Latest news with #MercureHotel
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Entire flight crew suspended after search for passenger's stolen phone
An Indonesian airline suspended the entire cabin crew from a flight after a passenger's lost phone was allegedly traced back to the hotel airline staff were staying in. The incident occurred during a Garuda Indonesia flight GA716 from Jakarta to Melbourne on 6 June, when passenger Michael Tjendara claimed his phone had been stolen. Mr Tjendara said he had placed his device in the backseat pocket before moving seats after takeoff, only to return to his old seat to find his phone gone. The passenger explained the theft in Instagram posts that now appear to have been removed, with a series of screenshots of Find My iPhone, an Apple feature that allows people to track where their devices are. Mr Tjendara claimed the device had been tracked close to the Mercure Hotel, where Garuda crew members were believed to be staying after the flight landed, the MailOnline reported. The screenshots then showed the phone on the move to the Evan Walker Bridge, then near the Yarra River in Melbourne. Mr Tjendara later wrote on LinkedIn that 'sometime during that flight, my iPhone vanished. It wasn't lost. It was stolen'. 'Later that day, Apple's 'Find My' feature showed the device pinging at a Southbank hotel, the same one where the airline crew had just checked in,' he wrote. 'A short time later, the signal disappeared under a bridge along the Yarra River. Most likely, it was thrown into the water.' The passenger said he has cooperated with authorities in both Australia and Indonesia. 'This was never about a phone,' he added. 'It was about feeling safe when you fly. It was about knowing your family's protected.' Garuda Indonesia's commercial director, Ade R. Susardi, released a statement on 9 June in response to social media posts about the lost phone, saying the airline is investigating the incident. The airline said this includes identifying the chronology of the incident with the cabin crew on duty. While the airline only described the phone as 'lost' rather than stolen at, all cabin crew who were on duty on the flight have been temporarily discharged from working while the investigation continues. Mr Susardi said that when the phone was reported as lost, all crew members had carried out standard operational and flight safety procedures, including reporting it to Jakarta airport authorities, who conducted a search. Garuda Indonesia representatives in Melbourne also assisted the passenger in reporting his lost phone to the local police. Mr Susardi said in an update on 12 June that the Indonesian National Police is now supporting the investigation, as well as keeping in contact with the passenger throughout the process. The airline said it 'deeply regrets the incident and apologises for the inconvenience experienced by the passenger'.
Edinburgh Live
5 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Airline cabin crew suspended as passenger tracks missing iPhone to their hotel
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A flight's entire cabin crew has been stood down after a passenger's missing iPhone was tracked to their accommodation. Michael Tjendara was travelling from Jakarta to Melbourne on June 6 when his mobile went astray on the Garuda Indonesia aircraft. The passenger recalled stowing his device in the seat-back pocket, relocating seats post-take-off and returning to discover his phone gone. Utilising Apple's Find My iPhone function led to a shocking revelation for Tjendara. The tracking pointed to an area near Melbourne's Southbank Promenade, close to the Mercure Hotel where the flight attendants were rumoured to be billeted. The electronic trail later shifted towards Evan Walker Bridge. Tjendara disclosed the final signal indicated his iPhone had plunged into the waters of the Yarra River in Victoria. He broadcasted the chase on Instagram, uploading screenshots and pleas for local enterprises to review security footage and smoke out the culprits, reports the Mirror. (Image: X) 'This isn't just about a phone - it's about the safety of all passengers in the future. Please help tag and share this story so the right people see it,' his message implored. The startling episode has roused significant stir in Indonesia. On June 9, Garuda Indonesia's Director of Commercial and Cargo, Ade R. Susardi, announced the implicated cabin crew were suspended pending a thorough probe. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "We are in continuous communication with the concerned passenger and remain committed to supporting him throughout the follow-up process," he informed Indonesia Business Post. The airline also disclosed that a representative has been dispatched to Melbourne to aid Mr Tjendara on the ground and help lodge a police report, with Mr Susardi extending apologies for the incident on the company's behalf. "We can confirm that upon receiving the report, all cabin crew had followed standard operating and safety procedures, including promptly coordinating with airport authorities to initiate a search," he affirmed. Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's national flag carrier, boasts an impressive domestic and international route network with hubs in Jakarta and Denpasar. The airline prides itself on being named the "World's Best Cabin Crew" numerous times by Skytrax's 5-Star Airline awards. This accolade, often seen as the "Oscars of the aviation industry," was earned by Garuda Indonesia consistently from 2014-2018, and once again in 2023. The Mirror is seeking further details from Garuda Indonesia regarding the ongoing investigation.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Entire flight crew suspended after passenger makes worrying discovery
