Flight tips
If your bag does not arrive: a step-by-step lost luggage guide
Bags usually are not lost, they are late. But what decides your claim is not where the bag is — it is what you did before leaving the airport.
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When a bag does not appear on the belt, the instinct is to wait. There is only one thing to do, and it has to happen before you leave the airport: go to the baggage desk and file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report). Without that report, nothing you claim later will be processed.
The good news is that the vast majority of bags are not lost but delayed. Most are found within a few days and delivered to your address. The bad news is that you have to get through those days with nothing — and the cost of that is part of your rights too.
Before you leave the airport
- Find the baggage desk — usually inside the reclaim hall — and file a PIR.
- Keep the reference number you are given; everything is tracked with it.
- Do not throw away your boarding pass or bag tag; both are asked for in a claim.
- If you have a photo of the bag, show it, and have the brand, colour and any distinguishing details written into the report.
- Give the correct delivery address and phone number; if you are in a hotel, add the hotel name and booking reference.
- Ask the desk what amount is covered for essential purchases, and ask for that answer in writing.
Deadlines: what to report and when
| Situation | Deadline | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bag did not arrive (delay) | Same day if possible, via the PIR | Written claim within 21 days of delivery |
| Bag arrived damaged | 7 days | Must be reported within 7 days of receiving it |
| Contents missing | 7 days | Same deadline as damage |
| Bag not found for 21 days | At the end of 21 days | It counts as lost after that |
| Right to bring a claim in court | 2 years | From the date of arrival |
On international flights these deadlines come from the Montreal Convention, and an airline's own rules cannot shorten them. On domestic flights the relevant national civil aviation rules apply, and the deadlines are usually similar.
Essential purchases
While your bag is delayed, you can claim the cost of the basics you had to buy. Airlines usually set a daily cap and always require receipts.
- Keep every receipt; nothing is paid without one.
- Buy reasonably: underwear, basic clothing and toiletries are covered, a luxury shopping trip is not.
- On a business trip, clothing needed for a meeting is generally accepted — state the reason in writing.
- If the trip depends on equipment, such as skiing or diving, rental costs can be claimed.
- Submit the claim to the airline in writing, quoting the PIR reference.
If the bag is never found: compensation
If a bag is not found within 21 days it counts as lost and the compensation process starts. On international flights the airline's liability is capped at around 1,288 SDR per passenger, which works out at roughly €1,500-1,700 depending on the exchange rate. That is a ceiling, not an automatic payout: what you receive depends on the loss you can evidence.
- List the contents, adding invoices, card statements or photos wherever you can.
- Submit the claim to the airline in writing and always quote the PIR reference.
- If you get no answer, you can complain to your country's civil aviation authority.
- Notify your travel insurer at the same time; insurance often covers what the airline does not.
- If you paid by credit card, check its travel cover — many cards include delayed baggage protection.
Reducing the risk in the first place
- Leave a longer connection: most mishandled bags happen on short layovers.
- On separate tickets bags are usually not transferred; you have to collect and re-check them.
- Put a tag with your name and phone number on the bag, and leave the same details inside it.
- Remove old bag tags; they are what scanners confuse most often.
- A tracker inside the case lets you give the airline something concrete to search with.
- Pack the first day's clothes and your medication in your hand luggage — that one habit halves the impact of a delayed bag.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
My bag did not arrive — what do I do first?
Before leaving the airport, file a PIR at the baggage desk and take the reference number. Keep your boarding pass and bag tag; without that report, later claims will not be processed.
After how many days is a bag considered lost?
21 days on international flights. If it has not been found by then, it counts as lost and the compensation process begins.
Can I buy things while my bag is delayed?
Yes, for essentials. Airlines usually set a daily cap and require receipts. Reasonable items are covered; luxury shopping is not.
How much compensation is there for a lost bag?
On international flights the airline's liability is capped at around 1,288 SDR per passenger, roughly €1,500-1,700. That is a ceiling — payment follows the loss you can document.
