What should I do if the luggage is not mine? What to do if the airline lost your luggage. Where do you actually need to get your suitcase after boarding?

Don't you notice your original suitcase at the baggage claim? Don't panic. You have everything if you fill out a loss report and provide all the necessary information to airline representatives. Read below about how to do this correctly.

So, your luggage is not on the belt. The Lost&Found desk can help you. The employees behind the counter are required to advise passengers in case of damage or loss of bags and suitcases. If you do not see such a counter, you should find a representative of your airline or a service agent on duty who works in the baggage claim area full time.

Basically, the reason for lost luggage is simple: the tag that was attached to it during check-in has come off. If this happened during transportation, then most likely your luggage was left at the departure airport. In this case, it is easy to find it. It is worse if there is a failure in the computer registration or loading systems. In this case, your luggage may be incorrectly checked in and sent very far away. But at airports where baggage systems are not automated (especially in Asia and the Middle East), your baggage may end up in another country due to a simple loader error.

It is important to understand that the airline that last operated your flight is responsible for your baggage if you are flying in transit. According to statistics, airlines lose passengers' luggage every 90 seconds. As a rule, this happens on connecting flights. In order to return your luggage, you must submit a written claim. You will need the baggage tag tear-off slip that is affixed to your boarding pass and your passport.

The report must describe in detail the special features of the suitcase: what color, size, shape it is, what material it is made of, whether it has additional parts, wheels, handles, tags, stickers, stripes... It is also better to indicate the manufacturer, if you remember . In general, it is always better to play it safe and attach a name tag to your bag in advance, this will greatly simplify the search process.

The loss report is drawn up in two copies so that one of them remains with you. In the act, write down the application number, your coordinates and passport details. Write down the phone number of the baggage tracing service or airline representative. The procedure is completed and you no longer have to sit on pins and needles at the airport - it’s better to go home or to a hotel.

Please note that the airline is not obliged to provide essential items to passengers whose luggage is lost. But some large foreign (!) carriers meet their customers halfway and sometimes give out a set consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, razor and shaving foam, and a T-shirt.

You can track the status of your luggage using the Internet. True, not all Russian air carriers have this service (only if your airline is in the World Tracer system, find out right away. Transaero and S7, for example, are here). On the carrier’s website, you enter the identification number assigned to you when filing a loss report and your last name.

Thus, Domodedovo Airport has been connected to it since 2001. By the way, this hub processes about 14 million pieces of luggage per year, and the rate of baggage loss here is the lowest in the world: 0.6-1.2 per 1000 pieces of luggage in winter and summer, respectively.

The found luggage will be brought to your home (you will indicate the address in the report). Delivery within the city of flight and its suburbs is free. If you need to carry it further, the luggage will remain at the airport (or airline office) until your arrival, but only for a year. Before returning the “prodigal luggage,” you must be called and notified of the courier’s arrival.

The luggage must be found within 24 hours. But sometimes things happen differently. If the suitcase has not been returned within 5 days, you should contact the air carrier and make a list of the things that are inside the luggage (the list will be included in the additional search parameters). In this case, your luggage will almost certainly be found (at least that’s what the airlines assure).

The maximum period for searching a suitcase is 21 days. If time has passed, and “Herman is still not there” - write - “disappeared”... Either the luggage was stolen, or lost forever. The airline is obliged to pay you for the damage. According to the Warsaw Convention on Air Transport and Article 119 of the Russian Air Code, the airline pays compensation for lost luggage at the rate of 600 rubles per kilogram. Even if there were very expensive things in your suitcase. Weight calculation is made by weight. If it suddenly turns out that the bag was not weighed, then its weight is estimated at 35 kilograms. In principle, if you still have receipts for the items packed in your suitcase, you can demand additional compensation, but even in this case, if you are lucky, you will only be reimbursed 50% of the cost of the goods.

You can reduce the risk of lost luggage. Firstly, before the flight, do not forget to remove all excess stickers from your suitcase left over from previous flights (tags can simply be mixed up at airports).

If you are a transit passenger, and luggage is most often lost on connecting flights, check that the tag indicates the final destination where your luggage will be handed over to you. Purchase tickets so that there is at least an hour and a half of time between two connecting flights. Otherwise, the luggage simply may not have time to be reloaded from one plane to another.

