Delayed, Lost, Damaged Luggage: How to Claim Compensation?

We often hear about compensated flights in cases of delays, cancellations, or overbooking, but not enough about luggage, which can be just as affected as travellers. Isn't it everyone's nightmare to arrive at their destination and find themselves without their luggage?

If your luggage is delayed, lost, or damaged, you can also claim compensation directly from your airline.

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How Does Luggage Transport by Air Work?

Although the offer varies between airlines, the same pattern is seen everywhere. Airlines allow:

A cabin bag
A hand luggage
A checked bag

While it is your responsibility to take care of the first two as they accompany you during the journey, it is entirely the airline's responsibility to handle your checked luggage. Indeed, only the airline staff are authorised to transport your luggage, place it in the hold, and return it to you upon arrival at your destination. To track your luggage, you must check it in as soon as you arrive at the airport: a tag is issued to you, which you must attach to your luggage before it goes to the hold. This tag, equipped with a barcode, links the luggage to your journey and reservation. Normally, there should be no reason for your luggage to be lost, delayed, or damaged, as it is entirely the airline's responsibility. However, such incidents can unfortunately occur: here's what you should do if it happens to you.

Delayed, Lost, Damaged Luggage at the Airport: How to Claim Compensation

The Case of Lost, Damaged or Delayed Luggage

You might be wondering how your luggage, which has a tag linking it to your name and journey, can be delayed or lost. There are many possible reasons, including an illegible tag, which complicates or even halts its delivery. It could also be due to a routing error on a connecting flight, sending your luggage to the wrong plane. Finally, it could simply be stolen. Your luggage might also be held back if you inadvertently or deliberately packed items that cannot be transported by plane, such as explosives, flammable materials, or anything that could compromise the safety of passengers on board.

In any case, checked luggage is under the airline's responsibility as only its crew is authorised to access the hold to place the luggage. If your luggage shows an anomaly or you can't find it after the flight, go to your airline's counter to enforce your rights.

What to Do if My Luggage is Damaged?

Notice your luggage is damaged when it arrives on the carousel?

Go immediately to your airline's counter. You have up to 7 days to report the damage, but it's best to do it on the spot, directly at the airport.
Bring your travel documents, boarding pass, and passport. Having the correct paperwork will make the process easier.
Request a damage compensation form or a damage report and fill it out.

After these steps, the airline will offer you compensation. Don't let them off the hook if the airline refuses to compensate you: they are responsible for ensuring your luggage is delivered safely and without damage.

What to Do if My Luggage Arrives Late?

You're patiently waiting for your luggage in the baggage claim area when suddenly your worst nightmare happens: among the dwindling number of bags, yours doesn't appear.

Go immediately to your airline's counter so they can locate it. You will fill out a damage report at this point, with a case reference, the PIR (Property Irregularity Report), which you will need for all subsequent procedures.
There may be a long wait before your luggage is found. If you need to buy essential items during this time, remember to keep the receipts: you can request reimbursement from the airline.
The airline finds your luggage, and you are relieved. However, be cautious: just because the airline has found your luggage doesn't mean they are off the hook. You have up to 21 days to submit a baggage compensation claim. You can find the form either directly at the airport at the airline's counter or on their website. Attach your receipts, the PIR, and photocopies of your ticket, boarding pass, and passport to this form.

Note, you cannot claim compensation if your luggage is delayed because it contained prohibited items. This is entirely your responsibility, not the airline's.

Delayed, Lost, Damaged Luggage: Collecting Your Luggage from the Carousel

What to Do if My Luggage is Lost?

Not only do you not see your luggage on the carousel, but despair sets in completely when the airline informs you that they haven't found it.

As with lost luggage, you must immediately go to the airline's counter to report your luggage missing and obtain your PIR.
If after 21 days the airline hasn't found your luggage or declares it lost, you must request reimbursement for the loss of your belongings. Make a list of the items you lost in your luggage. Be precise and provide as much proof as possible regarding your belongings (invoices, receipts, etc.).
If during the airline's search you had to buy essential items, include the receipts in your file. They will be reimbursed by the airline.

What is the Compensation Amount for Lost, Delayed, or Damaged Luggage?

The compensation amount depends on the country of origin of your airline and currency fluctuations. As of August 2023, the compensation for lost, delayed, or damaged luggage can be up to a maximum of €1,667 per passenger. If you believe the damage or lost items are worth more than this amount, you can supplement with insurance:

The insurance you took out when checking in your luggage
The insurance available with your bank card — the one used to pay for the tickets.

