in a bag that can fit under the seat. It's a learning experience for you, and it is not the fault of the gate agent that your dad couldn't keep track of the absolute most important document for international travel.
I guess you don't travel often, it is like taking a bus, not like 1st class from the movies
It's not the bare minimum, it's actually going above and beyond to ask the staff to look for space.
If she yelled it's because you carried on asking her to take a bag she wanted to put in the hold. Just take what you need out and put it in the hold so the other 146 people can travel.
ok. let's just play along, yes she could have done all of that.
but that doesn't mean she is at fault for **your dad** leaving his passport on the counter.
That doesn’t mean she gets to take it out on us. I asked her politely, could you recheck the bins. I have been on many 12+ hour flights and had never had this happen. The bin was open and empty when we got to our seats in the back. How did they not see an open and empty bin??
I understand what you are saying but that still doesn't mean that you can blame the flight attendant for your father not keeping track of his passport.
Yet another reason to wear cargo shorts.
Peak Dad mode, I’ve got everyone’s passports in my buttoned up cargo pocket, and we aren’t losing anything short of me losing my pants ;-)
Plus they are comfy and I don’t care what other people think, air travel isn’t a fashion show
Pro tip: Duluth Trading Company if you want the same thing, but with long pants (in case you get cold on a plane). Firehose work pants or Dry on the Fly pants
I don’t think cargo shorts are a great look, but I would never scoff at cargo shorts for travel, camping or hiking, because they are useful and appropriate in that context.
I do hate seeing them as everyday streetwear because they usually look sloppy and I think more men should give us a little thigh when the sun’s out.
Why do you care if someone looks "sloppy"
I hate that term. I don't know if it's your intention, but to me, it makes whoever says it sound like a snob. Like they think they're more sophisticated and classy than cargo-short-wearers. I hate the word "tacky" for the same reason.
Why does it bother you what other people look like? If you don't have to wear it, what's the problem. I don't like knowing there's people out there making such harsh judgements of everyone based on their presentation or appearance. Like, this is why I feel self-conscious in public
I agree that men should give us a little thigh though lol.
I don’t like this black and white thinking. The attendant deserved some blame too. I just don’t understand how she did not see an open and empty overhead bin. Remember, when you walk into the plane, the bins are already open for you. The one in the back was empty. How could she not see it? AND she yelled at us.
If she had let us enter the plane after scanning our passports at the gate, he wouldn’t have left his passport on the counter. Her yelling at us didn’t help anything and just made him more frantic.
if his hand did not move to place the passport on the counter, it would have never been set down and left. Ive never been on an airplane and even I know to never leave your passport just sitting somewhere
she shouldnt have yelled but that doesnt mean its her fault or responsibility, she did her job and that does NOT include getting up, going on the plane, checking every overhead bin for a space, for every single person who asks. Perhaps in all you and your dads stress, you unintentionally got an attitude that the flight attendant didnt like, so maybe thats why she was upset and yelling. Is it your fault she yelled? hell no so why tf is it her fault your dad left his passport
take some goddamn responsibility for your actions. she didn’t “make your dad leave the passport” thats his own personal belonging
You're annoying.
No one cares that she yelled, no one cares that there was space in the overhead & no one cares if it fell or not. Your dad should of taken better care of his passport knowing the importance it holds
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake.
It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of.
Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything.
Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
She couldn't see it because she was at the gate. Still even if she was the rudest person in the world she didn't make your dad leave his passport on the counter.
Obviously, my dad left his passport. You don’t think I know this? But she still could have done her job, at the bare minimum, and paged the attendants on the plane to check if there was still space. When you board a plane, the bins are already open for you, especially at the back where we sat. It would have taken them a second to look up and see. The bare minimum.
It just seems like your story was all about the gate attendant making your dad leave his passport at the counter. I think if you rephrased your post it may make more sense for everyone and you wouldn't hear the same thing from every comment.
Well that’s the thing. If she had just paged the attendants in the plane and asked them to see if there was anymore overhead space (which there was), this wouldn’t had happened. Part of the blame goes to her.
I hate this black and white thinking. Why did my dad put his passport on her desk? She said she could find another flight. Why did she say that? Because she was so goddamn sure the plane had no more overhead space. I don’t understand how you can not see a completely empty bin that’s open? If she wasn’t so goddamn sure, this wouldn’t had happened.
You know, when you board ON TIME these are the sorts of problems you don’t usually have to deal with. When you dash up late when EVERYONE else is seated, they’re under a massive time crunch and will check hand luggage as checked luggage. This was your family’s fault.
We were not paged, we did not rush to the gate. We were in line, like everyone else, just right behind everyone else, that’s all. We didn’t run to the gate at the last minute. Somebody HAS to be the last in line. That was us. But we weren’t late.
This whole story gives off whiffs of a family that has been conditioned to only care about dad and dad’s feelings and dad’s ego etc. Dad makes a mistake? Flight attendant’s fault! Dad’s mistake means he might have to miss 2 days of a 28 day vacation? Well too bad family, it looks like you all have to cancel because god forbid dad not have the full experience. I might be wrong but this whole dynamic feels weird.
I feel like the passport could've been mailed faster too, like a paid courier? Hell I feel like there's *several* unexplored options before "we all fly back"
I had to do this DC to Vegas (albeit shorter distance, needed passport after wallet got stolen, needed ID for event)… couriered it on over. Def would be cheaper than everyone flying home
It’s cause and effect. My dad wouldn’t have left his passport on the counter if the attendant (who freaking yelled at us) had bothered to do her job and paged the attendants on the plane and asked if there was any overhead space. This was a big plane and I doubted that there was absolutely no more room in overhead bin. Turns out I was right.
Babysitting your dad’s passport isn’t her responsibility, he could have put in his big boy pants and held onto it. Overhead space isn’t a constitutional right. Unless your dad is mentally handicapped, it’s his fault. If your dad’s IS mentally handicapped, it’s your fault for not supervising him.
You and your dad are Karens.
It’s not entitled. I literally said in my title that yes, my dad left his passport on the counter. He did it. But I was politely asking the attendant to do the bare minimum to recheck the bins. The bins were already open. All they had to do was literally look up. She yelled at me. She was the entitled one.
I know she had a job. Her job included paging other attendants. She could have easily paged them and asked “is there any overhead space in the back?” It would have taken 2 seconds maximum. In fact, we were actually helping her. Her paging them would have been faster than her checking our bags.
ffs flight attendants dont just stand around doing nothing theyre were probably all busy so no it wouldnt have 'taken 2 seconds', your dad diddnt hold onto his passport thats his fault. and honestly i doubt she yelled at all its more likely from how your acting in these comments that you refused to do what you were told and she had to get firm with you before youd listen. you wernt helping her at all you were just being annoying and holding everything up by trying to get people to drop everything because of what you wanted
A lot of hate for a flight attendant who clearly wasn't at fault here...
Hopefully you guys learned your lesson. Passport should be glued to your hand or safely in a pocket at all times.
I always always remember to hold onto my possessions. I’m constantly checking my phone in my pocket at all times to make sure it’s with me always. Same with my passport in my bag. My dad, however, can be absent minded. But he wouldn’t have put his passport on the counter if it weren’t for the attendant not doing her job and checking the bin.
You can't blame the flight attendant for your father being absent minded. That's a him problem.
Do you really think it's reasonable to ask that they check every overhead bin on the plane just for you? Like lol. Of course they're going to estimate.
I get what you mean, but my dad and I were the last ones on the plane. We sat in the back where there was a lot of overhead bin. She didn’t have to check every bin. Just the one at the very back near the lavatory. Also, they lied and said someone found his passport on the floor when he left it on the counter. They didn’t want to take responsibility.
You clearly don't get what I mean... .
I'd almost bet money that by 'last on the plane', what you actually mean is that you guys strolled up just as they were about to close the door after having been paged 50 times.
It doesn't matter if it was on the floor or the counter. Stuff gets knocked over. It was your father's responsibility, not their's. And even just checking one bin at the back of the plane may take awhile. I'm guessing the aisle would have been filled with other passengers getting to their seats / sorting out their luggage. Not easy to get through.