Garuda Indonesia has launched an investigation into the shocking incident - with the airline confirming all crew members on duty had been suspended while enquiries are carried out An entire airline cabin crew has been suspended after a passenger's missing iPhone was traced to their hotel. Michael Tjendara was flying from Jakarta to Melbourne on June 6 when his phone disappeared aboard the Garuda Indonesia flight. The traveller says he left the device in his seat-back pocket, moved to a different seat after take-off and returned later to find it was gone. Tjendara then used Apple 's Find My iPhone feature - and was stunned at what he had discovered. The phone 's signal led to a spot near Southbank Promenade in Melbourne, right by the Mercure Hotel, where the airline's cabin crew was believed to be staying. The signal then moved toward Evan Walker Bridge. According to Tjendara, the final location showed the phone had been dropped into the Yarra River in south-central Victoria, Australia. He shared screenshots and updates about the theft to his Instagram, calling on nearby businesses to check CCTV and help identify the people responsible. "This isn't just about a phone - it's about the safety of all passengers in the future. Please help tag and share this story so the right people see it," he wrote. The shocking incident has sparked major attention across Indonesia. Garuda Indonesia's Director of Commercial and Cargo, Ade R. Susardi, said in a statement on June 9 that all crew members on duty had been suspended while a full investigation is underway. "We are in continuous communication with the concerned passenger and remain committed to supporting him throughout the follow-up process," he told Indonesia Business Post. The airline added that a company representative had been sent to help Mr Tjendara on the ground in Melbourne, and to assist him in filing a police report. Mr Susardi also apologised for the incident on behalf of the airline. "We can confirm that upon receiving the report, all cabin crew had followed standard operating and safety procedures, including promptly coordinating with airport authorities to initiate a search," he said. Garuda Indonesia, the national flag carrier of Indonesia, operates a large domestic and international network with hubs in Jakarta and Denpasar. The airline has been recognised as having the "World's Best Cabin Crew" on multiple occasions as part of Skytrax's 5-Star Airline awards. This prestigious award, often referred to as the "Oscars of the aviation industry," was handed to the airline throughout 2014-2018, and again in 2023. The Mirror has contacted Garuda Indonesia for an update in its investigation.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Cabin crew suspended after passenger makes shock discovery on flight
Michael Tjendara, from Australia, has accused flight staff from Garuda Indonesia of stealing his phone. It comes after he tracked the lost device and spotted that it had been dumped in a river A group of cabin crew staff have been suspended after a passenger made a shocking discovery following the flight. Michael Tjendara was heading from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Melbourne on Garuda Indonesia on June 6, when his phone was stolen. The passenger claimed that he had put the mobile in the backseat pocket before he swapped seats on flight GA716 on June 6. He later returned to his old seat and realised the phone had vanished. After the flight, he managed to track the tech via Find My iPhone and got on the trail of what had happened to his device. Mr Tjendera shared screenshots documenting the development on Instagram. The screenshots traced his phone to a destination close to the Southbank Promenade in Melbourne, Australia. He claimed that the phone had been dumped near the Mercure Hotel, where the entire cabin crew were thought to be staying. His phone's signal was last picked up between 3.50pm and 4.40pm before it seemed to move towards a bridge. Lastly, the device was tracked and appeared to have been dropped into the Yarra River. In response to his bizarre discovery, the passenger pleaded with local businesses to share their CCTV footage so he could find the culprit. His social media posts gained traction across Indonesia, reports Mail Online. On Instagram, he said: "This isn't just about a phone − it's about the safety of all passengers in the future. Please help tag and share this story so the right people see it." On June 9, Garuda Indonesia's Director of Commercial and Cargo, Ade R. Susardi, revealed that the crew are at the spotlight of the investigation. He confirmed that the crew who were on duty at the time have since been suspended following the tracking allegation. He told Indonesia Business Post: "We are in continuous communication with the concerned passenger and remain committed to supporting him throughout the follow-up process. We can confirm that upon receiving the report, all cabin crew had followed standard operating and safety procedures, including promptly coordinating with airport authorities to initiate a search."