You can also insure your suitcase. However, the insurance service does not apply to flights within Russia. Leading domestic insurance companies Ingosstrakh, Renaissance and Uralsib do not insure against lost luggage on domestic airlines. Treat yourself to the hope that, according to statistics, Russian air carriers lose luggage less often than international ones. We simply have fewer “baggage-hazardous” connecting flights in our country.

If you have lost your hand luggage, please contact the flight attendants. Perhaps the bag was left in the cabin of the plane. If you have already passed the control zone and there is no way back, go to the same Lost&Found counter. Everything is arranged according to the scheme already described. Departure staff will be contacted by airport staff. Regardless of weight, carry-on luggage is always valued at $400 - the amount the airline must pay. In case of loss of documents, jewelry and equipment, nothing will be reimbursed to you. But you can demand compensation for moral damage through the court. Of course, you need to soberly assess the situation and understand under what circumstances your bag was lost: it was stolen or you yourself forgot it somewhere.

Losing your luggage can ruin your entire vacation or ruin your travel experience. Sometimes you have to wait several weeks for the return of a missing suitcase. Roman Gilmanov, founder of the company Compensair, which helps passengers receive compensation from airlines, especially for readers, compiled a list of actions that need to be taken if the carrier has lost your suitcase, and told how to get compensation from the carrier for the inconvenience caused.

If upon arrival you discover that your suitcases are damaged or are not on the delivery line at all, do not be upset. Under the 1999 Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for damages for delays, loss and damage to baggage, so you have very specific rights that you need to know.

Before leaving the baggage claim area, contact airport staff or the lost and found desk (Lost luggage/ Baggage Claim/ Help Desk). Ask to fill out a Baggage Irregularity Report (P.I.R.) to formally report the incident and make an inventory of missing items or damage.

Important: If you do not complete a P.I.R. report at baggage claim, the airline will likely refuse to process any further claims.

If your luggage is lost abroad (in a country where you do not reside permanently), the airline is required to provide you with a kit of essential items. Depending on the airline's rules, you have the right to demand:

a set of toiletries;

(most often) reimbursement of expenses for linen, clothing and toiletries up to a certain amount upon presentation of receipts confirming the purchase (on average 70-100 euros);

payments of a fixed amount per day for a specified period.

If your luggage is not found within 21 days, it is considered lost. After this period, you acquire the right to receive monetary compensation for lost items.

What to do to get a refund

The first step is to file a claim for delay, loss or damage to luggage. It must describe in detail the contents of the lost luggage or damaged property and its approximate cost. It will help if you provide some kind of proof of this cost (receipts, credit card statements, etc.). You need to attach a copy of the documents you have to the inventory (P.I.R. act)

In addition, it is important to meet the deadlines, otherwise the application may be rejected:

up to 7 days - for lost or stolen items (from luggage) or damaged luggage;

up to 21 days - for delayed baggage from the moment of its receipt (in some airlines, in order to receive reimbursement of expenses caused by the delay, you must submit a claim and proof of expenses within 21 days from the date of filling out the P.I.R.)

What documents should be attached to the claim?

P.I.R. Act;

boarding pass;

baggage receipt;

checks confirming the forced purchase of essential items (in case of baggage delay);

a list of the contents of the luggage and its approximate value (in case of loss);

an estimate of repair costs (if the luggage is subject to repair) or confirmation from a specialist that the luggage cannot be repaired (in case of damage to the luggage);

Bank details;

a copy of your passport or identity card.

How much can you expect?

The maximum liability limit is about 1.4 thousand euros.

Report loss or damage without leaving the baggage claim area;

keep all documents related to the flight (baggage receipt, etc.);

clarify the situation as much as possible with the baggage counter staff (what phone number can you use to contact the airline/airport, the timing of further actions, and so on).

Transportation rules may vary, so we recommend that you carefully study the information provided on the airline’s website.

What to do if the airline refuses compensation

If you are denied payment, legal proceedings may be initiated. The right to sue the airline remains valid for two years from the date of the carrier’s unlawful (in the passenger’s opinion) refusal to compensate for damage.

26.04.2016, 20:16 11735

Why luggage gets lost, reasons for losing luggage at the airport

Most often, luggage is lost at the airport for the following reasons:
  • The luggage tag has come off on the luggage
  • Luggage was not reloaded during the transfer
  • Suitcases were sent on the wrong plane
  • The luggage had a tag from another country attached to it
  • Airport baggage handlers forgot your suitcase or put it on the wrong trolley
  • The luggage was mistakenly placed in the large baggage section.