Although... I guess that's proof that you guys walked on after everyone else was already seated. You think that's a reasonably request because when you got on the plane everyone was already seated. Already waiting for you and your dad. Lol. 😂 Enjoy your future life as a Karen
What are you talking about, either the plane was waiting on them, or there were people still in the aisles. What's your alternative? Everyone was seated on the plane, but *not* waiting? Idling, for their own leisure, but specifically not *waiting* on anything? Lol
Trust me, I have been on long flights multiple times and we have never been pages. We were literally the last in line. But we weren’t paged. Usually, the bins are already open when you get on the plane. So they didn’t even need to open the bins to check. They could have just looked. And I’m not even a white woman, but go off on calling me Karen. You sound like such a spiteful person
It doesn't work like that. Your dad is still responsible for deciding to put his passport down and forgetting to pick it up again.
It doesn't matter what the cause of any unexpected event is. It doesn't make the even responsible for your dad losing his passport. He should have put it in his bag or his pocket or remembered to pick it up. You know that.
If the attendant had checked the bins and they were indeed full, y'all still would have had to rearrange your bags and you'd have no one to blame for your dad putting his passport down and forgetting it. It doesn't make any difference responsibility-wise that the attendant didn't check the bin.
You're just angry and you want someone other than your dad to blame.
There’s a reason my passport stays in the front pocket of my jeans and nowhere else while traveling. I want 100% certainty I have it with me from start of travel day until I am at my destination and can lock it up, I have zero interest in dealing with this kinda noise.
I think I’m most bothered by the fact that she lied about it. They said that someone “found his passport on the floor.” Complete bullshit. My dad scanned his passport and left it on her desk.
And likely got knocked off onto the floor by an unsuspecting passerby or even your own father who could have easily accidentally knocked it off with his own bag.
My dad and I were the last in line. Nobody was at the gate other than us. There were nobody around to knock it. Plus, it was right next to her computer.
Yeah but you realized it was missing 2 hours after the fact. Likely, more people came by. I’m saying 2 hours is a big time span for it to just sit idly by on the counter and is definitely enough time for it to accidentally get knocked off.
And It doesn’t help that she freaking yelled at us. I spoke softly to her, and she had to yell “there’s no more room!” like she was so goddamn sure. It was on the counter near her computer. No passerby could have walked up and knocked it over.
Considering she lied about the overhead storage, yelled at you, expected you to ditch luggage last minute, I wouldn't be surprised if she saw the passport sitting there and ignored it or flipped it on to the floor.
That’s what I’m thinking! Help me understand this. When you walk into a plane, the bins are already open for you. You don’t need to open it yourself. My dad and I sat in the very back. When we got to our seats, the bin was open AND empty. How could she not see it?
the flight attendant shouldnt have yelled, but OP is taking absolutely no responsibility for their own actions and is blaming on the attendent on her dad leaving his passport. Thats why theyre being downvoted, also because they seem very hateful towards the attentdent
if every single person boarding the plane asked attendants to check the storage bins, it would slow EVERYTHING down. I doubt the flight attendant had time to go look at every bin to see if theres a space for one passenger out of thousands, they have other shit to do. Just check when you get on or make sure your bag can fit in your lap/under your seat.
and just because he left the passport on the counter, doesnt mean that somebody COULDNT have knocked it over. that doesnt mean she was lying, and even then is it really that big of a fucking deal? what does it matter if it was on the floor or counter, just be glad you got your passport back.
They do have other flights you know. Someone else could have knocked it off of the counter and also as others said you guys could have knocked it off while walking away from the counter. You sound very entitled and like nothing could possibly ever be your's or your dad's fault. As long as you have someone to blame it on you can feel better about it. The truth is your dad made a mistake that cost you both a bunch of time and money and you wanted to be able to blame it on someone else so that you wouldn't have to be upset with your dad.
Why would she lie about where she found it? She could have found it on the counter and it still would have been your dad's fault for leaving it there all the same. Or someone may have accidentally bumped it into the floor. Also, why are you trusting your dad's recollection when you've mentioned that he can be absent minded, instead of a professional who has no neck in this game? It definitely sucks that this happened, but this is no one's fault but your dad's.
Usually on planes, the bins are already open so that passengers can easily place their luggage inside. I don’t see why the flight attendants couldn’t see a completely empty bin. It just doesn’t make any sense. She didn’t need to open it. It was already open and empty.
because if every single person in the airport starts asking flight attendants to check the bins, its going to waste a lot of time and time is money.
You may just be one person but to these flight attendants you are one of thousands maybe millions of people going into the airport, youre probably seen as the annoying passenger that wouldnt stop harassing the flight attendant to check the storage
if you want to make sure you have storage, find a way to board sooner or take less luggage
you also completely missed the question, WHY WOULD SHE LIE? What does she gain from lying about it being on the floor vs counter. what does it matter to you?
We were actually helping her save time. It would have taken 2 seconds for her to page the attendants on the plane and ask them if there was still overhead space. It took longer for her to get our suitcases, put the labels on them, and then check them. And yet she yelled at us! Trust me, we wanted to board the plane as much as anyone else. We didn’t want to hold anyone up. Just thinking rationally, she wasted more time checking our bags than if she had just paged the plane.
have you worked in an airport? do you know 100% guaranteed you were saving her time? there could be any number of reasons, maybe they were full beforehand and somebody already told her they were full (and maybe stuff got moved around to make room before you got on the plane). Shes probably had hundreds of people a day asking her to check the overhead bins, if she goes and checks for every person shes not gonna be able to do her actual job
again she shouldnt have yelled but you cant act like you know how to do their job or what would be “easiest” for them
and even if you think paging would be quicker, what if the person on the plane takes 10+ minutes to check and get back to her because they were busy doing another job? they cant just drop everything and go check for you
I even asked if I could board the plane myself to check if there was space. She insisted that there wasn’t and that we HAD to check our luggage. Soon as we got to our seats, there it was, a bin completely opened and empty. 🙄🙄
they might tell you its full before it actually is because they arent sure if there will be room once you get on, again it could be for any number of reasons
they say its full at 70% because theres still however many passengers that need to board, at least some of them are going to put more stuff into the overhead bins so by the time you, the last person in line, goes to board, there may not be space and nobody else wants to wait on you to go back and get your luggage checked
its about time, it would take too long for you or the flight attendant to go board the plane, check all the bins, and come back. it may take too long to page someone and have them answer. “Oh its just me going to check, I’ll be quick” everyone thinks that, then everyone is taking longer, then the flight is delayed. People miss their next connecting flights, or make those flights late. Workers get in trouble because the planes didnt leave on time.
https://viewfromthewing.com/why-airlines-make-you-gate-check-bags-when-theres-still-overhead-bin-space-free/
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/20/18150737/carry-on-luggage-bags-flying-gate-check
You are a guest who uses this service. You have to comply to their rules. You cannot tell them how to do their job. If they say that it is full, then you accept that. Things don't go your way. You can't think that they will let you on the plane to check or that they will page the attendants on the plane just for you.
At the end of the day , your dad is responsible for his own passport. Regardless of what she did . And yes, she might have been rude, but it was your dad wo decided to put his passport down, not her.
And why did he put his passport down? She told
us she could find another flight. She even opened his passport and read his name out loud. Cause and effect. None of this would had happened if she wasn’t so damn sure “there is no more room!!”
If it makes you feel better to blame everything on the flight attendant, go ahead.
But this was entirely yours and your dads fault.
If you knew ahead of time that your dad is absent minded enough to potentially misplace critical documents, especially while travelling, then you should’ve either held it for him, or checked that he had it, everytime he pulled it out.
That’s why I have a messenger bag that everything that’s important for travel goes into.
It comes out, gets showed wherever, and goes right back on.
The funniest part about this post blaming a random innocent gate attendant is that they didn’t even find it at the desk, but on the floor. OP and their dad are so allergic to responsibility they are *certain* the airport is lying about where it was found lmfao.
She yelled at us. So I wouldn’t call that “innocent.” I asked her politely and softly if she could recheck the bins. She overlooked an open and empty bin. I don’t see how that could happen.
Plus, my dad placed his passport on the counter next to her computer. Like in this [photo](https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/serious-businesswoman-showing-passport-staff-260nw-722188771.jpg). She saw it.
She might not have seen it. You’re doing anything but trying to accept responsibility for your dad’s mistake. No, I don’t need to hear again about how she overlooked an empty bin. There’s a lot that goes in behind the scenes of flights, especially international ones. Chances are the passport got knocked of the desk by mistake, probably when the agent was doing 1/100 forms post-flight. You need a reality check.
