Dad left his iPad 2 on the airplane

I'd call the airline. if its passcode locked maybe the finder will turn it in as it would be useless to them. worth a shot, long as it may be

 

With a passcode on it the user won't be able to put it on a wireless network for you to find and wipe it. On the bright side that means they'll need to wipe it out to use it (assuming they don't return it). So your data should be safe.

 

I'd check with this guy.

 

If you remote wipe it you cannot trace it anymore.

You should use findmyiphone to display a message eg "help, I'm lost. If you find this iPad please call xxxxx". Maybe a $50 reward?

You'll need someone who finds it to know how to take it off airplane mode.

You can also make it alert you once it comes back online so you know if the finder is doing the right thing. Maybe once it alerts you you could FaceTime the iPad and see if the finder answers.

If someone finds it and want to keep (steal) it and knows how to do a full wipe you are a bit stick if they never take it off airplane mode first.

 

These are all really good suggestions. I left mine on an airplane last December and never got it back. It was on airplane mode so find my phone did not work. I called the airline and the airports. One of the airports had an online list of all lost items which included a few iPads, but not mine. I inscribed my work number on mthe replacement iPad.

 

The alternative is to include contact details in the lock screen image rather than physically inscribing.

 

Someone sniped my at work. Find my phone and passcodes are kids stuff that a restore will take care of.

Its a crappy feeling losing one of these, like losing your wallet.

I would recommend to your dad that he changes all his passwords to any accounts that were on the ipad.

At least you now know what he Santa will be bringing him