Delayed, lost or damaged baggage compensation

Travelling by plane can present you with unpleasant surprises such as when your baggage gets delayed, lost or damaged. You should know that, in such cases, you can claim compensation from the airline. Ifdelayed is here to help file a claim for your damaged, lost or delayed baggage. We won’t rest until you get the compensation you’re entitled to.

Under the U.S. and Montreal Convention air passenger rights laws, the average compensation from an airline for lost or damaged checked luggage is $1525 – $3500.

Damaged luggage compensation for EU and international flights

If your flight was inside the EU or international and your luggage arrived damaged, here is what you should do:

• Keep your boarding pass and checked baggage receipts. You can also use any flight document where the booking reference number is provided if you don’t have a boarding pass. The booking reference number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline — a six-digit code with characters and numbers.
• It’s important to report damage to your luggage after receiving your bags, before leaving the airport. It’s possible to do that later, but the rules are different between airlines, so it’s better to check your airline’s policy online.
• File a damaged luggage claim for compensation, or Property Irregularity Report. Some airlines have luggage damage claim forms online, so you can do that anywhere.
• Bring your bags for inspection as they might be repaired or replaced. The best time to do so is before leaving the airport. There might be a negotiation between you and airline representatives whether they will repair the damage, replace the items, or otherwise compensate you.
• File a claim of damaged items that were inside your luggage. However, the airline might refuse to compensate you for all damaged items, but if you provide a compelling case that it was the airline’s responsibility, you can win.

*Ifdelayed does not yet support baggage-related claims, but we can help if you had a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight or other type of flight disruption.

Delayed baggage compensation for EU and international flights

If your flight was within the EU or international and your luggage arrived delayed, take the following actions to preserve your right for baggage delay compensation:

• Keep your boarding pass and checked baggage receipts. You can also use any flight document where the booking reference number is provided if you don’t have a boarding pass. The booking reference number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline – a six-digit code with characters and numbers.
• Inform the airline that your bags didn’t show up as soon as you can. The best time to do this is before leaving the airport.
• Carry out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). You will be given a reference number of your case – keep it with you.
• You can track your luggage with your case reference number. You can find your carrier tracking tool online. This will help you to determine when your bags will arrive.
• Keep the receipts of any necessary items you buy. Basically, things that were in your delayed luggage that you can’t manage without for a few days. When you file your claim, you will be able to ask for a refund for these additional expenses.
• File a delayed baggage compensation claim with the airline for additional expenses you had while waiting for your baggage. You can file this claim within 21 days from the day you received your bags, but don’t forget that you will have to provide your receipts.

Lost baggage compensation for EU and international flights

If you travelled within the EU or on an international flight and your luggage was lost, follow these steps in order to understand what to do when airlines lose your bags:

• Keep your delayed luggage reference number that the airline provided you with. When you carried out the Property Irregularity Report (PIR), you should have received the case number. The luggage is considered lost 21 days after they should have arrived or it might be earlier if the airline admits that it was lost.
• Keep your receipts with you if you will buy any necessary items. Toiletries and underwear are considered as necessary items — things that were in your delayed luggage and you can’t manage without for a few days. When you file your claim, you will be able to ask for a refund for these additional expenses.
• Prepare a detailed list of the items that were in your lost bags. It would be helpful to provide any receipts or other proof of the items that were in your luggage. There might be some exceptions as airlines might not cover all items, but you should be able to receive a refund for most of the contents you can prove was in your bags.
• File a claim with the airline in order to receive lost baggage compensation. Include all the receipts and documents for the items that were in your lost luggage and for additional expenses for necessary items you bought.

Damaged baggage compensation for US flights

Here is what you have to do if your baggage arrived damaged during a domestic flight within the United States:

• Keep your boarding pass and checked baggage receipts. You can also use any flight document where the booking reference number is provided if you don’t have a boarding pass. The booking reference number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline – a six-digit code with characters and numbers.
• It’s important to report damage to your luggage after receiving your bags, before leaving the airport. It’s possible to do that later, but the rules are different between airlines, so it’s better to check your airline’s policy online.
• File a damaged luggage claim for compensation, or Property Irregularity Report. Some airlines have luggage damage claim forms online, so you can do that anywhere.
• Bring your bags for inspection as they might be repaired or replaced. The best time to do so is before leaving the airport. There might be a negotiation between you and airline representatives whether they will repair the damage, replace the items, or otherwise compensate you.
• File a claim of damaged items that were inside your luggage. However, the airline might refuse to compensate you for all damaged items, but if you provide a compelling case that it was the airline’s responsibility, you can win.

*Ifdelayed does not yet support baggage-related claims, but we can help if you had a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight or other type of flight disruption.

Delayed luggage compensation for US flights

If your flight was within the United States and your luggage arrived late, here is what you have to do to retain your right to compensation:

• Keep your boarding pass and checked baggage receipts. You can also use any flight document where the booking reference number is provided if you don’t have a boarding pass. The booking reference number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline – a six-digit code with characters and numbers.
• Inform the airline that your bags didn’t show up as soon as you can. The best time to do this is before leaving the airport. Different airlines have different requirements, so you should check your airline’s policy online.
• Carry out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). You will be given a reference number of your case – keep it with you.
• If you were charged, request a bag fee rebate from the airline. Policies differ between airlines so ask the airline staff for more information. Airlines might offer you rebates via airline credit, but insist on cash. If they refuse, you may consider adding it to your refund claim.
• You can track your luggage with your case reference number. You can find your carrier tracking tool online. This will help you determine when your bags will arrive.
• Keep the receipts of any necessary items you buy. Basically, things that were in your delayed luggage that you can’t manage without for a few days. When you file your claim, you will be able to ask for a refund for these additional expenses.
• File a delayed baggage compensation claim with the airline for additional expenses you had while waiting for your baggage. Don’t forget that you will have to present your receipts. Most airlines require to file the claim no later than 45 days from the day of your flight regardless of whether you received you bags or not. Check your airline’s policy online as rules vary between carriers.

Lost luggage compensation for US flights

If you travelled on the United States domestic flight and your luggage was lost, follow these steps in order to understand what to do when the airlines lose your bags:

• Keep your delayed luggage reference number that the airline provided you with. When you carried out the Property Irregularity Report (PIR), you should have received the case number.
• Keep your receipts with you if you will buy any necessary items. Toiletries and underwear are considered necessary items — things that were in your delayed luggage and you can’t manage without for a few days. When you file your claim, you will be able to ask for a refund for these additional expenses.
• Prepare a detailed list of the items that were in your lost bags. It would be helpful to provide any receipts or other proof of the items that were in your luggage. There might be some exceptions as airlines might not cover all items, but you should be able to receive a refund for most of the contents you can prove was in your bags.
• File a claim with the airline in order to receive lost baggage compensation. Include all the receipts and documents for the items that were in your luggage and additional expenses for necessary items you bought. You should check your carrier policies to see what the deadline is for filing a lost luggage claim.