Airlines around the world carry over 3 billion pieces of luggage a year, and around 25 million suitcases end up somewhere they shouldn’t. If your luggage has gone missing at the airport, don’t panic. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting it back and protecting yourself against a similar situation in future.
How to recover lost luggage
If your luggage hasn’t appeared on the carousel, the first step towards getting it back is to head to the Lost Luggage / Lost Property / Customer Service desk – it goes by different names depending on the airport. You’ll find it in the passenger area, usually in the arrivals hall.
Report the missing luggage to a member of staff and provide all the necessary information:
- Your boarding pass stub (issued at check-in).
- Proof of identity.
- The baggage receipt showing your luggage was checked in.
- Your ticket (optional).
The desk staff will draw up a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) for you. You’ll need this document at the next stages. Its details will also be entered into the system.
How long can you wait for luggage?
The wait for luggage usually doesn’t exceed 45 minutes. If you’re connecting to another flight, your luggage is transferred to it automatically. If the onward flight is the next day, however, you’ll need to collect your suitcases and check them in again for the next leg of the journey.
Important – on flights to the USA, immigration checks are carried out at the first airport you land at in the United States. All passengers are required to collect their luggage, have it inspected and check it in again for the next flight, even if that flight is within the USA.
What to do when your luggage goes missing at the airport?
If your luggage hasn’t appeared on the carousel after 45 minutes, the best thing to do is go to the lost property or customer service desk and report it missing. Have your personal documents and all your flight documents ready. The desk staff will fill in a report, which the airline will use as the basis for searching for your luggage. If it turns up, it will be sent on to you.
Once three weeks have passed without your luggage being found, the Montreal Convention comes to your aid, giving you the right to claim compensation from the carrier. You can invoke it not only when luggage goes missing, but also when it is damaged or delayed. Bear in mind that the carrier is responsible for your luggage from the moment you check it in until you collect it from the carousel.
Unfortunately, the statistics show that one in four lost suitcases not found within 21 days is gone for good. The only place you’ll be able to find them then is at auctions held by airports, airlines or specialist companies.
How to claim compensation for luggage lost at the airport
You need to report the missing luggage at the airport’s lost property desk in order to receive a PIR, which is the basis for claiming compensation. This has to be done before you leave the airport!
The next step is to file a written complaint, electronically or by post, and send it to the airline. Include the following:
- the flight details,
- the amount you’re claiming (the upper limit is PLN 6,000),
- the bank account number the money should be paid into.
- Attach a copy of the PIR and your baggage receipt.
The airline is obliged to respond within 30 days, but it may require you to take additional steps.
How often does luggage go missing at airports?
Every year, airlines around the world carry billions of pieces of luggage. It’s estimated that around 5.6 pieces of luggage go missing per 1,000 passengers.
The usual cause is too little time to get the luggage to the aircraft and load it onto the next flight on the route – in other words, during connections. There are also cases where luggage goes missing because of incorrect labelling, or suitcases lose their tag during the flight as a result of mechanical damage.
Sometimes it also happens that someone makes a mistake and takes a suitcase that isn’t theirs.
How to avoid losing your luggage at the airport
To reduce the risk of your luggage going missing at the airport, you can follow these tips:
- Label your suitcase inside and out – put your address and phone number on the tag. This will help whoever finds your luggage.
- Check the baggage tag – it’s attached by airport staff when you check your luggage in. Check the information on it, especially the three-letter code of the city/destination you’re flying to.
- Keep an eye on your luggage – airports are huge, and in a moment of inattention another passenger may unwittingly take your suitcase instead of their own.
- Put a notiOne tracker in your suitcase – hidden among your things, it will communicate with your phone and with other phones running partner apps. If you lose sight of your luggage, you can check where it currently is in the free app, and you’ll get an alert when it moves out of range!
- Remember the luggage weight and size limits!
Fun fact: airport staff suggest a trick – stick a FRAGILE label on your suitcase, which supposedly gets it unloaded onto the carousel faster. And once it’s on the carousel, it’s unlikely to get lost.
