Damaged Luggage – What to Do and How to Claim Compensation

Earlier we wrote what to do in case our luggage is lost, now we will tell you what to do when our luggage has been damaged. If airlines damage your checked baggage, you have the right to claim compensation.

Damaged luggage – what is the complaint?

The complaint process in case of damaged luggage should start at the airport. Before leaving the restricted area, you should go to the baggage complaint office, which is located at every airport. The office can have different names, e.g.: Lost and Found or Baggage claim.

An employee of the office accepts a complaint from us and then submits a PIR (Property Irregularity Report), i.e. the Baggage Non-Compliance Report. It should be retained for complaint purposes. It is also worth taking care of additional documents of damaged luggage, e.g.: photos or video. However, this is not mandatory.

Complaints must be sent in writing, e.g. by form, letter or e-mail to the airline with:

• flight details (date, reservation number, flight number)
• amount and selected form of compensation
• copy of PIR report
• copy of luggage registration voucher
• bank account details (name and surname of account holder, IBAN, BIC, SWIFT)

You have 7 days to send a complaint to the airline. After this time the carrier has the right to reject the complaint.

Will you receive compensation for damaged luggage at the airport?

If the damage was caused by the carrier’s fault, you are entitled to compensation. The maximum amount of compensation for damaged luggage is 1288 SDR. (Special Drawing Rights).

Important – the amount of compensation may be higher if, at the time of airline transmission, the passenger made a declaration of interest in delivery and paid the appropriate fee, if any. The carrier is then liable for the amount declared.

The compensation is intended to compensate the passenger for the loss suffered, which means that it will be necessary to provide the carrier with an invoice or an expert opinion on the damaged suitcase.

When will we not receive compensation?

The airline is not responsible for any damage to luggage caused by an inborn defect, quality or defect in luggage.

The Carrier may also refuse to pay compensation for damaged or lost luggage if it cannot or should not be carried in checked luggage in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

What to do and how to obtain compensation in case of delayed baggage?

Passengers can also claim compensation from the airline if they have delayed the delivery of their checked baggage. Then you can apply for a refund for the items you bought while waiting for your luggage.

The compensation may be higher, as in the case of damaged baggage, if the passenger shows a special declaration.

It should be borne in mind that this compensation is to cover the passenger’s expenses related to the purchase of basic necessities while waiting for their luggage, so it will be necessary to present the bills for the purchased things.

The complaint process looks the same as in the case of damaged luggage, with the difference that we must keep the bills for the purchased items. If the seller does not issue receipts in the place where you have made your purchases, you can ask him to confirm your purchases in writing.

Another difference is the time of filing a complaint for delayed luggage – you have 21 days from the moment of delivery of the luggage. After this time, the airline has the right to reject the complaint.