B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Troubleshooting
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Electronic Device
General Maintenance Action
Company Policy
While reviewing the paperwork before the flight; I noticed the aircraft had a lost cell phone in its maintenance history. A passenger reported they dropped an iPhone behind the sidewall panel at seat 38F near the floor. When the aircraft landed in ZZZZ; maintenance attempted to find the phone to no avail; and the aircraft returned to the US. Finally; Maintenance removed a cargo access panel and found the phone. My flight was 2 days later on this aircraft; but I feel it is unsafe to dispatch aircraft with known 'lost' phones. It seems this is Company's policy; as a similar event happened on a flight I was to fly; but the mechanic did find the phone before I had a chance to refuse the aircraft. I was told by the Operations Manager that Company deems it an acceptable risk. Does the union have an official position on this growing 'problem'? I was asked by the union to submit a report regarding this issue to help facilitate a discussion with the safety board. In light of exploding batteries and obvious security issues; I personally would not fly any aircraft with a lost phone. I understand there are a lot of electronic devices in the cargo holds; however we have fire suppression for those areas. This particular phone was behind the cargo hold; not in it.
B757 Captain reported concern regarding company policy regarding cell phones which are lost/left on aircraft and not recovered before the aircraft is dispatched for subsequent flights.