How to protect your luggage during a flight
We also recommend a few tried-and-tested ways to protect your luggage during a flight:
Make sure your suitcase is properly closed – you can add a padlock as protection against potential theft.
- Make your suitcase stand out – it could be colourful, covered in souvenir stickers or have other distinctive decorations. What matters is that these markings will help you spot it faster on the carousel and describe it more accurately to airport staff if it goes missing.
- Wrapping your suitcase – some people choose to wrap their suitcase in stretch film. It’s not forbidden, but in some cases it can make check-in harder, e.g. if you exceed the weight limit and need to repack.
- Don’t pack any valuables in your checked luggage – if it goes missing, you’ll have a huge problem. Pack your cash and a change of clothes and underwear in your hand luggage. If your checked luggage is lost, you’ll have spare clothes and money until it’s found.
- Photograph the contents of your suitcase and how it’s packed – you’ll be able to check easily whether anything is missing.
- notiOne GPS PLUS tracker – this is a tracker that works globally. It will let you pinpoint your suitcase as soon as you land.
Damaged luggage at the airport – what can I do?
If your checked luggage is damaged by the airline, you have the right to claim compensation.
Damaged luggage – how does the complaint process work?
The complaint process for damaged luggage needs to be started at the airport. Before leaving the restricted area, go to the baggage claims desk, which every airport has. It may go by different names, e.g. Lost and Found or Baggage Claim.
A member of staff will take your complaint and then hand you a PIR (Property Irregularity Report). You must keep it for the purposes of your claim. It’s also worth gathering evidence of the damaged luggage, e.g. taking photos or recording a video. This isn’t compulsory, though.
The complaint must be sent to the airline in writing, e.g. via a form, by post or by e-mail, together with:
- The flight details (date, booking reference, flight number).
- Your claim, e.g. the amount and the form of compensation you’ve chosen.
- A copy of the PIR.
- A copy of the baggage receipt.
- Your bank account details (account holder’s full name, IBAN, BIC, SWIFT).
You have 7 days to send your complaint to the airline. After that, the carrier has the right to reject it.
Will I get compensation for luggage damaged at the airport?
Yes, if it was the carrier’s fault. The maximum compensation for damaged luggage is around PLN 7,471.68. This amount is the upper limit of liability, not a flat-rate payout for the passenger.
Importantly, the compensation can be higher if, at check-in, the passenger made a special declaration of interest in delivery to the airline and paid the applicable fee, if one was required. In that case the carrier is liable up to the declared amount.
The compensation is intended to cover the losses the passenger has suffered, which means you’ll need to present the carrier with a receipt or an expert’s assessment of the damaged suitcase.
When won’t I get compensation for damaged or lost luggage?
Airlines are not liable for damage to luggage resulting from an inherent defect, quality or flaw of the luggage itself.
The carrier may also refuse to pay compensation for damaged or lost items if, under its terms and conditions, they cannot or should not be carried in checked luggage.
Delayed luggage – what to do and how to claim compensation
Passengers can also claim compensation from an airline if it has delayed delivery of their checked luggage. In that case, you can claim a refund for the essentials you bought while waiting for your luggage.
The maximum compensation is around PLN 6,786.37, and this amount is the upper limit of liability, not a flat-rate payout for the passenger.
As with damaged luggage, this compensation can be higher if the passenger has made a special declaration.
Bear in mind that this compensation is meant to reimburse the passenger for the expenses incurred buying essentials while waiting for their luggage, so you’ll need to produce receipts for the items you bought.
The complaint process is the same as for damaged luggage, with the difference that you need to gather supporting evidence, so it’s essential to keep the receipts for the items you bought. If the seller doesn’t issue receipts where you did your shopping, you can ask them for written confirmation of your purchases.
Another difference is the deadline for filing a complaint about delayed luggage – you have a full 21 days from the moment the luggage is delivered. After that, the airline has the right to reject the complaint.
Where to turn if your luggage is damaged or lost
Was your luggage damaged or lost during your journey? You can claim compensation. The European Consumer Centre can help you
