Lost, delayed or damaged baggage: how to file a claim and what you are owed

Most delayed bags arrive within a day or two, but when yours does not, the first hours matter. International flights are covered by the Montreal Convention, which sets deadlines and a liability limit. Here is the order of steps and what you can claim.

At the airport, before you leave

1. Do not leave the baggage hall. Go to the airline's baggage desk (or the handling agent's desk) and file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
2. Keep the reference number and ask how you can track the bag.
3. Give a delivery address where the bag can be sent. Take a photo of the tag and describe the bag in detail.
4. Ask about essentials. Many airlines advance a small allowance for toiletries and clothes while your bag is missing. Ask what the limit is and keep receipts.

For damaged bags, report it at the same desk before you leave. The report is the proof that the damage did not happen later.

Deadlines under the Montreal Convention

The Convention applies to most international flights.

• Damaged baggage: a written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag.
• Delayed baggage: a written complaint within 21 days of the day the bag was placed at your disposal.
• Lost baggage: the airline treats a bag as lost if it has not arrived within 21 days. You can then claim for the loss.
• Court action: within two years of arrival, or the date the aircraft should have arrived.

Send complaints in writing (the airline's online form is fine) and keep a copy.

How much you can claim

The airline's liability for baggage is limited to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger since 28 December 2024 (it was 1,288 SDR before). SDR is an IMF unit, so the value in your currency changes daily. Check the current rate on the IMF site.

Points to know:

• You can claim reasonable, proven costs caused by a delay: essentials you had to buy, and similar items. Keep receipts.
• For a lost bag, airlines usually pay the value of the contents with depreciation, not the replacement price, and ask for proof of ownership.
• Airlines often pay less than the full loss. Do not accept a first low offer if you have receipts for more.
• You can declare a higher value at check-in for an extra fee, which raises the limit on that flight.
• On domestic US flights the limit is set by airline policy and DOT rules rather than the Convention: see transportation.gov.

In the EU, Regulation 261/2004 does not give compensation for baggage. The Convention does. On UK and EU flights, the airline's own conditions of carriage apply as well.

What to put in the written claim

• the PIR number, the flight number and date, and the bag tag number;
• a list of contents with approximate purchase prices and dates;
• receipts for essentials you bought, and proof of ownership (photos, order history);
• the amount you claim and the date by which you expect an answer.

Prevent the problem

• Photograph your bag and its contents before you fly.
• Put a tracker tag inside and a contact label outside.
• Carry essentials on board: medicine, documents, electronics, a change of clothes. See carry-on size and weight and liquids in carry-on.
• Check the airline's baggage rules before you pack: checked baggage rules.
• Choose protected connections. On one booking the airline moves your bag with you. On separate tickets you must collect and recheck it. See flights with a layover.
• Check what your insurance covers. Many policies pay for delayed baggage after a set number of hours. See travel insurance for trips abroad.

Frequently asked questions

How long before a delayed bag is considered lost?

Under the Montreal Convention, after 21 days. Many airlines declare a bag lost sooner or later, depending on their tracing system.

Can I claim if I did not file a report at the airport?

You can still send a written complaint within the deadlines, but the report is your strongest evidence, so always file it before you leave.

What is the maximum payment for lost luggage?

1,519 SDR per passenger under the Montreal Convention since 28 December 2024, unless you declared a higher value at check-in. The amount is for proven loss, not a fixed payout.

Does the airline pay for the clothes I buy while the bag is missing?

Often yes, for reasonable essentials, if you keep receipts and the delay is the airline's fault. Ask at the baggage desk about their allowance first.

Cover: photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels