COMPENSATION FOR LOST, DELAYED OR DAMAGED BAGGAGE
ATTENTION!
Claims for compensation must be submitted to the airline within 7 days for lost or damaged baggage or within 21 days of receipt of baggage if it arrived late. THERE IS NO STANDARD FORM YOU CAN FILL IN, SO YOU SHOULD NOT RISK HAVING AN INCOMPLETE CLAIM REJECTED. The simple alternative is to claim compensation using DELAY.AERO. To do this, simply enter your flight details in the “GET COMPENSATION” application on our website, free of charge.
The first steps to getting compensation
• Keep your baggage tags
• Collect relevant documents such as receipts and vouchers for unplanned expenses you incurred due to lost luggage. You can be compensated for most of these expenses once you file your claim.
• Once you have received your luggage, you have 21 days to file a claim. Create a detailed list of what was in your baggage in the section on our website – “GET COMPENSATION”. Most likely, the airline will ask you to provide receipts for these items as well, so try to identify them or get some other type of proof, such as bank or credit card statements, etc.
• Use our app to claim your compensation.
What should you do at the airport?
Most airlines will require you to complete a Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR). For baggage incidents, it is advisable to go to the airline office in the baggage claim area of the airport to report the incident and complete the PIR before leaving the airport, which is kept in the original. The PIR reference number (e.g. ISWTK01234) is a file-linked code that allows us to track the status of your delayed or damaged baggage through the International Baggage Tracking System. Please retain your baggage registration tags and the PIR provided by the Lost Baggage Office.
What happens if you have not completed a Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR)?
Although most airlines require the completion of a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), international law does not require you to complete this report, which is why we can help you. All you need to do is use the “GET COMPENSATION” application on our website, free of charge.
Rights in case of baggage problems
Checked-in baggage
If your checked-in baggage has been lost, damaged or arrived late, the airline is liable and you are entitled to compensation of up to approximately €1,300. However, if the damage was caused by a baggage defect, you are not entitled to compensation.
Hand baggage
If your hand baggage is damaged during your journey, the airline is only liable if the damage was its fault.
You are entitled to compensation of up to 1,131 SDRs. Special Drawing Rights (SDR/XDR) are a currency created by the International Monetary Fund. On 01.06.2022, the exchange rate was:
1 RON= 0.1599 DST
1 EUR = 0.7905 SDR
1 USD = 0.7463 DST
You can follow the updated exchange rate here.
DELAYED BAGGAGE
Sometimes you arrive at your destination on time, but your luggage doesn’t arrive. Fortunately, international regulations protect your rights.
Delayed baggage on EU and international flights
The Montreal Convention protects passengers whose baggage has been delayed on an international flight between member states that have ratified it. It classifies baggage as ‘delayed’ for 21 days. After this period, it is declared “lost”.
Recommendations if you find that your baggage is delayed:
– As soon as you find that your baggage is missing, find the carrier’s lost baggage office and report it. It is advisable not to leave the airport without filing a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). If you have left the airport without a PIR, airline representatives may ask for clarification of your claims.
– Make a note of your PIR reference number as you will need it to track the status of your claim and the action taken by the airline.
– Keep all receipts for unplanned expenses you incurred due to lost baggage. You can get compensation for most of these expenses once you file your claim.
DAMAGED BAGGAGE
If your baggage arrives damaged, the airline will replace or repair it, depending on the extent of the damage.
Damaged baggage on EU and international flights
The Montreal Convention protects passengers whose baggage has been lost on an international flight between Member States that have ratified it.
If you are flying within the EU or internationally, make sure you follow these steps when you discover that your baggage has been damaged:
• As soon as you discover that your baggage has been damaged, it is advisable to find the carrier’s lost baggage office and fill in the Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR).
• Inspect your baggage. It is important to do this before leaving the airport. The airline will then choose to repair, replace or otherwise compensate you.
• Most likely, the airline will ask you to provide proof of the value of your items, which is why receiving them will help support your claim and help you get more compensation.
• Use our application to claim compensation.
LOST LUGGAGE
In general, if your baggage is missing for more than 21 days, it is officially declared lost. In some cases, the airline may be quicker to admit that your baggage has been lost.
Lost baggage on EU and international flights
The Montreal Convention protects passengers whose baggage has been lost on an international flight between Member States that have ratified it.
The compensation process for lost luggage is very similar to that for delayed luggage.
If you fly within the EU or internationally, make sure you follow these steps when you lose your luggage:
• As soon as you find out that your baggage is missing, it is advisable to find the carrier’s lost baggage office and fill in the Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR).
• Keep all receipts for any unplanned expenses you incurred due to lost baggage. You can be compensated for most of these expenses once you file your claim.
• If your baggage has been declared lost (after 21 days), create a detailed list of what was in your baggage in the “GET COMPENSATION” section of our website. Most likely, the airline will ask you to provide receipts for these items as well, so try to identify them or obtain some other type of proof, such as bank or credit card statements, etc.
• Use our app to claim your compensation.
Compensation procedure
The first thing to do is to have confirmation that you are truly eligible for compensation. This is not a simple process: getting access to flight databases, comparing your situation with other similar cases, checking whether European Regulation 261/2004 or other international regulations applicable to air transport apply to you.
In fact, for a person without aviation expertise and the necessary technological means, this can prove to be very complicated.
However, the simple alternative is to claim compensation with DELAY.AERO. To do this, simply enter your flight details into the “GET COMPENSATION” application on our website for free. The DELAY.AERO team will check the details entered and determine whether you are entitled to make a claim against the airline. From then on, DELAY.AERO takes over the case and you are notified when the airline grants you compensation. The DELAY.AERO tool analyses hundreds of thousands of flights, has access to a wealth of meteorological data and is able to check whether your claim can be settled under EU law or other legal provisions applicable to your case.
The verification of the eligibility of your request is carried out free of charge
Our network of experts and our experience in the aviation sector, as well as the partnerships we have, allow us to negotiate with airlines on an equal footing. In 98% of open cases, our clients have won the case and received compensation/refunds. Regardless of the outcome, we take all the financial risk. If we are unsuccessful in your case, for whatever reason, we alone bear the costs. When we win, we receive a service fee according to the Price List from the amount recovered. This protects you, as the client, from any lost expenses and investment.