If your bag does not arrive or arrives damaged, report it straight away at the baggage desk of your arrival airport and get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR); then send your claim to the airline: within 7 days for a damaged bag and within 21 days of getting it back for a delayed bag. If it has not been found after 21 days, it counts as lost and you can claim under the Montreal Convention, up to about €1,800. Here is what to do step by step.
What to do at the airport
- Do not leave the baggage hall without reporting the problem: go to the lost baggage desk (Lost and Found) at your arrival airport.
- Fill in the PIR and keep a copy: it has a 10-character reference, for example DUBFR12345, to follow your case.
- Keep your boarding pass and baggage receipt (the sticker you were given at check-in).
- Leave an address and phone number where the bag can be delivered when it is found.
Reporting at the airport is not yet a claim: you have to send that to the airline separately.
Deadlines for your claim
| Problem | Deadline for your written claim to the airline |
|---|---|
| Damaged bag | Within 7 days of delivery |
| Delayed bag | Within 21 days of getting it back |
| Lost bag | Counts as lost if it has not arrived within 21 days; claim as soon as possible |
These are the Montreal Convention time limits, which apply to almost all international flights. Stick to them: a late claim can be rejected.
What you can claim
- Delayed bag: essential items you had to buy while waiting (clothes, toiletries, chargers), with receipts.
- Damaged bag: the repair or the value of the damage.
- Lost bag: the value of the contents and the suitcase.
The airline's liability is limited to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, about €1,800. If you travel with valuables, you can make a special declaration of value at check-in, usually for a fee, or insure them.
How to make your claim
- Use the baggage claim form on the airline's website, quoting your PIR reference.
- Attach your boarding pass, baggage tag, receipts for expenses and, for damage, photos.
- List the contents of the bag with their approximate value and, if you can, proof of purchase.
- Keep the confirmation and chase it if you get no reply: Ryanair, for example, says it processes damaged or delayed bag claims within 15 working days and lost bag claims within 28.
What if your flight was also delayed?
Your bag and your flight are separate matters. If your flight arrived 3 hours or more late, was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice or you were denied boarding, you may be owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger on top of what you get for the bag. With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes: you pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. The rules are on our delayed flight page.
Frequently asked questions about lost luggage
When do I have to report lost luggage?
Straight away, at the baggage desk of your arrival airport, before you leave. Then send a written claim to the airline within the Montreal Convention time limits.
When is a bag considered lost?
If it has not been found within 21 days of the date it should have arrived.
How much can I get for a lost bag?
The value of the suitcase and contents, up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, about €1,800 per passenger.
Will the airline pay for clothes I bought while waiting for my bag?
Yes, essential expenses while waiting for a delayed bag can be claimed, with receipts.
My suitcase was damaged: when do I claim?
Within 7 days of getting the bag, after reporting it at the airport.
Work out your compensation now
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Find out more
- Air passenger rights
- Delayed flight: when you can claim compensation
- Cancelled flight: refund and compensation
- Overbooking: what you are owed
- What our service costs
Article updated on 22/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.