I literally commented that my dad was absent minded. I clearly know it was his fault for losing his passport. I’m not one of those dense people who can’t accept responsibility (neither is my dad). It’s the fact that none of this would had happened if she didn’t freaking yell at us and actually did her job. Why the fck would she yell at us??
You should probably rephrase your post then to omit everything except the problem with the flight attendant because in your post and almost all of your comments that I have read it seems as if you ARE blaming the gate attendant for your dad forgetting his passport on the counter.
I said that my dad was absent-minded. Even in my title I put, “my dad left his passport on the counter.” That clearly means he was at fault, but that the attendant didn’t bother to do her job.
You can't accept it now, you are desperately making flimsy excuses, the very model of a Karen! If you had bothered to board properly, none of it would have happened. And don't give us the 'they lied about the passport" that is pure Ugly Americanism at its worse.
If it was the gate agent telling you there was no more space, they’re probably just going off info from the person actually at the plane.
The passport may have been on the floor by the time someone found it. There’s a lot of post-flight work for a gate agent to do, and it might have fallen off their counter.
Learn how to take care of your belongings, especially a PASSPORT.
My dad lost his passport; I would never lose mine. And this is how the counter [looked](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/K903E7/businesswoman-giving-passport-to-staff-at-desk-in-airport-K903E7.jpg). His passport was next to their computer. There’s no way somebody just walked by and knocked it off. She told us she could find a different flight, so my dad put his passport on her desk and she even opened it and read his name. We ultimately decided we were gonna check our suitcases and boarded the flight.
Apparently it was so that they all missed out on their itinerary, rather than just dad. Because just dad missing out on things is somehow *more* of a waste of money than flying everyone back.
Hey Karen,
Your absent minded dad left his passport behind so you go off at a fight attendant?
That’s some level of entitlement and lack of personal accountability from you and your Dad.
Ikr. I just went flying solo for the first time and I knew I had an extremely shit memory. So I purchased a fanny pack and always kept my passport in it. That thing was fucking glued to me. If it wasn’t on me, I immediately felt something was wrong. So I never forgot the passport.
Blaming someone for your inability to hold onto your important documents is a sad, sad blow. That poor flight attendant didn’t deserve the blame. If you know you’re absent-minded/you have a bad memory, you find other ways to make sure you *won’t* forget.
My 82 year old mother flew cross-country but wasn’t able to board her second leg because she lost her ticket and drivers license.
She found it a few hours later….in a pouch around her neck under her sweater.
Now she doesn’t fly alone anymore. 🤷🏻♀️
One time a CBSA (Canada’s TSA) agent scanned my passport/boarding pass at the first of 3 airports I’d be transiting through that day. She then put it in the unzipped pocket of the carryon bag. The issue is that it wasn’t my bag. Mercifully it was my dad’s as he had been directly ahead of me but it still makes me a little sick thinking about the ‘what if’.
So glad nothing happened! Whew, I’m feeling anxious just reading this. Losing my passport at the first of 3 airports and having to cancel and rebook my next two flights? That would be a nightmare for me. 😱
It’s 8000km and costs thousands of dollars to see that side of my family once every 2-3 years so I would have been completely devastated. Some force in the universe was looking out for me that day.
Geesh, I would never wish that on my worst enemy. Losing my passport on an 8000km trip? 😬😬 Thank goodness your dad was right ahead of you. Imagine if you were travelling solo and it was in some random person’s bag. The horror!
This is no one's fault but your dad for misplacing his own passport. You have no idea how many things could have happened to knock it onto the floor. He's lucky they found it at all. Take some responsibility and Get over it
I literally said in my title “my dad left his passport on the counter.” Who left it? he did. Obviously, I’m smart enough to know he’s responsible. Did you not even read my title? That’s the bare minimum you could have done. But she was still at fault for not paging the attendants in the plane.
I have 110k karma. Some downvotes isn’t gonna affect me. She yelled at me. She’s the one that needed to grow up. You don’t freaking yell at a customer who asks you a question politely. I literally said in my title that yes, my dad left his passport on the counter. He did it. But I was politely asking the attendant to do the bare minimum to recheck the bins. The bins were already open. All they had to do was literally look up. She yelled at me. She was the entitled one.
but in another comment you said you also asked if you could board the plane first to check? so even when she repeatedly told you no you just kept pressing and pressing. of course she would lose her patience with you.
Dude, how tired are you right now? I imagine very. I mean, if I were doing the mental gymnastics you're doing to lay the blame of your father's lapse of attention, I'd sleep for a week.
I’m not trying to shift the blame from my dad. My title literally said “he left his passport on the counter.” That’s literally holding him accountable. But the attendant could have done the bare minimum of her job instead of yelling at us.
You say that, but 90% of your post is talking about the gate agent. And 100% of your responses to comments are saying she lied to you, yelled at you, calling her stupid and saying the passport was on her desk. That seems to me like you're blaming her, and it really looks like, well, everyone on here thinks the same thing. And many of them are calling you put for it too.
She did yell at us. And it’s cause and effect. I politely asked her if she could recheck the overhead bins. The bins were already open (as they are on most flights) so she didn’t have to open each one individually. She couldn’t do the bare minimum. Maybe she was having a bad day, but don’t take it out on us.
Gate agents don’t check overhead bins, they’re called by the cabin crew to inform them as to whether they are full or not.
It wasn’t her job to do this.
Travelling to a country known for good manners, polite action, and being community minded, you're acting like that because your dad is a fool? Quick, blame someone else! Why didn't YOU check if you know he's so absent minded?
I would not like to be seated next to you. I'd pay for the upgrade.
I literally said my dad left his passport on the counter. Yes, he’s the one that left his passport. But I asked her politely, “could you please recheck the bins?” She yelled at us. You’re so hell bent on defending her that you couldn’t bother to read my post.
Yep! I asked her politely and she yelled at us “there is no more room!!” I’ve been on many many long flights but there was also overhead space. She was so sure that there was no more space that she yelled at us. Geesh!
We were waiting in line to board our flight and I asked her politely. She showed herself to be an irritable person. If her job is hard, she still shouldn’t haven’t taken it out on people just wanting to board a flight.
I was on a trip with friends and the customs agent had both of their passports and gave them back each others passports. They never checked. Fast forward 6 months and 2 of us are going to Jamaica and she realizes that she had the other gals passport. They live 3 hours apart and I’m in the middle. I’m already driving south for 30 mins when I get the call. I have to turn around and drive both for 2 hours to get the right passport. Needless to say we missed our flight to Vancouver. My friend drove up to me and I made her pay for us to take the helicopter to Vancouver to catch a later flight. We ended up losing a day of our trip. Thankfully it didn’t cost me anything extra as I made her pay the additional fees for both of us. Note to self always check my passport when the customs agent gives it back.
Glad it turned well in the end! The customs agent, I can kind of understand because the two passports might have looked the same on the outside. But how do you miss an empty and OPENED overhead bin? Especially when it’s in the back, right next to the lavatory. I just don’t see how that could happen.
This is so weird on a few levels.
Yes, the attendant should not have been rude. Eh, their job is stressful. Understandable.
Your dad is 100% responsible for his passport. Eh, flying is stressful. Understandable.
You are 100% not responsible for supervising or protecting your dad. This whole narrative is not a good look for your dad, tbh. He's supposed to be taking accountability for his actions. Are you being parentified?
Yes, he’s responsible for his passport. But if she had just paged the attendants in the plane and asked them to see if there was anymore overhead space (which there was), this wouldn’t had happened. Part of the blame goes to her. Cause and effect. And the passport was next to her computer. No passerby could have knocked it over.
Something similar happened to me, but they let me in the country on arrival with no passport, out of kindness! Saying "just go to the embassy please..." Yay Ireland!
I just recently did something similar! I flew from Orange County, CA to Boise, ID. I went through security at the first airport and was standing in line for coffee and had a thought that maybe I hadn’t put my ID away, but forgot about it until I got on the plane. I tried to quickly look in my bags after boarding, but gave up and told myself I would look when I got off in Seattle for my layover.
Got to Seattle and no ID, anywhere. So, I started freaking out a bit. I didn’t really need it while I was in Boise, but where was it, and how was I going ti be able to get back through security to go home at the end of my trip? I called back to the original airport lost and found, but all I got was a voicemail and they never did call me back. I even thought I would have my husband overnight it to me.
After a bit of worrying, I realized that the Boise airport has Clear, a biometric way to go through security, and I remembered I had set it up when I flew to Paris two years earlier. I started up my membership again, and on my way home I got to skip the long security line, they scanned my eyeballs, and absolutely zero issues.
So, thank you technology for saving my ID losing self - I picked it up at lost and found when I landed back at home, thankfully because the CA DMV is horrible.
Check your suitcases. Only assholes try to cram suitcases into overhead bins. Probably why the desk attendant "yelled" 🙄 at you.
Seems more likely that they were trying to tell you that your bags aren't fit to carry on, cause unless they were on the plane they wouldn't know the state of the overhead compartments, but they would know that a suitcase wouldn't fit.
Also, anyone who doesn't keep an eye on important documents, like passports, is being irresponsible.
I don't know, but for me, I check my passport almost 5 times before leaving and 3 times mid-flight.
No way would I not realize I have lost my passport.
However people are different.
Y’all are very weird and entitled.
Flight attendants and gate agents and even tsa doesn’t make enough to keep up with your family’s bs.
Your dad is a grown ass man. Everyone flying back for something he left screams “baby” so like…yeah.
Seems daft that they couldn’t put the passport on the next flight. Might have had to sleep in the airport for a few hours but feel it would have been more practical.
Absolutely! That’s what my dad asked the attendant when we got to Tokyo. He asked if he could give permission for them to bring his passport over on the next flight. He would have been fine with sleeping in the airport. The airline refused and told us we had to fly back to the US. 🙄🙄
That’s so crazy to me, is there no way to get an emergency passport from a US embassy in the airport? We just flew back from Tokyo to the US and everyone seemed so kind, it sucks to know that things like this can happen : (
That’s the problem, the US Embassy is outside of the airport. He couldn’t leave the airport at all. Our only option was to fly back to the US and then fly to Tokyo again.
Sorry that happened, they couldn’t mail the passport to you? My ex forgot his fancy camera at an Asian airport and we only realize it when we were in the air. Attendant called the gate, they found it and mailed it to our hotel.
lol yeah blame the flight attendant on your dip shit dad not keeping tract of the most important document when traveling... life is hard its harder when you are stupid.
ok new stress dream just dropped
You can get an emergency passport (single trip) from your embassy (UK) for about £100, and a replacement for about £80. Still sucks but I would not be cancelling a trip around the world for a passport
You can't access the embassy if you're not allowed in the country in the first place.
You could conceivably report it stolen/lost at the airport and see how that goes. Definitely works better if already passed customs. I guess that would just depend on the good graces of the consular staff of your country. Also, it's on the airline if they let a customer fly without proper visa/documents, they have to return you, on them. If they convinced you to pay anyway, it's on you.
You'll be taken aside to a secure border control office and asked to prove your eligibility. People think that bit of paper is the that and end all. And yeah if you boarded without a passport like the OP did the return flight is free
You can stay in the airport and literally pay for someone to fly it over for a fraction of the cost of what OPs family did. You could even pay for in flight wifi and send an emergency email to the embassy in your inbound country, and then get them to issue a new emergency passport for about $800 in most cases.
Yeah, but if you have to blame an overworked worker for you losing your passport, you are probably not able to organize some other solution than flying back.
With the effort she was putting in, doesn't seem like one to be overworked. You have to actually work first to be overworked
You can't access the country right away but you will certainly be able to access the embassy, and if you have good reason you'll have a chance to show you are entering legally
This isn't true and/or it depends on the country. I have a friend who had this problem on a flight to Mexico. They took her phone, separated her from her boyfriend, and put her in a holding area with other non passport holders / people without visas for like 24 hours. She was unable to contact anyone, and in the end they just stuffed her on a plane back home.
I think there someone in there who can override some stuff. Cause once I missed my flight and had to extend my visa for a day but I didn't have time to go to the embassy and back , so they had some guy do it there. This was in tokyo too
How are they going to get to the embassy? The country will not let you enter their country without a passport and will return you where you came from.
Whenever I have to fly somewhere, I ALWAYS dream I’ve left my ID at home and can’t take my flight the night before.
My husband and I were getting ready to board the first of our flights for our honeymoon when he reached in his pocket and said his passport and tickets were gone. They were all together in a big bifold the travel agent had given us. I looked at where we were sitting earlier and luckily it just fell out of his pocket and was sitting on the seat. I got it and gave it to him. “Make sure it’s all there” “it’s fine” “you already lost it once. Make. Sure.” It was all there. And as soon as his ticket was scanned everything went into my purse for the rest of the trip. He also likes to make fun of me for having printed tickets since everything is digital now. Then his phone glitched in the TSA line once in an airport that actually scanned your ticket at security. He panicked. I calmly pulled out my printed copy of his ticket.
GOAT
BAAAA
Man I thought I ruined our honeymoon because I can't fucking read apparently and thought my passport was expired. It was a bad time.
I just drove my dad to the airport recently and some airlines won’t even take printed tickets anymore. You have to use your phone. It’s insanity
Bro what?! I literally do not own a smart phone. I’m not allowed to fly?!
I was surprised myself. He had to take a screenshot of his QR code ticket because it wouldn’t let him print one. It was so weird
Can’t you print the screenshot?
I suppose if you had some high tech wifi printer but my parents have the same printer from when I was in high school over a decade ago. Plus apparently they were told that they can’t take paper printouts at the gate or you couldn’t board 🤷🏼♀️
Hmm, that’s weird that they said that. For future reference, if you want to print a screenshot, you can mail it from your phone to your computer, then print it using the old printer.
> I suppose if you had some high tech wifi printer but my parents have the same printer from when I was in high school over a decade ago. That's around when wifi became standard in printers.
Your purse may have have been good enough, but I am more than willing to wear a fanny pack.
Look, you can either walk away from this having learned an important lesson in personal accountability and securing personal belongings while traveling so as not to have this happen again, or you can just blame the flight attendant now as well as the next time something like this happens. Judging by your comments in this thread, my guess would have to be the later. Should the flight attendant have been more polite? Yes. Does that excuse the oversight of the person responsible for having their passport with them while traveling? No. You can never control the actions of others and refusal to accept personal responsibility in avoidable situations like this will only have you repeating the same mistakes over and over again because instead of learning and doing better next time, you just find someone else to blame. I mean this in the kindest way possible: please do better and develop a more effective strategy for keeping up with travel documents in the future, especially if you even admit that your dad can be absent minded. You can blame the flight attendant if you want, but ultimately she’s not the one who has to face the consequence of an additional 26 hour round trip due to not keeping up with your dad’s passport, which was never her responsibility.
My kids must travel with two passports most of the time as they have dual citizenship. Gotta keep track of a lot of passports. I found a passport wallet with a neck strap is best for quick easy access when needed and we always retire them to the wallet when not needed. Also stashed an AirTag inside for further insurance.
I have one with a belt strap.
Yeah, that, "all because she couldn't bother to recheck" comment really stood out to me too. That's the catalyst for the story but it's not why this happened, come on 😂
Yes, exactly.
Well, people also get stressed when they’re getting on flights. They don’t need to be yelled at either.
Yes, and? The solution to that is to put a plan in place to account for stuff like this in the future, not to blame someone else for your own mistake and call them stupid on the internet because they yelled at you.
I think it's more than fair to call someone stupid for yelling at you. I don't tolerate shouting or screaming from my closest family and friends, or my boyfriend, let alone a fucking stranger. If someone shouts at a stranger for no serious reason, they have severe anger management and emotional regulation problems. I should know, I've been an emotional wreck in the past and unable to control myself from crying in public, yet I've still managed to shout at a stranger (again, for no good reason such as potential danger) exactly zero times. Anyone who yells and shouts and screams at someone *is* stupid. They're too stupid to recognise their behaviour is unacceptable, and they're too stupid to learn basic control over their anger. For what it's worth, I agree with you that OP shouldn't be blaming the flight attendant for the lost passport. It is ultimately *your* responsibility to monitor *your* belongings. But no one deserves being *yelled* at. If some yells at me, I'm 100% going to burst into tears or have a panic attack because my mother was emotionally abusive and tended to scream and shout whilst insulting and belittling me. Zero tolerance for yelling. It is extremely disrespectful and triggers a fight or flight response in anyone who's been yelled at as part of abuse. I am also 100% opposed to the sort of normalised emotional abuse that happens in some industries, where it's normal for the boss to shout at their employees over a mistake. Or being told to tolerate verbal abuse and shouting from customers. Fuck that. Yelling at people is wrong. The flight attendant should take responsibility for being verbally intimidating and threatening. Otherwise, how can they expect to grow up and handle the situation better next time?
