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Lost, damaged or delayed luggage?

Did the airline lose your luggage? Read about your rights to get compensation

First of all: Refundmore helps passengers get compensation for their own delays or cancellations. We cannot help you with compensation due to lost or delayed luggage, as this is an insurance question, but we are happy to advise you how to go from here.


Since travel insurances generally cover delayed, damaged or lost luggage, you should check with your insurance company, if you have signed up for travel insurance. If you do not have any travel insurance, or if your travel insurance does not cover the specific incident, you are able to get professional assistance from Consumer Europe, which may advise and assist you in getting compensation from the airline for your luggage.

 


Your rights if your luggage is delayed or lost

To be entitled to compensation for luggage, you must submit a written complaint to the airline within 21 days after the incident, wherein you claim compensation regarding the additional expenses you incurred due to the delay and/or for the damage/loss of your luggage.


When creating your claim, you must attach all relevant documentation regarding the loss/delay or damage to your luggage, e.g. receipts of reasonable purchases. If you are in possession of a PIR-report (Property Irregularity Report), which is documentation that proves your luggage is damaged/delayed/lost, you should attach the PIR-report to the complaint as well.


If you are not in possession of a PIR-report, you are able to get this PIR-report from the airline in the airport's arrival hall.


Compensatory purchases of delayed or lost luggage?

Air passengers are entitled to buy reasonable necessities when the luggage is delayed or lost while on vacation; however, not on your return flight. Reasonable necessities are considered, e.g. underwear, medicine, charger for phone or computer. When defining what is reasonable, you should consider the circumstances of your travel. If you are going to a business meeting, a wedding or a funeral, it may be reasonable to rent a suit or dress.


It is essential that you do not make any unreasonable purchases, and that you only buy what is needed at the moment. How much you are eligible to buy for, depends on several factors e.g. the duration you have been without your luggage, where you are flying to (swimsuits for Greenland and thick winter clothes for Algeria is not suggested claimed for), the purpose of the flight etc. In addition to getting your compensatory purchases reimbursed, you may claim up to EUR 1350, if the luggage never comes into your possession.

 

Fortunately, delayed and lost luggage rarely occurs


We still hear about luggage issues at airports, but stats from the international airline information company SITA show that in 2015 only 7.3 issues occurred for every 1,000 passengers (0.73%).


The issues have been falling drastically the last many years as airlines have learned from the many financial consequences these situations bring.

4 good tips:


  1. Request a PIR-report which confirms that your luggage is delayed, lost or damaged.
  2. Avoid making expensive purchases (buy what is necessary and reasonable).
  3. Save receipts of all your purchases, so that you can ask for reimbursement of these by the airline, later on. It should be written on the receipts what you have bought.
  4. Check whether your travel insurance covers the loss before you submit the claim to the airline. Sometimes some credit card companies have insurance included - i.e. if you bought your vacation with a Mastercard.


Did you know that, if your flight was delayed by more than 3 hours, or cancelled, you may be eligible for financial compensation of up to EUR 600? Read more here or try our calculator, to find out how much you may get.

Ready to claim your compensation? Delayed or cancelled flight?

Refundmore helps you get compensation of up to 600 Euros (540 Pounds) if your flight was delayed or cancelled

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