How to Get Help if the Airline Refuses to Compensate for My Lost, Delayed, or Damaged Luggage?

This is part of both the general terms and conditions of your airline and the Civil Code: your luggage belongs to you, you place it under the responsibility of a third party, and this third party must return it to you in good condition. As compensation amounts can be high, airlines do everything to avoid compensating you. Rest assured, it is your right to claim your compensation and the airline's duty to provide it!

Fighting alone against an airline can quickly become exhausting in the long run. There are organisations that can help you stand up to your airline to obtain your compensation.

The First Option: Tourism and Travel Mediator

The Tourism and Travel Mediation service has existed since 2012. Its mission is to resolve potential disputes in the tourism and travel sector; they are therefore well-suited to assist you in case of a dispute with your airline. It is an independent and free organisation, which can be a good solution to avoid court.

To contact the mediator, visit their website to submit your request. You must meet several criteria for Tourism and Travel Mediation to accept your request:

You must have first contacted the airline in writing (by email or letter) to request your compensation
The dispute must be less than a year old
You have not yet taken the matter to court
You have not submitted a request to another mediator

The Second Option: Court

If you meet all these conditions, your case will be accepted and the Tourism and Travel Mediator will inform you promptly of the outcome of the dispute.

You can also take the airline to court to get a favourable outcome. You have up to 2 years from the date of the incident to start proceedings.

While it may not be easy to avoid lost, delayed, or damaged luggage, some simple habits can help you:

Take your time to attach the tag to your luggage: make sure your tag is readable by the airline's scanners.
Photograph your luggage: a crucial step if you want to prove the airline damaged your luggage. By taking a photo before boarding, the airline, or if necessary, the mediator and judge, can easily see the difference and note the deterioration of your luggage.
List the items in your suitcase beforehand to determine the value: you save time and can accurately recall everything your suitcase contained.
Minimise layovers: the less your luggage is transferred from plane to plane, the less likely it is to be lost!
Make your luggage recognisable and unique... but not too much: even though there are many different luggage models, suitcases are always more or less similar. Personalise your suitcase with stickers or a custom tag. Airline staff will then find it more easily if it gets lost. But be careful not to make it too flashy, as it might be stolen by unscrupulous individuals!
Add a luggage tag: put your name and contact details on your suitcase. Even though the check-in tag already contains this information, two precautions are better than one!
Check where and when your luggage needs to be checked in: this is especially important when you have multiple connections. Your luggage may be checked in for the entire journey or you may need to check it in at each segment. Don't lose it simply because you didn't know you had to check it in multiple times!
Follow safety instructions and avoid putting anything in your checked luggage that could compromise you: your hairspray, camping gas stove, as well as firearms, fireworks, etc.
Travel light: worried about losing your checked luggage? Then limit your belongings as much as possible and stick to cabin luggage when you can.

Do you travel a lot and can't do without your large suitcase in the hold? Don't worry! A wonderful invention allows you to keep an eye on your suitcase during your journey: the tracker.

A device containing a GPS chip is placed in your suitcase. You then simply connect your phone to the chip via an app and you know where your luggage is at any given time.

There are several different trackers, with various brands and prices. Find the one that will accompany you on all your travels!

Person Waiting with Cabin Luggage for Checked Luggage

The Plague of Lost, Damaged, or Delayed Luggage

One might think that lost, damaged, or delayed luggage only affects a small number of unlucky people. Yet, when we look at the figures, it becomes clear that it happens far more often than expected. In 2022, there were 23 million pieces of luggage misplaced worldwide, according to figures from SITA (International Air Transport Association). On average, that's 7 lost bags per 1,000 passengers: if we translate these figures into terms of aircraft, that's 6 lost bags per Airbus A380, a type of aircraft that makes no less than 300 flights per day.

And it's fair to say that Europe is the champion when it comes to lost luggage! While SITA counts around 80,000 lost bags per day worldwide, Europe alone accounts for 10,000 lost bags per day.

The loss, delay, or damage of luggage is not a myth or bad luck, but a reality that can happen to anyone. Keep your luggage intact with our tips and travel the world with peace of mind. With Delayed, your premium guide on air passenger rights, discover your rights, not only in cases of delay, overbooking, or flight cancellation, but also if your luggage is lost, damaged, or delayed.