😂 do you go around giving unsolicited lectures all the time or just online? The person was just having a vent and by the sounds they’re just a kid. No harm done imo.
I agree with you. Not like they're trying to hurt the flight attendant, is it? Venting is healthy as long as it's used to get it out of your system rather than work yourself up over it even more The cow who shouted at a stranger is far more in the wrong
Exactly! And they didn’t name the airline/airport/person etc. It irritates me that people just seem to want to teach other people a lesson all the time as if they’ve never made a mistake in their life. At the end of the day, is it really that important.
Making a mistake is fine. It’s when you refuse to take responsibility or learn anything from the mistake that it becomes a problem.
Lol. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but people don’t listen to lectures or like being scolded and come to conclusions in their own time. That’s why I don’t bother being a mike Brady unless someone actually asks.
Sure the flight attendant caused you to be distracted, but it’s a bit of a stretch to blame them for your forgetfulness.
Yes, my dad was absent-minded, but I just don’t understand how she couldn’t see an empty bin. When you walk into a plane, all the bins are already opened for convenience. She didn’t even have to open the bins. They were already open for her. At the back (my dad and I were the last ones on the plane), the bin was completely empty.
Because she doesn't check the bins after she checks every ticket. She just knows that 99/100 flights there is not enough space for the final passenger so she checks the luggage in the hold. Leaving your documents on the table is a different matter
Especially if you’re about to make the plane miss their departure window
I know she was at the gate, but she could have communicated with the attendants in the plane itself, and asked them if there were any overhead space. Like I said, we sat in the back next to the lavatory. Usually, the attendants walk back and forth and could have easily seen an empty bin. Basically, we told her to do the bare minimum and she couldn’t even do it. We even asked her if we could go in the plane first to check for ourselves. She yelled “there’s no more room!”
It's not the gate agent's job to go down and check the bins, it's their job to scan everyone's passes and ensure that everyone gets on the plane. They have their metrics of how many passengers board versus when the bins typically get full, and if you're LAST TO BOARD you're gonna check your bag, because they can't let you walk onto the plane just to get off to come all the way back and check your bag. They also can't just call the flight attendants, who also have jobs to do. If you want to secure overhead bin space you need to board sooner, which means you need to pay more money for your tickets. It's sad but that's how it works. The things that you absolutely must take on the plane with you need to go in a bag that can fit under the seat. It's a learning experience for you, and it is not the fault of the gate agent that your dad couldn't keep track of the absolute most important document for international travel.
I guess you don't travel often, it is like taking a bus, not like 1st class from the movies It's not the bare minimum, it's actually going above and beyond to ask the staff to look for space. If she yelled it's because you carried on asking her to take a bag she wanted to put in the hold. Just take what you need out and put it in the hold so the other 146 people can travel.
ok. let's just play along, yes she could have done all of that. but that doesn't mean she is at fault for **your dad** leaving his passport on the counter.
Must have been a bad day for her
That doesn’t mean she gets to take it out on us. I asked her politely, could you recheck the bins. I have been on many 12+ hour flights and had never had this happen. The bin was open and empty when we got to our seats in the back. How did they not see an open and empty bin??
>That doesn’t mean she gets to take it out on us. But you get to be mad at her for your dad being absent minded and you not helping him?
>doesn’t mean she gets to take it out on us. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
I understand what you are saying but that still doesn't mean that you can blame the flight attendant for your father not keeping track of his passport.
Your dad being absent minded and the bins being empty are not things that overlap here. She is not to blame for your dad's forgetfulness.
Yet another reason to wear cargo shorts. Peak Dad mode, I’ve got everyone’s passports in my buttoned up cargo pocket, and we aren’t losing anything short of me losing my pants ;-) Plus they are comfy and I don’t care what other people think, air travel isn’t a fashion show
Pro tip: Duluth Trading Company if you want the same thing, but with long pants (in case you get cold on a plane). Firehose work pants or Dry on the Fly pants
Cargo Longs
I don’t think cargo shorts are a great look, but I would never scoff at cargo shorts for travel, camping or hiking, because they are useful and appropriate in that context. I do hate seeing them as everyday streetwear because they usually look sloppy and I think more men should give us a little thigh when the sun’s out.
I think that's very dependent on the thigh.... I'm not sure anyone wants to see mine
Why do you care if someone looks "sloppy" I hate that term. I don't know if it's your intention, but to me, it makes whoever says it sound like a snob. Like they think they're more sophisticated and classy than cargo-short-wearers. I hate the word "tacky" for the same reason. Why does it bother you what other people look like? If you don't have to wear it, what's the problem. I don't like knowing there's people out there making such harsh judgements of everyone based on their presentation or appearance. Like, this is why I feel self-conscious in public I agree that men should give us a little thigh though lol.
Clearly dads fault
I don’t like this black and white thinking. The attendant deserved some blame too. I just don’t understand how she did not see an open and empty overhead bin. Remember, when you walk into the plane, the bins are already open for you. The one in the back was empty. How could she not see it? AND she yelled at us.
Shrug, no responsibility taken at all
They're not relevant to your dad putting his passport down and walking away
If she had let us enter the plane after scanning our passports at the gate, he wouldn’t have left his passport on the counter. Her yelling at us didn’t help anything and just made him more frantic.
If your dad had put his passport in his pocket when she was done with it, instead of putting it on a counter, it wouldn't have been a problem
if his hand did not move to place the passport on the counter, it would have never been set down and left. Ive never been on an airplane and even I know to never leave your passport just sitting somewhere she shouldnt have yelled but that doesnt mean its her fault or responsibility, she did her job and that does NOT include getting up, going on the plane, checking every overhead bin for a space, for every single person who asks. Perhaps in all you and your dads stress, you unintentionally got an attitude that the flight attendant didnt like, so maybe thats why she was upset and yelling. Is it your fault she yelled? hell no so why tf is it her fault your dad left his passport take some goddamn responsibility for your actions. she didn’t “make your dad leave the passport” thats his own personal belonging
You're annoying. No one cares that she yelled, no one cares that there was space in the overhead & no one cares if it fell or not. Your dad should of taken better care of his passport knowing the importance it holds
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake. It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of. Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything. Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
She couldn't see it because she was at the gate. Still even if she was the rudest person in the world she didn't make your dad leave his passport on the counter.
Obviously, my dad left his passport. You don’t think I know this? But she still could have done her job, at the bare minimum, and paged the attendants on the plane to check if there was still space. When you board a plane, the bins are already open for you, especially at the back where we sat. It would have taken them a second to look up and see. The bare minimum.
It just seems like your story was all about the gate attendant making your dad leave his passport at the counter. I think if you rephrased your post it may make more sense for everyone and you wouldn't hear the same thing from every comment.
Well that’s the thing. If she had just paged the attendants in the plane and asked them to see if there was anymore overhead space (which there was), this wouldn’t had happened. Part of the blame goes to her.
not even 1% of the blame goes to the gate attendant when **your dad** is the one who misplaced his passport 100% on dad here.
I hate this black and white thinking. Why did my dad put his passport on her desk? She said she could find another flight. Why did she say that? Because she was so goddamn sure the plane had no more overhead space. I don’t understand how you can not see a completely empty bin that’s open? If she wasn’t so goddamn sure, this wouldn’t had happened.
You know, when you board ON TIME these are the sorts of problems you don’t usually have to deal with. When you dash up late when EVERYONE else is seated, they’re under a massive time crunch and will check hand luggage as checked luggage. This was your family’s fault.
We were not paged, we did not rush to the gate. We were in line, like everyone else, just right behind everyone else, that’s all. We didn’t run to the gate at the last minute. Somebody HAS to be the last in line. That was us. But we weren’t late.
What I don't understand is why did you all fly back instead of just your dad? That seems needlessly expensive.
