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What to do when your checked bag is delayed
Report it before leaving the airport
Go to the airline’s baggage service desk and report the missing bag. Ask the airline to open a tracing record and give you a written Property Irregularity Report or equivalent mishandled-baggage record, plus its reference number. Ask how to submit a formal claim and where the airline will deliver the bag if it is found. If no desk is available, contact the airline promptly through its published channel and keep proof of that contact. France’s 2026 public guidance likewise advises reporting the problem immediately at the airline counter, or contacting the airline as soon as possible if there is no counter (Service-Public.fr).
Keep your evidence together
Save the baggage tag, itinerary or ticket, report number, airline messages, and proof of every claim submission. Keep a dated record of airline contacts, promised delivery arrangements, and expenses. Photograph the bag and its contents if useful; if the bag is returned damaged, photograph the damage and retain repair or replacement documentation. An optional tracker may help you locate luggage, but it does not establish airline fault or guarantee compensation.
Buy only what you reasonably need
If the delay leaves you without essentials, keep itemized receipts for purchases such as hygiene supplies or underwear. The airline may assess whether the items were necessary and reasonable in the circumstances; there is no universal daily allowance. French public guidance says essential purchases can be claimed with invoices and notes that airlines often apply depreciation when valuing lost belongings rather than paying the full cost of new replacements (Service-Public.fr).
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How to submit a delayed-baggage claim
- Open a tracing report: Report the missing bag to the airline and keep the written report and reference number.
- Check the applicable claim route: Use the airline’s designated baggage-claim process and check its rules for eligible expenses, delivery, and deadlines. The legal regime can depend on the route, including whether the Montreal Convention, another convention, domestic law, or the airline’s tariff applies.
- Make a written claim: Itemize reasonable expenses caused by the delay and attach receipts and relevant travel and baggage records. Keep a copy and proof of submission.
- File by the deadline: Do not wait for the airline’s search to conclude before checking the formal written-claim deadline. Under the Montreal Convention, the usual written protest period for delayed baggage is 21 days from the date the bag is made available to you.
Deadlines depend on the claim and route
For Montreal Convention claims, the usual deadline for a written protest about delayed baggage is 21 days from when the bag is made available. EU guidance measures the 21 days from receipt of the delayed baggage. The Canadian Transportation Agency gives a 21-day period for delayed baggage on international flights, but domestic Canadian claims are subject to the deadline in the airline tariff. Check the rules for your itinerary and file promptly rather than assuming one deadline applies everywhere (Your Europe; Canadian Transportation Agency).
Different deadlines apply to other baggage problems. Under the Montreal Convention, a written protest for baggage damage is generally due within seven days after receipt. In Canada, the CTA says baggage not returned within 21 days is considered lost for purposes of its guidance; the airline’s determination and rules in other jurisdictions may differ. Photograph damage, describe it clearly, and retain repair or replacement records (Canadian Transportation Agency; Your Europe).
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What compensation can you claim?
A liability limit is a ceiling, not a guaranteed payout. You generally need to document the loss or expenses, and the airline may assess necessity, reasonableness, and the applicable rules. The Montreal Convention’s baggage limit is generally per passenger, not per checked bag, according to EU guidance. Special Drawing Rights (SDR) are an international unit, so local-currency conversions can change.
| Jurisdiction or guidance | Published baggage limit or amount | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Up to $4,700 per passenger for domestic airlines; 1,519 SDR, approximately US$2,175 per passenger, for most international flights covered by the Montreal Convention. | The U.S. Department of Transportation says an airline may pay more but is not required to. Amounts are ceilings, not standard awards. |
| Canada | 1,519 SDR, approximately C$2,780, for flights on or after December 28, 2024; 1,288 SDR, approximately C$2,350, for flights before that date. | These are CTA figures for maximum baggage compensation; the applicable claim rules still depend on the itinerary and claim. |
| EU consumer guidance | Up to approximately €1,300. | Your Europe gives this as an approximate amount; currency conversions may change. A higher limit may be requested for a fee at check-in, or private insurance may supplement it. |
| France public guidance | Approximately €1,525 per passenger for Montreal Convention flights, according to the 2026 guidance. | This is a dated approximation, not a timeless euro amount; SDR conversion values differ over time. |
Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation; Canadian Transportation Agency; Your Europe; Service-Public.fr.
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US checked-bag fee refunds are a separate claim
For covered U.S. itineraries, a traveler who paid a checked-bag fee is entitled to a refund if the airline declares the bag lost or it is significantly delayed, provided a mishandled-baggage report is filed. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s thresholds are:
- 12 hours after arrival for a domestic flight;
- 15 hours after arrival for an international flight of 12 hours or less; and
- 30 hours after arrival for an international flight longer than 12 hours.
The clock ends when you pick up the bag at the airport or it is delivered to a location agreed with the airline. Exceptions include certain cases in which a traveler fails to collect and recheck a bag at the first U.S. entry point. This fee refund is distinct from a claim for documented expenses or losses (U.S. Department of Transportation).
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What to do if the airline rejects or ignores your claim
Keep the airline’s decision or your contact records, then use the regulator, consumer authority, mediator, or court process that applies in your jurisdiction. The routes are not interchangeable. For example, French public guidance says a traveler may turn to mediation after the airline refuses the claim or does not respond within two months, and it also describes court proceedings. That French process should not be assumed to apply elsewhere (Service-Public.fr).
Check insurance without assuming it replaces the airline claim
Travel insurance or eligible credit-card coverage may supplement airline liability limits. Before relying on it, check the policy’s baggage coverage, exclusions, deductible, claim deadline, and how it coordinates with any airline reimbursement. Keep the same receipts and records for both processes. EU and French public guidance identify private insurance as an option, but coverage depends on the specific policy (Your Europe; Service-Public.fr).
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