The Sun
06-06-2025
- The Sun
I tried the European train that runs from seaside to city – it felt like a first class flight but cost just £40
AFTER tucking into the smoked salmon, pesto and cream cheese brioche handed to me by a smiling attendant, I reclined in my seat while the landscape flashed by. It might sound like the first-class cabin of an airline, but I'm actually on a Polish train. 5 5 The intercity high-speed trains that run from the pretty port city of Gdansk on the Baltic coast down to the stately southern city of Krakow are the finest way to see Poland. And a first-class ticket, complete with food, drink and a rolling vista of wonderful views, costs around £40 for the 300-mile journey. The British equivalent would be taking a train from London to Glasgow. But you'd need to add a zero to the price at peak times. Gdansk wears its history lightly but respectfully. This is where World War Two started, when the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein bombed the port of what was then called Danzig. There's a huge museum in a slanting building dedicated to the conflict ( which takes pains to concentrate on witness testimonies from ordinary Polish citizens who lived through the war. The sheer size of the tank that sits on a recreated city street puts paid to any Hollywood notions of war being anything other than an exercise in terror. Gdansk's nightlife is every bit as lively as you would expect from a port city, but the cliché of rough sailors' pubs has long gone. The Mercure Hotel offers knockout cocktails in its chic bar, while I also sampled sublime local vodkas to a DJ soundtrack amid the battered Chesterfield sofas inside Bar Lamus. The train south to Krakow takes just over five hours and runs right through the centre of the country. Leaving the Baltic coast, we passed vast fields of racing green, clusters of birch trees, red painted barns and deserted rural stations with flowerbeds outside. Arrows of sunlight pierced tapering lanes and turned the glossy, depthless rivers and streams the colour of pewter. For a country that has seen so much bloodshed, from a high-speed train, the nation looks ordered, calm and reassuringly familiar — like the landscapes of Lincolnshire or Kent from half a century ago. As I order a glass of white wine, we run through the teeming cluster of Warsaw, with its mowed parks and jumble of new skyscrapers in the background. An afternoon nap was inviting, but I was once again transfixed by the landscapes as we rolled further south. Ice-cream-scoop clouds hung above stout houses with roofs the colour of strong tea. 5 5 I felt I could sit on this train for ever. But Krakow is the end of the high-speed line, and so I made my way on foot into the Old Town — a pleasing maze of arcades and courtyards that meanders past the majestic royal castle and cathedral on Wawel Hill and down to the Vistula River. Dinner came courtesy of Pod Baranem ( which looks like a Polish granny's living room but serves delicious plates of local classics such as dumplings stuffed with cottage cheese and roast veal with mushrooms. Back at the funky, loft-style Mercure Fabryczna hotel, I fell into bed feeling I needed to rethink my definitions of luxury travel. You don't need five-star cruise liners or infinite air miles to travel in style. A Polish train can make you feel pampered in a way that's unlikely to ever occur on National Rail.