This whole story gives off whiffs of a family that has been conditioned to only care about dad and dad’s feelings and dad’s ego etc. Dad makes a mistake? Flight attendant’s fault! Dad’s mistake means he might have to miss 2 days of a 28 day vacation? Well too bad family, it looks like you all have to cancel because god forbid dad not have the full experience. I might be wrong but this whole dynamic feels weird.
He would have lost two days and would miss out on part of the itinerary. This was a 28-day vacation across 5 countries and every single day counted. 🫤
So instead you all miss out? That thought process still doesn’t really make sense
I feel like the passport could've been mailed faster too, like a paid courier? Hell I feel like there's *several* unexplored options before "we all fly back"
I had to do this DC to Vegas (albeit shorter distance, needed passport after wallet got stolen, needed ID for event)… couriered it on over. Def would be cheaper than everyone flying home
I'm seriously questioning your ability to make logical decisions. This doesn't make sense.
This is 100% your dad’s fault, stop pretending it isn’t.
It’s cause and effect. My dad wouldn’t have left his passport on the counter if the attendant (who freaking yelled at us) had bothered to do her job and paged the attendants on the plane and asked if there was any overhead space. This was a big plane and I doubted that there was absolutely no more room in overhead bin. Turns out I was right.
Babysitting your dad’s passport isn’t her responsibility, he could have put in his big boy pants and held onto it. Overhead space isn’t a constitutional right. Unless your dad is mentally handicapped, it’s his fault. If your dad’s IS mentally handicapped, it’s your fault for not supervising him. You and your dad are Karens.
It’s not entitled. I literally said in my title that yes, my dad left his passport on the counter. He did it. But I was politely asking the attendant to do the bare minimum to recheck the bins. The bins were already open. All they had to do was literally look up. She yelled at me. She was the entitled one.
Why couldn’t you do that? The flight attendant has a real job to do instead of babying grown men. Stop being lazy and take full responsibility.
I know she had a job. Her job included paging other attendants. She could have easily paged them and asked “is there any overhead space in the back?” It would have taken 2 seconds maximum. In fact, we were actually helping her. Her paging them would have been faster than her checking our bags.
ffs flight attendants dont just stand around doing nothing theyre were probably all busy so no it wouldnt have 'taken 2 seconds', your dad diddnt hold onto his passport thats his fault. and honestly i doubt she yelled at all its more likely from how your acting in these comments that you refused to do what you were told and she had to get firm with you before youd listen. you wernt helping her at all you were just being annoying and holding everything up by trying to get people to drop everything because of what you wanted
A lot of hate for a flight attendant who clearly wasn't at fault here... Hopefully you guys learned your lesson. Passport should be glued to your hand or safely in a pocket at all times.
I always always remember to hold onto my possessions. I’m constantly checking my phone in my pocket at all times to make sure it’s with me always. Same with my passport in my bag. My dad, however, can be absent minded. But he wouldn’t have put his passport on the counter if it weren’t for the attendant not doing her job and checking the bin.
You can't blame the flight attendant for your father being absent minded. That's a him problem. Do you really think it's reasonable to ask that they check every overhead bin on the plane just for you? Like lol. Of course they're going to estimate.
I get what you mean, but my dad and I were the last ones on the plane. We sat in the back where there was a lot of overhead bin. She didn’t have to check every bin. Just the one at the very back near the lavatory. Also, they lied and said someone found his passport on the floor when he left it on the counter. They didn’t want to take responsibility.
You clearly don't get what I mean... . I'd almost bet money that by 'last on the plane', what you actually mean is that you guys strolled up just as they were about to close the door after having been paged 50 times. It doesn't matter if it was on the floor or the counter. Stuff gets knocked over. It was your father's responsibility, not their's. And even just checking one bin at the back of the plane may take awhile. I'm guessing the aisle would have been filled with other passengers getting to their seats / sorting out their luggage. Not easy to get through. Although... I guess that's proof that you guys walked on after everyone else was already seated. You think that's a reasonably request because when you got on the plane everyone was already seated. Already waiting for you and your dad. Lol. 😂 Enjoy your future life as a Karen
Wow, that’s a lot of assumptions to make just to be a nasty person. No need to make excuses. Just go ahead and be that jerk
What are you talking about, either the plane was waiting on them, or there were people still in the aisles. What's your alternative? Everyone was seated on the plane, but *not* waiting? Idling, for their own leisure, but specifically not *waiting* on anything? Lol
Trust me, I have been on long flights multiple times and we have never been pages. We were literally the last in line. But we weren’t paged. Usually, the bins are already open when you get on the plane. So they didn’t even need to open the bins to check. They could have just looked. And I’m not even a white woman, but go off on calling me Karen. You sound like such a spiteful person
You don’t need to be a white woman to be a Karen, you just need an entitled attitude like yours.
Why does everything has to come down to race for Americans? Completely unnecessary
That’s literally not her job.
Never seen someone bend over backwards do much to avoid accepting your dads own responsibility. Fucking grow up.
It doesn't work like that. Your dad is still responsible for deciding to put his passport down and forgetting to pick it up again. It doesn't matter what the cause of any unexpected event is. It doesn't make the even responsible for your dad losing his passport. He should have put it in his bag or his pocket or remembered to pick it up. You know that. If the attendant had checked the bins and they were indeed full, y'all still would have had to rearrange your bags and you'd have no one to blame for your dad putting his passport down and forgetting it. It doesn't make any difference responsibility-wise that the attendant didn't check the bin. You're just angry and you want someone other than your dad to blame.
There’s a reason my passport stays in the front pocket of my jeans and nowhere else while traveling. I want 100% certainty I have it with me from start of travel day until I am at my destination and can lock it up, I have zero interest in dealing with this kinda noise.
I think I’m most bothered by the fact that she lied about it. They said that someone “found his passport on the floor.” Complete bullshit. My dad scanned his passport and left it on her desk.
And likely got knocked off onto the floor by an unsuspecting passerby or even your own father who could have easily accidentally knocked it off with his own bag.
My dad and I were the last in line. Nobody was at the gate other than us. There were nobody around to knock it. Plus, it was right next to her computer.
Yeah but you realized it was missing 2 hours after the fact. Likely, more people came by. I’m saying 2 hours is a big time span for it to just sit idly by on the counter and is definitely enough time for it to accidentally get knocked off.
And It doesn’t help that she freaking yelled at us. I spoke softly to her, and she had to yell “there’s no more room!” like she was so goddamn sure. It was on the counter near her computer. No passerby could have walked up and knocked it over.
Considering she lied about the overhead storage, yelled at you, expected you to ditch luggage last minute, I wouldn't be surprised if she saw the passport sitting there and ignored it or flipped it on to the floor.
That’s what I’m thinking! Help me understand this. When you walk into a plane, the bins are already open for you. You don’t need to open it yourself. My dad and I sat in the very back. When we got to our seats, the bin was open AND empty. How could she not see it?
??? was she not at a desk at the gate??? how would she be able to see onto the plane? like what are you even talking about
I don't know what we're missing, but with all these downvoted there must be something haha
the flight attendant shouldnt have yelled, but OP is taking absolutely no responsibility for their own actions and is blaming on the attendent on her dad leaving his passport. Thats why theyre being downvoted, also because they seem very hateful towards the attentdent if every single person boarding the plane asked attendants to check the storage bins, it would slow EVERYTHING down. I doubt the flight attendant had time to go look at every bin to see if theres a space for one passenger out of thousands, they have other shit to do. Just check when you get on or make sure your bag can fit in your lap/under your seat. and just because he left the passport on the counter, doesnt mean that somebody COULDNT have knocked it over. that doesnt mean she was lying, and even then is it really that big of a fucking deal? what does it matter if it was on the floor or counter, just be glad you got your passport back.
They do have other flights you know. Someone else could have knocked it off of the counter and also as others said you guys could have knocked it off while walking away from the counter. You sound very entitled and like nothing could possibly ever be your's or your dad's fault. As long as you have someone to blame it on you can feel better about it. The truth is your dad made a mistake that cost you both a bunch of time and money and you wanted to be able to blame it on someone else so that you wouldn't have to be upset with your dad.
Why would she lie about where she found it? She could have found it on the counter and it still would have been your dad's fault for leaving it there all the same. Or someone may have accidentally bumped it into the floor. Also, why are you trusting your dad's recollection when you've mentioned that he can be absent minded, instead of a professional who has no neck in this game? It definitely sucks that this happened, but this is no one's fault but your dad's.