How to reduce risks and prevent luggage loss

  • Make your own tag for your suitcase. On this tag, indicate: full name, phone number, email address, etc. This information will allow you to be found faster if the standard tag comes off on your luggage.
  • Before traveling, remove all old tags from your suitcase.
  • Make sure that the tag on your suitcase is securely attached during check-in.
  • Check your luggage to your final destination
  • If you are flying with transfers, be careful when checking in your luggage. Check to see if you will need to pick it up along the way and return it again.
  • Try to avoid flights with transfers of about 1-2 hours, so that you have time to reload all your things.
  • Wrap your luggage in film. This will reduce the risk that one of the movers will want to open the suitcase and steal things from it.
  • Buy bright suitcases with unusual colors. Such a suitcase will be harder to lose and easier to find.

What to do if you lost your luggage at the airport

If suddenly, upon arrival at your destination and you don’t find your suitcase at the baggage claim, then:

1. Look for your luggage in the Bulky baggage section.

Small luggage can sometimes end up there by mistake. If you don't find your things there, then there is no doubt that you really lost your luggage at the airport. Therefore, immediately proceed to the next step of the instructions.

2. Contact the luggage search service (Lost & Found).

As a rule, the baggage search service is located within sight, not far from the baggage claim area.

If for some reason you were unable to find a baggage tracing service, feel free to go to the representative office of the airline (which lost your luggage) at the airport.
You must report lost luggage as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days from the date of receipt or arrival of the flight at its final destination.

At the Lost & Found counter you will be given a form that you will need to fill out in as much detail as possible.

3. Wait for your luggage to be found

After filling out the document at the Lost & Found counter, you will receive a search request identification number. Using this number, you can track its status on the airline’s website. Detailed instructions on how to find and track delayed or lost luggage online.

Delivery of found luggage

If your luggage is found, you will be contacted to discuss delivery options. There are two options:
  • Found luggage will be delivered to your home (or to the place you specify)
  • You will have to collect your luggage yourself from the nearest airport. In this case, you are required to compensate for transportation costs, so keep all the necessary receipts for this.

What to do if your luggage is not found

Demand compensation for your lost bagand

You can file a complaint against the airline for lost luggage within 18 months from the date of loss.
By law, luggage searches are carried out within 21 days, but most often luggage is found much earlier. If your luggage has not been found after 21 days, it is considered lost and you must be compensated.

If the airline does not react in any way and does not want to pay compensation for the lost luggage, then you have the right to go to court. A claim for lost luggage at the airport can be submitted to the airline within two years.

Some airlines will also pay a one-time compensation that will cover your expenses for essentials while your luggage is searched.

How much money will you be paid for lost luggage?

The amount of compensation for lost luggage depends on the country in which the airline is registered. If your airline is registered in a country that is a party to the Montreal Convention, then compensation will be 1,000 SDR per person, regardless of the weight and pieces of baggage. As of January 2017, this is 1447.93 euros or 1525.11 dollars

As of July 2015, 112 states have joined the Montreal Convention, including all members of the European Union, the USA, Japan, China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other countries.

If you flew with an airline from one of these countries, Belarus, Thailand, etc., then compensation will be no more than $20 for each kilogram of luggage. Russia has joined the Montreal Convention on compensation for lost luggage on international flights; the maximum possible amount of compensation is 360 thousand rubles. - it all depends on the degree of damage caused and the evidence attached.

The amount of compensation for lost luggage can be fixed. Declare your valuables and pay the fee. In this case, if your luggage is lost, you will get all the money back for it.

If you flew with several companies, then the company to which you deposited your luggage is responsible for your luggage.

For more information about what compensation you can receive for damage, delay or loss of luggage,

1. You arrived at the airport at the last minute.Employees no longer have time to load luggage onto the plane, and it may be sent on the next flight.

2. The airline suddenly changed the flight.The essence is the same - the employees did not have enough time to check luggage for the new flight.

3. Are you flying with transfers?, and even different airlines, or there is no direct transfer at the airport between flights of the same airline. In such cases, you need to collect your luggage between flights and check it in again. To avoid this, buy one ticket per route - then your luggage will be transferred automatically.

4. There are too many tags on the suitcase.This is the most common reason for lost luggage, by the way. It's cool that you fly so much. But if you leave all the luggage stickers on your suitcase, then one day it may be sent along the old route. Many staff at the baggage check-in desk reprimand passengers whose suitcases are decorated with old stickers.

