Baggage lost, delayed or damaged: how to get your money back

If an airline loses, delays or damages your checked baggage, it is the carrier — not the airport — that is responsible. Here is what to do, and by when, to get your money back. Every rule below comes from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Aviation ADR dispute scheme.

What should you do straight away at the airport?

File a report at the baggage desk before you leave the reclaim area. Airline staff complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). Keep it: without a PIR it is almost impossible to prove the bag failed to arrive on that flight. The CAA warns that a PIR alone does not guarantee the airline will accept your claim — it is only the first document in the file.

What are the deadlines for a written claim?

They are strict and run from the date of the problem. For damaged baggage and items missing from it — 7 days. For delayed baggage — 21 days from the day you finally get it back. Miss the deadline and the airline may refuse. Claim in writing, quoting the PIR number and listing what you want reimbursed.

How much do airlines actually pay for a delay?

There is no fixed figure: payment depends on the value of the goods. Most carriers reimburse the "bare essentials" — toiletries, underwear, laundry — and some pay a daily rate for each day without the bag. If the bag is delayed on the way home, the airline may treat your loss as smaller, since you already have clothes and essentials there.

What if the bag is never found?

Then it is a total loss, and you claim the value of the case and its contents. Receipts, card statements and other proof of value matter here — airlines do not pay "new for old" but value items by their age. The CAA puts the upper limit at roughly £1,000 but says it is very rare to receive that much. So carry valuables, electronics and documents in your hand luggage.

What about connections and other airlines?

If two or more airlines operated the journey, you can claim from any of them. The last carrier usually handles the claim, so it is the best place to start. Airlines do not automatically accept knock-on losses (such as a cruise missed because of the delay): you may have to prove them, even in court.

When is insurance the better route?

Often it is. Travel insurance may cover your loss more fully than the carrier, but almost always carries an excess (around £40) and its own claim deadline. Claim from both the airline and the insurer, but you cannot be paid twice for the same item. One tip for next time: put a note with your name, address and email inside the case, so the bag can be traced if the outside tag is lost.

ONLYWAY NEWS tracks the rules for people living in the UK and explains them in plain language.