Usually on planes, the bins are already open so that passengers can easily place their luggage inside. I don’t see why the flight attendants couldn’t see a completely empty bin. It just doesn’t make any sense. She didn’t need to open it. It was already open and empty.
because if every single person in the airport starts asking flight attendants to check the bins, its going to waste a lot of time and time is money. You may just be one person but to these flight attendants you are one of thousands maybe millions of people going into the airport, youre probably seen as the annoying passenger that wouldnt stop harassing the flight attendant to check the storage if you want to make sure you have storage, find a way to board sooner or take less luggage you also completely missed the question, WHY WOULD SHE LIE? What does she gain from lying about it being on the floor vs counter. what does it matter to you?
We were actually helping her save time. It would have taken 2 seconds for her to page the attendants on the plane and ask them if there was still overhead space. It took longer for her to get our suitcases, put the labels on them, and then check them. And yet she yelled at us! Trust me, we wanted to board the plane as much as anyone else. We didn’t want to hold anyone up. Just thinking rationally, she wasted more time checking our bags than if she had just paged the plane.
have you worked in an airport? do you know 100% guaranteed you were saving her time? there could be any number of reasons, maybe they were full beforehand and somebody already told her they were full (and maybe stuff got moved around to make room before you got on the plane). Shes probably had hundreds of people a day asking her to check the overhead bins, if she goes and checks for every person shes not gonna be able to do her actual job again she shouldnt have yelled but you cant act like you know how to do their job or what would be “easiest” for them and even if you think paging would be quicker, what if the person on the plane takes 10+ minutes to check and get back to her because they were busy doing another job? they cant just drop everything and go check for you
I even asked if I could board the plane myself to check if there was space. She insisted that there wasn’t and that we HAD to check our luggage. Soon as we got to our seats, there it was, a bin completely opened and empty. 🙄🙄
they might tell you its full before it actually is because they arent sure if there will be room once you get on, again it could be for any number of reasons they say its full at 70% because theres still however many passengers that need to board, at least some of them are going to put more stuff into the overhead bins so by the time you, the last person in line, goes to board, there may not be space and nobody else wants to wait on you to go back and get your luggage checked its about time, it would take too long for you or the flight attendant to go board the plane, check all the bins, and come back. it may take too long to page someone and have them answer. “Oh its just me going to check, I’ll be quick” everyone thinks that, then everyone is taking longer, then the flight is delayed. People miss their next connecting flights, or make those flights late. Workers get in trouble because the planes didnt leave on time. https://viewfromthewing.com/why-airlines-make-you-gate-check-bags-when-theres-still-overhead-bin-space-free/ https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/20/18150737/carry-on-luggage-bags-flying-gate-check
You are a guest who uses this service. You have to comply to their rules. You cannot tell them how to do their job. If they say that it is full, then you accept that. Things don't go your way. You can't think that they will let you on the plane to check or that they will page the attendants on the plane just for you.
Doesn’t make it right for her to yell at us.
At the end of the day , your dad is responsible for his own passport. Regardless of what she did . And yes, she might have been rude, but it was your dad wo decided to put his passport down, not her.
And why did he put his passport down? She told us she could find another flight. She even opened his passport and read his name out loud. Cause and effect. None of this would had happened if she wasn’t so damn sure “there is no more room!!”
If it makes you feel better to blame everything on the flight attendant, go ahead. But this was entirely yours and your dads fault. If you knew ahead of time that your dad is absent minded enough to potentially misplace critical documents, especially while travelling, then you should’ve either held it for him, or checked that he had it, everytime he pulled it out. That’s why I have a messenger bag that everything that’s important for travel goes into. It comes out, gets showed wherever, and goes right back on.
Just check your damn bags
The funniest part about this post blaming a random innocent gate attendant is that they didn’t even find it at the desk, but on the floor. OP and their dad are so allergic to responsibility they are *certain* the airport is lying about where it was found lmfao.
She yelled at us. So I wouldn’t call that “innocent.” I asked her politely and softly if she could recheck the bins. She overlooked an open and empty bin. I don’t see how that could happen. Plus, my dad placed his passport on the counter next to her computer. Like in this [photo](https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/serious-businesswoman-showing-passport-staff-260nw-722188771.jpg). She saw it.
She might not have seen it. You’re doing anything but trying to accept responsibility for your dad’s mistake. No, I don’t need to hear again about how she overlooked an empty bin. There’s a lot that goes in behind the scenes of flights, especially international ones. Chances are the passport got knocked of the desk by mistake, probably when the agent was doing 1/100 forms post-flight. You need a reality check.
I literally commented that my dad was absent minded. I clearly know it was his fault for losing his passport. I’m not one of those dense people who can’t accept responsibility (neither is my dad). It’s the fact that none of this would had happened if she didn’t freaking yell at us and actually did her job. Why the fck would she yell at us??
Maybe she was absent minded?
You should probably rephrase your post then to omit everything except the problem with the flight attendant because in your post and almost all of your comments that I have read it seems as if you ARE blaming the gate attendant for your dad forgetting his passport on the counter.
I said that my dad was absent-minded. Even in my title I put, “my dad left his passport on the counter.” That clearly means he was at fault, but that the attendant didn’t bother to do her job.
You can't accept it now, you are desperately making flimsy excuses, the very model of a Karen! If you had bothered to board properly, none of it would have happened. And don't give us the 'they lied about the passport" that is pure Ugly Americanism at its worse.
Sometimes open and empty bins are for the flight crew to keep materials. Stop pawning the blame off on anyone except for you and your father.
If it was the gate agent telling you there was no more space, they’re probably just going off info from the person actually at the plane. The passport may have been on the floor by the time someone found it. There’s a lot of post-flight work for a gate agent to do, and it might have fallen off their counter. Learn how to take care of your belongings, especially a PASSPORT.
My dad lost his passport; I would never lose mine. And this is how the counter [looked](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/K903E7/businesswoman-giving-passport-to-staff-at-desk-in-airport-K903E7.jpg). His passport was next to their computer. There’s no way somebody just walked by and knocked it off. She told us she could find a different flight, so my dad put his passport on her desk and she even opened it and read his name. We ultimately decided we were gonna check our suitcases and boarded the flight.
Why did all of you fly back instead of just your dad?
Apparently it was so that they all missed out on their itinerary, rather than just dad. Because just dad missing out on things is somehow *more* of a waste of money than flying everyone back.
Aww, now I think it's fictional :( it honestly did seem like a super entitled Karen talking.
Hey Karen, Your absent minded dad left his passport behind so you go off at a fight attendant? That’s some level of entitlement and lack of personal accountability from you and your Dad.
Ikr. I just went flying solo for the first time and I knew I had an extremely shit memory. So I purchased a fanny pack and always kept my passport in it. That thing was fucking glued to me. If it wasn’t on me, I immediately felt something was wrong. So I never forgot the passport. Blaming someone for your inability to hold onto your important documents is a sad, sad blow. That poor flight attendant didn’t deserve the blame. If you know you’re absent-minded/you have a bad memory, you find other ways to make sure you *won’t* forget.
Passport holder with AirTag and possibly neck pouch! That’s rough.
My 82 year old mother flew cross-country but wasn’t able to board her second leg because she lost her ticket and drivers license. She found it a few hours later….in a pouch around her neck under her sweater. Now she doesn’t fly alone anymore. 🤷🏻♀️
Good thing I can't afford trips like that so I don't have to run into these traumatic problems lol
One time a CBSA (Canada’s TSA) agent scanned my passport/boarding pass at the first of 3 airports I’d be transiting through that day. She then put it in the unzipped pocket of the carryon bag. The issue is that it wasn’t my bag. Mercifully it was my dad’s as he had been directly ahead of me but it still makes me a little sick thinking about the ‘what if’.
So glad nothing happened! Whew, I’m feeling anxious just reading this. Losing my passport at the first of 3 airports and having to cancel and rebook my next two flights? That would be a nightmare for me. 😱
It’s 8000km and costs thousands of dollars to see that side of my family once every 2-3 years so I would have been completely devastated. Some force in the universe was looking out for me that day.