5. The front desk employee made a mistake: poorly applied or not applied the tag at all. Airport and airline workers may make a mistake and incorrectly indicate your name or destination. It is impossible to insure against this. of all lost suitcases in 2017 were due to missing tags.

What to do if your luggage is lost

Step 1: Go to the Lost & Found counter at the airport

Typically the stand is located next to the delivery belt. If there is no counter, then you need to look for an airline representative.

Step 2. Fill out an application requesting to return your luggage

If you are abroad, you will have to write in English. You will be given a form or asked to fill out a free form application. You will receive a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) act. Don't lose it - you may need it for compensation.

Don’t worry if you don’t speak English: the form can be filled out by an airport employee.

How to fill out a baggage search application

At the Lost & Found counter you will be given a completed form. Enter your details and describe your suitcase in as much detail as possible. What to write:

  • Full name of the passenger;
  • contact details - telephone, email, address (the one where you need to bring your luggage);
  • flight number and your route;
  • data from the luggage tag;
  • color, size, shape of the suitcase;
  • in the additional line - noticeable distinctive features of the suitcase;
  • the description of the items is not just “3 T-shirts and 4 skirts”, but several unique items that will help distinguish it from the rest.

The application must be completed in two copies. At the end, you will be given an application identification number, which you can use to track the fate of your suitcase on the airline’s website or through a global search WorldTracer.

Step 3. Wait for a response

Typically, the receiving party (airport) takes two to five days to search for a suitcase. After this, the airline takes over. She sends a request to the baggage destination, and the search is carried out at all airports. Wait for the call. If they find a suitcase similar to yours, they will let you know.

To speed up the airline's actions, you can use several communication channels at once. Write about your problem by email, call the lost baggage hotline, tag the airline in a post on Facebook and contact us personally. The likelihood that the staff will not wait, but will immediately begin searching for your cargo, will increase.

Step 4. Take your things

Only , all others return to their owners. You will have to wait 21 days - during this time the luggage is considered delayed, but not lost. When the suitcase is found, they will call you. It is the airline's responsibility to deliver the luggage to the owner. So wait for the employee, show him your passport and take your things.

If you do receive your suitcase, but it is damaged, you have the right to compensation for repairing the bag or purchasing a new one. Send the airline a request, receipts and your bank card number - the carrier is obliged to reimburse the costs.

How to get money for small expenses if you are left without things abroad

What if you arrived on vacation, but your suitcase is not there yet? Good news: you won't be left without a toothbrush and a clean T-shirt. You have the right to compensate for the costs of essentials.

The airline is responsible for lost luggage. She also sets the rules - what to compensate and in what volume. Therefore, check this question with an airline representative (for example, on the websites of Air France, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, etc.)

Depending on the rules of a particular airline, you may require:

  • a set of toiletries;
  • reimbursement of costs for underwear, swimsuit (if you arrived on vacation at sea);
  • funds for medicines;
  • warm clothes, raincoats;
  • payment for transfer from the airport (to the hotel, another station).

Most often, airlines reimburse costs in exchange for checks ranging from 70-100 € within 21 days after baggage delivery. At the airport you can also be given a set of toiletries, linen, and a clean T-shirt. The longer you wait for luggage, the wider the list of necessary things and the higher the compensation.

How to find missing suitcases

When an ownerless suitcase is found on the baggage belt, it is taken to the airport warehouse. There, luggage detectives get down to business. If there is a tag on the suitcase, then detectives find the owner's contact information and inform him about the find. If there is no tag, then detectives create an electronic statement about the find and post it on the website of the international search service World Tracer . If after 10 days the owner does not show up, the suitcase is opened and the statement is supplemented with a description of the items.

The suitcase has been waiting for its owner in the warehouse for three months. If the owner does not appear after this, the luggage is sold at auction.

Sometimes the suitcase is found after you have been paid compensation. In this case, there is no need to return it to the airline - consider it compensation for moral damages.

How to apply for compensation if your luggage was not found

1. Make a claim about payment of compensation and submit it to the air carrier in writing.

You are required to draw up a document in free form. You will need two copies in English. Some companies have an online form on their website for filling out a claim. For example, in Air France and UIA.

If you have receipts for items left in your suitcase (new or purchased specifically for the trip), attach them to your claim. Always indicate the maximum amount of compensation in the document - companies usually pay less.

