Lost, Delayed or Damaged Baggage: Compensation Under the Montreal Convention
When an airline loses, delays or damages your checked bag on an international flight, the Montreal Convention 1999 makes it liable — up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (≈ €1,900) per passenger. But strict paperwork and short deadlines decide whether you get paid.
Step 1: the PIR (Property Irregularity Report)
Before you leave the baggage hall, go to the airline's or handling agent's baggage desk and file a Property Irregularity Report. You get a reference number like TBSA312345 — this is the key to your whole claim.
Without a PIR the airline will often argue that the bag was delivered in good condition. Photograph the bag, keep your baggage tag and boarding pass.
Critical deadlines (Article 31)
Damaged baggage: written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag.
Delayed baggage: written complaint within 21 days of the date the bag was delivered to you.
Lost baggage: if the bag has not arrived 21 days after it should have, it is officially treated as lost (Article 17(3)) and you can claim its full value. Any court action must be brought within 2 years (Article 35).
How much can you claim?
Article 22(2) caps the airline's liability at 1,519 SDR per passenger (≈ €1,900, revised December 2024). That covers the value of lost items, repair or replacement of a damaged bag, and reasonable essentials bought while waiting for a delayed bag — toiletries, clothes, chargers.
Keep every receipt. Airlines usually depreciate older items, so list purchase dates and prices.
$9.99 flat vs 35–40% commission
Traditional claims agencies typically keep 35–40% of what they recover. On a €1,500 baggage claim that is €525–€600 gone.
With FlightClaimNow you pay a flat $9.99 for a formal demand letter citing Articles 17, 19, 22 and 31 of the Montreal Convention, plus the airline's claim channels — and you keep 100%.