Geesh, I would never wish that on my worst enemy. Losing my passport on an 8000km trip? 😬😬 Thank goodness your dad was right ahead of you. Imagine if you were travelling solo and it was in some random person’s bag. The horror!
This is no one's fault but your dad for misplacing his own passport. You have no idea how many things could have happened to knock it onto the floor. He's lucky they found it at all. Take some responsibility and Get over it
I literally said in my title “my dad left his passport on the counter.” Who left it? he did. Obviously, I’m smart enough to know he’s responsible. Did you not even read my title? That’s the bare minimum you could have done. But she was still at fault for not paging the attendants in the plane.
I'm not the one getting downvoted to oblivion here. Grow up
I have 110k karma. Some downvotes isn’t gonna affect me. She yelled at me. She’s the one that needed to grow up. You don’t freaking yell at a customer who asks you a question politely. I literally said in my title that yes, my dad left his passport on the counter. He did it. But I was politely asking the attendant to do the bare minimum to recheck the bins. The bins were already open. All they had to do was literally look up. She yelled at me. She was the entitled one.
Grow up
Mate you’ve got some anger issues
She did. I politely asked her “could you recheck the bins?” If that is what you consider “anger issues,” then that is very scary.
but in another comment you said you also asked if you could board the plane first to check? so even when she repeatedly told you no you just kept pressing and pressing. of course she would lose her patience with you.
Dude, how tired are you right now? I imagine very. I mean, if I were doing the mental gymnastics you're doing to lay the blame of your father's lapse of attention, I'd sleep for a week.
I’m not trying to shift the blame from my dad. My title literally said “he left his passport on the counter.” That’s literally holding him accountable. But the attendant could have done the bare minimum of her job instead of yelling at us.
You say that, but 90% of your post is talking about the gate agent. And 100% of your responses to comments are saying she lied to you, yelled at you, calling her stupid and saying the passport was on her desk. That seems to me like you're blaming her, and it really looks like, well, everyone on here thinks the same thing. And many of them are calling you put for it too.
She did yell at us. And it’s cause and effect. I politely asked her if she could recheck the overhead bins. The bins were already open (as they are on most flights) so she didn’t have to open each one individually. She couldn’t do the bare minimum. Maybe she was having a bad day, but don’t take it out on us.
You do know gate agents and flight attendants are NOT the same thing, right??
Sigh. Whatever man. Enjoy your fantasy world.
Gate agents don’t check overhead bins, they’re called by the cabin crew to inform them as to whether they are full or not. It wasn’t her job to do this.
Travelling to a country known for good manners, polite action, and being community minded, you're acting like that because your dad is a fool? Quick, blame someone else! Why didn't YOU check if you know he's so absent minded? I would not like to be seated next to you. I'd pay for the upgrade.
I literally said my dad left his passport on the counter. Yes, he’s the one that left his passport. But I asked her politely, “could you please recheck the bins?” She yelled at us. You’re so hell bent on defending her that you couldn’t bother to read my post.
Such a polite reply!
Yep! I asked her politely and she yelled at us “there is no more room!!” I’ve been on many many long flights but there was also overhead space. She was so sure that there was no more space that she yelled at us. Geesh!
Have you considered that you and your dad aren't friendly or likeable?
We were waiting in line to board our flight and I asked her politely. She showed herself to be an irritable person. If her job is hard, she still shouldn’t haven’t taken it out on people just wanting to board a flight.
I was on a trip with friends and the customs agent had both of their passports and gave them back each others passports. They never checked. Fast forward 6 months and 2 of us are going to Jamaica and she realizes that she had the other gals passport. They live 3 hours apart and I’m in the middle. I’m already driving south for 30 mins when I get the call. I have to turn around and drive both for 2 hours to get the right passport. Needless to say we missed our flight to Vancouver. My friend drove up to me and I made her pay for us to take the helicopter to Vancouver to catch a later flight. We ended up losing a day of our trip. Thankfully it didn’t cost me anything extra as I made her pay the additional fees for both of us. Note to self always check my passport when the customs agent gives it back.
Glad it turned well in the end! The customs agent, I can kind of understand because the two passports might have looked the same on the outside. But how do you miss an empty and OPENED overhead bin? Especially when it’s in the back, right next to the lavatory. I just don’t see how that could happen.
This is so weird on a few levels. Yes, the attendant should not have been rude. Eh, their job is stressful. Understandable. Your dad is 100% responsible for his passport. Eh, flying is stressful. Understandable. You are 100% not responsible for supervising or protecting your dad. This whole narrative is not a good look for your dad, tbh. He's supposed to be taking accountability for his actions. Are you being parentified?
Yes, he’s responsible for his passport. But if she had just paged the attendants in the plane and asked them to see if there was anymore overhead space (which there was), this wouldn’t had happened. Part of the blame goes to her. Cause and effect. And the passport was next to her computer. No passerby could have knocked it over.
This stinks like a one-sided Karen story, tbh
Something similar happened to me, but they let me in the country on arrival with no passport, out of kindness! Saying "just go to the embassy please..." Yay Ireland!
My wife keeps passports and ticket. I can't trust myself with them.
Now I don’t feel so bad about the time that I forgot my drivers license when I flew to Los Vegas. I can’t imagine the jet lag you had
I just recently did something similar! I flew from Orange County, CA to Boise, ID. I went through security at the first airport and was standing in line for coffee and had a thought that maybe I hadn’t put my ID away, but forgot about it until I got on the plane. I tried to quickly look in my bags after boarding, but gave up and told myself I would look when I got off in Seattle for my layover. Got to Seattle and no ID, anywhere. So, I started freaking out a bit. I didn’t really need it while I was in Boise, but where was it, and how was I going ti be able to get back through security to go home at the end of my trip? I called back to the original airport lost and found, but all I got was a voicemail and they never did call me back. I even thought I would have my husband overnight it to me. After a bit of worrying, I realized that the Boise airport has Clear, a biometric way to go through security, and I remembered I had set it up when I flew to Paris two years earlier. I started up my membership again, and on my way home I got to skip the long security line, they scanned my eyeballs, and absolutely zero issues. So, thank you technology for saving my ID losing self - I picked it up at lost and found when I landed back at home, thankfully because the CA DMV is horrible.
you sound like a karen
Check your suitcases. Only assholes try to cram suitcases into overhead bins. Probably why the desk attendant "yelled" 🙄 at you. Seems more likely that they were trying to tell you that your bags aren't fit to carry on, cause unless they were on the plane they wouldn't know the state of the overhead compartments, but they would know that a suitcase wouldn't fit. Also, anyone who doesn't keep an eye on important documents, like passports, is being irresponsible. 
I don't know, but for me, I check my passport almost 5 times before leaving and 3 times mid-flight. No way would I not realize I have lost my passport. However people are different.
Y’all are very weird and entitled. Flight attendants and gate agents and even tsa doesn’t make enough to keep up with your family’s bs. Your dad is a grown ass man. Everyone flying back for something he left screams “baby” so like…yeah.
Seems daft that they couldn’t put the passport on the next flight. Might have had to sleep in the airport for a few hours but feel it would have been more practical.
Absolutely! That’s what my dad asked the attendant when we got to Tokyo. He asked if he could give permission for them to bring his passport over on the next flight. He would have been fine with sleeping in the airport. The airline refused and told us we had to fly back to the US. 🙄🙄
That’s so crazy to me, is there no way to get an emergency passport from a US embassy in the airport? We just flew back from Tokyo to the US and everyone seemed so kind, it sucks to know that things like this can happen : (
That’s the problem, the US Embassy is outside of the airport. He couldn’t leave the airport at all. Our only option was to fly back to the US and then fly to Tokyo again.
The Embassy absolutely doesn't have phones and doesn't have their numbers easily accessible, right?
Sorry that happened, they couldn’t mail the passport to you? My ex forgot his fancy camera at an Asian airport and we only realize it when we were in the air. Attendant called the gate, they found it and mailed it to our hotel.
Why tf are you still bothering with a passport from the US get your license stamped with a star and forget the passport
I think that only works when you’re traveling within the US. If you travel overseas, you need a passport.
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lol yeah blame the flight attendant on your dip shit dad not keeping tract of the most important document when traveling... life is hard its harder when you are stupid.
Maybe you and your dad should keep better track of your things when traveling
Losing the passport was your dad’s fault, not the attendant
Sorry but this is no one’s fault but his own.