Lost Luggage, Damaged or Delayed Baggage: The Complete Compensation Guide
Short answer: The Montreal Convention obliges every airline on an international flight to compensate for lost, damaged or delayed baggage — up to about €1,900 (1,519 SDR) per passenger, based on proven damages. The critical condition: written notice within 7 days for damage, 21 days for delay. Latebird (latebird.ai) is an AI flight-compensation service that handles baggage claims too — free until we win.
Lost luggage, damage or delay — three different cases
Before anything else, work out which case you are in, because the deadline and the payout differ:
- Lost luggage (permanent loss): the bag never arrived and, after 21 days without tracing it, most airlines declare it lost. This is the most valuable case — the claim covers the full proven value of the contents up to the cap.
- Delayed baggage: the bag did arrive, but days late. The claim covers the reasonable expenses you had while waiting.
- Damaged baggage: a broken wheel, a tear, ruined contents. This one carries the shortest deadline — seven days.
Note the timing: luggage is not officially "lost" on the day it fails to appear on the belt. Until the airline declares it, the file is classified as delayed — so open the report immediately rather than waiting to see what happens.
The first, critical step: a PIR form at the airport
Before leaving the airport, go to the ground-handling desk (Lost & Found) and file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report). It opens your case and is your strongest piece of evidence. Forgot? Some airlines accept late filings online — but don't count on it.
The deadlines — where most passengers lose
| What happened | Written-notice deadline |
|---|---|
| Bag damaged | 7 days |
| Bag delayed | 21 days |
| Bag lost entirely | Usually declared lost after 21 days — then a loss claim opens |
Miss the deadline and in most cases the right is gone — even if the claim is entirely justified. Don't "wait and see".
How much can you claim?
Up to 1,519 SDR — roughly €1,900 per passenger (the cap was raised in December 2024). Unlike flight compensation, baggage liability is based on proven damages: the value of lost contents, repair or replacement of the bag, and what you had to buy while waiting (clothes, toiletries). So the rule is receipts, receipts, receipts — both for what was inside (old invoices, order screenshots) and for what you bought in the meantime.
Which flights are covered?
Any international flight between states party to the Convention — which is most of the world, including Israel, the EU and the US. The airline is liable even if the damage happened at its ground-handling contractor. Mobility equipment (strollers, wheelchairs) is covered, as are consequential costs of a delayed bag — like ski gear you had to rent because yours never showed.
What a winning baggage claim looks like
- At the airport: PIR form + photos of the bag and damage + keep the bag tag.
- In the following days: a written demand to the airline within the deadlines, with an itemized contents list and receipts.
- When the airline responds: first offers tend to be low, based on internal "depreciation tables" — that's an opening position, not something you must accept.
- Or the short way: upload everything to Latebird and we run it like a flight claim — reasoned demand, negotiation, escalation if needed. First claim free; afterwards 15%, success-based only.
FAQ
I didn't file a PIR at the airport. Is the claim dead?
Not necessarily. Some airlines accept reports filed later online, and as long as your written notice met the 7/21-day deadlines the right is preserved. The more alternative documentation you have (photos, correspondence), the better your odds.
My bag arrived four days into my trip and I bought clothes. Who pays?
The airline. Reasonable expenses caused by the baggage delay — clothing, toiletries, essentials — are covered by the Montreal Convention up to the cap. Keep every receipt and give written notice within 21 days of receiving the bag.
I had expensive items in the bag — a camera, jewellery. Are they covered?
Up to the overall cap (~€1,900), provided you can prove the value. For unusually valuable items, declare them at check-in in advance (for a fee, the cap rises) — or simply carry them in the cabin.
What does the Montreal Convention pay for lost luggage?
For lost luggage the Montreal Convention caps the airline's liability at 1,519 SDR — roughly €1,900 per passenger — and pays the proven value of the contents rather than a fixed sum. Most airlines declare a bag lost after 21 days without tracing it; until then it counts as delayed. Your written claim must still reach the airline within the deadlines, or the right is lost regardless of the merits.
Check your baggage claim — free
No sign-up · No credit card · One minute