Ana Kurye Diary: From Istanbul Airport to Cape Town

Some deliveries are simply a package from A to B. Others require phone calls, documents, Customs, authorization letters and a little persistence.

This story started with a customer in South Africa and a Samsung S23+ waiting in Istanbul. The phone had been found, but getting it released and prepared for the journey back to Cape Town was not a one-step job.

For me, recovering something important for someone thousands of kilometres away is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

First, we had to find the right Lost and Found office

The first question was simple on the surface: where exactly was the phone being held? At Istanbul Airport, a lost item can be connected to the airport Lost and Found process, an airline Lost and Found office, a lounge, a gate area, security or baggage services.

After checking the information step by step, we understood that the Samsung S23+ had been left on a Turkish Airlines aircraft and was connected to the Turkish Airlines Lost and Found process at Istanbul Airport.

DHL could not collect it directly

The customer first wanted the phone sent back as quickly as possible, but international carriers cannot simply walk into an airport Lost and Found office and take an item without the correct release path.

In this case, DHL could not directly collect the phone from the airline office. That meant we needed to organize the local authorization process first, then prepare the phone for an international shipment after it was safely in our hands.

The authorization had to be exact

Turkish Airlines required clear authorization before releasing the phone to someone other than the owner. We worked through the required Turkish power of attorney style authorization, passport information, boarding pass details and collection representative information.

There were also name and information checks. A small mismatch can delay a release, so we reviewed the details carefully and corrected the information before the documents were accepted.

Customs approval was part of the process

Because the item was a phone and the case involved international return, Customs approval and release conditions also had to be respected. These steps are not glamorous, but they are the part that makes the handover safe and traceable.

Once the documents were accepted and the release path was confirmed, I went to Istanbul Airport with the paperwork and collected the phone from the Turkish Airlines Lost and Found process.

Preparing the phone for Cape Town

After collection, we sent the customer photos and updates so she knew the phone was safe. The next stage was protective packaging and international shipping preparation for Cape Town, South Africa.

The phone was successfully recovered from Turkish Airlines Lost and Found at Istanbul Airport and prepared for its international journey back to Cape Town. We did not publish any sensitive documents, labels or personal information connected with this case.

What this case reminded me

Lost property work is not only courier work. It is communication, patience, paperwork, airport procedure and trust. When someone is far away, every update matters because they cannot simply come back and check what is happening.

If you need Turkish Airlines Lost Property support at Istanbul Airport, airport lost property courier assistance or international shipping coordination from Turkey, Ana Kurye can review the case and explain the practical next steps before any collection is attempted.