Luggage delay: what to do when your suitcase doesn't arrive?
Report the problem while you're still at the airport, and keep the documentation and receipts for any necessary purchases. To claim reimbursement from the carrier, you must also send a written request.
The baggage conveyor belt stopped, and Your coffin is not here.. Before heading for the exit, locate the baggage service or check the official online check-in procedure of the airline you arrived on. It's best to report the issue immediately while your documents are to hand and you can obtain instructions for the next steps.
Please collect your application number before you leave.
At the lost baggage desk, usually marked as Baggage Service or Lost & Found, report that your suitcase has not arrived. Have your boarding pass, baggage claim tag with its reference number and a description of the suitcase ready.
After submitting your report, you should receive a confirmation known as the PIR, or Property Irregularity Report, with a reference number. Keep it with your travel documents. You will need this number to track the search and for further communication.
If you complete your check-in online, make sure you have completed the process and received confirmation. Lufthansa, for example, recommends that passengers remain at the airport until their details have been successfully submitted and they have received a check-in number.
Check the delivery address as well. If you change hotels or accommodation during your trip, update your details in the baggage tracking system. Also ask how you will be notified when your suitcase is found.
Buy what you need and keep the receipts.
If you arrive at your destination without your essential belongings, you can claim reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred due to delayed baggage. These may include toiletries, underwear and basic replacement clothing.
The scope of justified purchases depends on the circumstances. One night without a suitcase and several days of winter travel call for different equipment. KLM, for example, takes into account the duration and purpose of the journey, the climate at the destination and how long the passenger was without luggage when assessing requests.
Keep every receipt and photograph it immediately after purchase. With your request, briefly explain why you needed the items you bought. A full refund for each purchase is not guaranteed in advance.
To claim expenses, please send a written request.
The PIR serves to record the problem and the search for the box. For a reimbursement claim, send the carrier documentation of the incurred costs and clearly specify what you are claiming.
Attach your reference number, flight details, baggage check-in confirmation, receipts and a brief description of the incident. If you use the online form, save the submission confirmation and a copy of the attachments.
For baggage delivered with a delay, a written claim must be submitted no later than 21 days from the date the baggage was made available to you. Do not confuse this deadline for the claim with the initial report of loss, which is best dealt with immediately upon arrival.
When the parcel finally arrives, inspect it. If it is damaged, photograph the damage and report it to the carrier in writing no later than seven days after receipt.
What if the coffin isn't found?
If the carrier acknowledges the loss, or if your luggage does not arrive within 21 days of its expected arrival date, you can submit a claim for lost luggage.
You will then need an inventory of your belongings and proof of their value. Receipts, purchase confirmations and photographs can be useful. When assessing items, their age may be taken into account, so the compensation amount may not correspond to the cost of brand-new replacements.
The usual liability limit under the Montreal Convention is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, per passenger. This is a unit of account whose value in euros fluctuates. Compensation is determined according to proven damage and applicable rules, up to the relevant liability limit.
Before your next flight, photograph your suitcase and save the photo of your luggage tag to your phone. Pack basic toiletries, any necessary medication and one change of clothes in your hand luggage, in accordance with airline regulations. That small emergency kit can make your first day much easier while you wait for your luggage to arrive.
