Have you ever lost something while flying with a U.S.-based airline? If so, you’ve likely experienced the chaotic infrastructure firsthand. Let’s break it down:
- Lost at the Airport: Say you left your tablet at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). An airline employee picks it up and sends it… not to a nearby office, but to a central processing hub in the middle of the country.
- Transit Time: That item’s journey to the hub by air takes at least a day or two.
- Inventory and Matching: Once it arrives at the hub, it’s inventoried and manually matched to a claim. Best-case scenario? This step takes 4+ days. Often, it’s longer.
- Return Process: If you’re based in San Francisco—the very city where you lost your item—you’ll still need to pay for shipping from the central hub back to SFO. Adding insult to injury, many airlines let their partners tack on a hefty margin to the shipping label. Depending on the shipping speed you choose, you might wait another 1-5 days to get your item back.
The Best-Case Scenario: 5-9 Days… If You’re Lucky
The process is cumbersome, expensive, and frustrating for travelers. Even worse, it’s entirely avoidable. Why are airlines shipping every lost item to a central hub? Why aren’t they leveraging local operations and offering in-person pick-up options?
In contrast, Boomerang’s approach prioritizes speed and customer satisfaction. Many of our partners’ returns happen within 24 hours of the item being lost, and a significant number are completed via in-person pick-ups with no shipping delays or costs incurred. This isn’t just a better process—it’s a transformative customer experience.
Airlines are sitting on a unique touchpoint that could boost customer trust and loyalty. Every interaction with Lost & Found is a chance to deliver exceptional customer service, boost net promoter scores (NPS), and strengthen loyalty.
In Lost & Found, speed kills. The longer a customer waits, the more likely they are to experience anxiety, frustration, and the need to replace the lost item—feelings that undermine trust in your brand. Customers want their items back fast, seamlessly, and without hassle.
The ball is in your court, airlines. Fixing Lost & Found isn’t just about logistics. It’s about winning over customers by turning a stressful situation into a magical moment. The airline that gets this right won’t just recover lost items—they’ll recover trust, loyalty, and a competitive edge.
So, who’s going to lead the charge? The clock’s ticking. Your customers—and their misplaced items—are waiting.
#FoundOnBoomerang
Skyler Logsdon
CEO, Boomerang
