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Air travel: lost, delayed or damaged baggage
Verified 05 August 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
International reserve currency established by the IMF (International Monetary Fund). Its value is based on a basket of 5 currencies (including the dollar and the euro).
When traveling by plane, any of your luggage is delayed, lost or damaged? The airline must compensate you. Only checked and hold baggage is concerned. Compensation depends on the country in which your airline is based.
What applies to you ?
Delayed or lost luggage
The airline is liable if your checked baggage is lost or delayed. She has to compensate you.
If any of your luggage is missing on arrival, you must inform the airline you have traveled with as soon as possible (the one on your last flight).
Depending on the case, you must report it by one of the following means:
- Passage to the company counter
- Lodging of an alert on its website
The company must start a search of your luggage and keep you informed of the results.
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The luggage is found by the airline
You must file a claim with the company.
You must respect a maximum of 21 days if your airline is European.
If your company is not European or if you do not know its nationality, check the applicable convention.
The information is indicated on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The time limit shall be one of the following:
- 21 days for the Montreal ConventionList of countries that have signed the Warsaw Convention
- 14 days for the Warsaw ConventionList of signatories to the Montreal Convention
The period runs from the day the baggage was placed at your disposal.
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for a refund. Attach a copy of invoices and receipts.
FYI
the company may offer you to deliver your luggage if this is provided for for example in its general conditions of sale or transport.
The baggage is lost
You must file a claim with the company.
Baggage is considered lost in the following cases:
- Loss recognized by the company
- Luggage not delivered after 21 days (or 14 days for some airlines)
The deadline is 21 days if your airline is European.
If your company is not European or if you do not know its nationality, check the applicable convention.
The information is indicated on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The time limit shall be one of the following:
- 21 days for the Montreal ConventionList of countries that have signed the Warsaw Convention
- 14 days for the Warsaw ConventionList of signatories to the Montreal Convention
You must file a written refund request as soon as possible with the company, preferably by registered mail with notice of receipt.
You must present in your application the harm you suffered.
Attach a copy of the supporting documents (invoices for your goods...).
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for a refund. Attach a copy of invoices and receipts.
The maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to depends on the country of your airline.
This amount shall be fixed in Special drawing rights (SDRs)However, it varies according to currency fluctuations.
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The airline is European
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
Other
The allowance is capped and depends on the agreement that applies to the flight.
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €28 per kg of baggage (22 SDRs).
If the damage you have suffered exceeds this amount, check if you can benefit from an additional refund.
Depending on your situation, you can do one of the following:
- Specific insurance you have taken out when checking in your luggage
- Insurance linked to your credit card if you paid for your flight with your card (according to the guarantees covered)
Please note
if you have made a special declaration of interest upon check-in of your baggage and paid the cost of this service, the airline must compensate you for the amount declared.
If the company refuses to compensate you or does not respond within 2 months, you can contact the Tourism and Travel Ombudsman.
The airline must have signed the Charter of Mediation.
Contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel
If you're still not successful, you can go to court.
You have 2 years (from the loss of baggage) to do it.
The competent court depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a case less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a case greater than €10,000No, it's the court.
Who shall I contact
You can claim damages for the damage suffered (loss of luggage, replacement of lost objects...) without limit of amount, if you can prove your damage.
Damaged luggage
If, on arrival, you discover that one of your luggage is damaged, the company must compensate you.
The airline is responsible if your luggage is damaged.
If you find that any of your luggage is damaged or damaged upon arrival, you must promptly report it to the company you traveled with (the one on your last flight).
Send your complaint by post, preferably by registered mail with notice of receipt.
You can use the following model:
Seek compensation from the airline in case of damaged baggage
You must act in a maximum of 7 days if your airline is European.
If your company is not European or if you do not know its nationality, check the applicable convention.
The information is indicated on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The time limit shall be one of the following:
- 7 days for the Montreal ConventionList of countries that have signed the Warsaw Convention
- 3 days for the Warsaw ConventionList of signatories to the Montreal Convention
You can claim compensation for your baggage and what was inside it.
Accompany your request with copies or supporting documents (for example, photos of damaged luggage, invoices for your goods).
The maximum amount of compensation to which you are entitled depends on the country in which your airline is established.
This amount shall be fixed in Special drawing rights (SDRs)However, it varies according to currency fluctuations.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
The airline is European
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
Other
The allowance is capped and depends on the agreement that applies to the flight.
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €28 per kg of baggage (22 SDRs).
If the damage you have suffered exceeds this amount, check if you can benefit from an additional refund.
Depending on your situation, you can do one of the following:
- Specific insurance you have taken out when checking in your luggage
- Insurance linked to your credit card if you paid for your flight with your card (according to the guarantees covered)
Please note
if you have made a special declaration of interest upon check-in of your baggage and paid the cost of this service, the airline must compensate you for the amount declared.
If the company refuses to compensate you or does not respond within 2 months, you can contact the Tourism and Travel Ombudsman.
The airline must have signed the Charter of Mediation.
Contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel
If you're still not successful, you can go to court.
The competent court depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a case less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a case greater than €10,000No, it's the court.
Who shall I contact
You can claim damages for the damage suffered (damage to luggage, replacement of lost objects...) without limit of amount, if you can prove your damage.
Document template
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National Institute of Consumer Affairs (INC)
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Ministry of the Environment
European Commission
European Consumer Center France
European Consumer Center France