When we travel and check in luggage, we all hope our bags are the first to come out at the destination airport. After a long wait, a light and a beep, the belts usually start and return the luggage to all the anxious passengers.
Now, imagine it takes a long time for the luggage to come out. You need to get to the hotel, but your suitcase is still making its way through the airport’s logistics tunnel, and there are no new updates from the staff.
It can also happen that all the passengers’ luggage comes out except yours, which is more worrying but at least you can save time since you can quickly file a claim and leave the airport.
Whatever your situation, the question is whether you can claim compensation for delayed luggage. If your luggage is delayed by 2 hours or 2 days, this article will explain the possibilities of filing a claim with the airline.
Can I claim if my luggage is delayed by a few hours?
The world’s largest airports usually have the longest waits for luggage. Bags must travel hundreds of meters through walkways and tunnels before reaching the claim belt, so we may wait from 30 minutes to 2 hours after landing.
Although waiting 2 hours for luggage is neither comfortable nor convenient, in these cases, we cannot file a claim. As long as your luggage comes out on the carousel, the airline is exempt from liability.
Delays of a few hours in luggage have frustrated many passengers in recent years, as they can severely impact travel plans. Despite this, there are still no claims for this type of incident.
Claiming if your luggage is delayed by a day or more
It may also happen that your luggage does not appear at the destination airport. This occurs when all the passengers’ luggage has come out, and the carousel has been closed for your flight.
In this case, the airline may have lost your luggage, so in principle, it would be “delayed” (loss is only declared after 21 days without any trace of the suitcase). If you find yourself in this situation, here are the steps to follow to file a claim.
Baggage Irregularity Report
The first step is to go to the information desk or the airline counter with which you traveled.
There, you will need to request a form called a “Baggage Irregularity Report” (PIR), also known as a “Property Irregularity Report.” You must complete this document before leaving the airport to register the incident and be able to file a claim with the airline.
Be sure to keep a copy of this form, as you will need it later during your claim (when you receive a call from the company and need to provide a reference number).
Regarding the claim deadlines, it must be submitted to the airline’s customer service with the PIR (by phone or in writing).
If you traveled with multiple airlines, you can file a claim with any of them. However, keep in mind that the deadlines for filing the claim vary depending on the type of incident.
Deadlines for claiming in case of baggage delay or loss
- Damage to luggage: You have 7 days from the receipt of the luggage.
- Delayed luggage: You can file a claim up to 21 days after the date you should have received your luggage.
- Lost luggage: If after 21 days, your luggage still hasn’t appeared, it is considered lost, and you must file a lost luggage claim (different from the previous claim).
Of course, in case of luggage delay or loss, it is crucial to keep all documents, such as tickets, check-in tags, and boarding passes.
Once you have filed the claim, the airline must offer you compensation based on the delay duration and reimburse you for expenses you can prove incurred during the days you did not have access to your luggage.
If you arrived at your destination without your luggage at the start of your vacation, remember that you always have the right to buy a “survival kit” containing basic personal hygiene products, which will later be paid for by the airline.
How to claim compensation for delayed luggage
If an airline has returned your delayed luggage or lost it, we can help.
We have helped thousands of people obtain financial compensation for this type of incident, and we can assess the viability of your case simply by filling out the form on our website.
For this type of incident, you can earn up to €1,400, although this figure may increase if you have also lost special luggage that you needed to use at your destination.
For more information, visit our baggage claim page.