You can submit a document in case of loss of luggage on domestic flights within 6 months after the end of the delivery period (Art. 126 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation ). For international flights - within 18 months after arrival (Art. 127 Air Code of the Russian Federation ).

2. Attach documents: luggage receipt, airline tickets, baggage search report (PIR), receipts for items from the suitcase, bank details, copy of the passport.

3. Submit your complaint to the airline office in person, by registered mail or send a scanned copy by email. If you go to the office, pick up your copy with the signature of the AK representative.

The claim must be reviewed within 30 days. If the airline refuses to accept it, go to court. This can be done at your place of residence in a court of general jurisdiction. Draw up a statement of claim, attach all the documents you have: PIR act, travel tickets, a copy of the claim, receipts for the things in the suitcase. You can demand full compensation for lost luggage under the convention, moral damages and legal costs.

How much compensation can you expect?

The amount of compensation depends on the country in which the airline is registered.

All countries are guided by the rules of one of two conventions - the Warsaw (1929) or Montreal (1999) conventions, which regulate issues of lost luggage. The second convention provides for higher payments. In 2017, Russia joined the Montreal Convention.

It is very difficult to get more than the established amount for luggage. Even if there are receipts for more expensive items in the suitcase. Expensive luggage must be checked in separately, then a special tag is affixed to it.

1. Always peel off old tags so that airport staff do not look for up-to-date information.

2. If you are flying with connections, remind the check-in desk about this. Check to what point your luggage is checked in. Sometimes you have to pick up your suitcase and check it back in the middle of the route. Do not forget about it.

3. Check in for your flight on time and check in your luggage.

4. Attach a tag with your contacts to your suitcase. Indicate your name, phone number, hotel address, email.

5. Decorate your suitcase with a bright element - it will become an identification mark if you suddenly have to fill out documents to search your luggage.

6. If you are carrying expensive items, use insurance or register your suitcase as valuable cargo. For this you will have to pay extra at airline rates, but your luggage will be monitored more diligently.

Just in case, take everything you need in your hand luggage: phone charger, money, documents, medicines. This will help if your luggage is delayed or lost. And try to keep receipts for items purchased for the trip (suitcase, expensive shoes and clothes, equipment) - with their help you can prove the value of the lost cargo and receive maximum compensation.

Checklist: what to do if your luggage is lost

1. Go to the Lost&Found counter and fill out an application there. Receive a PIR report. Expect someone to call you within 21 days.

2. Left without a suitcase in a foreign city - demand compensation for priority expenses. Keep receipts for purchases and provide them to the airline office. You can be reimbursed from 70 to 100 euros.

3. Apply for compensation for lost luggage if your items are not found within three weeks. Fill out the form at the airline office, attach receipts and PIR. Please indicate the maximum possible amount of compensation.

4. Go to court if the airline refuses to accept the application. You can demand compensation for the cost of luggage, legal costs and moral damages.

5. When damaged luggage is returned to you, you have the right to reimburse the costs of repairs or the purchase of a new suitcase. The airline received checks and a free form application.


Compensation to air travelers for loss of baggage on domestic flights is provided primarily by the Air Code of the Russian Federation, and on international flights by international agreements. The airline will be responsible for the loss of luggage to any passenger - both to the one who bought the ticket directly from the carrier (airline), and to the one who bought the ticket for a charter flight (for example, from a tour operator).

According to current legislation, the carrier is responsible for baggage from the moment the baggage is accepted for transportation until the moment it is released to the consignee (the passenger himself or another person specified by him). In this case, the carrier is released from liability for loss or damage to baggage only if he proves that he took all measures to prevent harm or such measures were in principle impossible to take. This is very good for the passenger, since he will not have to prove the reasons for the loss of his luggage.

The airline is responsible for the safety of not only those things that are checked in as luggage, but also for the safety of personal luggage - things that are carried by the passenger in the cabin. The carrier is released from liability if he can prove that the baggage was lost or damaged as a result of the intent of the passenger himself, or due to circumstances beyond the carrier’s control that he could not prevent and eliminate.

1. What a passenger should think about before departure.

  • do not put passports, other important documents, money, payment cards, or things that could be damaged during the flight (cameras, laptops, etc.) in your luggage;
  • Study the baggage rules on the airline and airport websites. Figure out what you can take with you into the cabin and what you will have to check in as luggage. Pay special attention to the list of things that cannot be carried on the plane;
  • If you are carrying particularly valuable items in your luggage, you should think about insured transportation. An additional fee is charged for such transportation. But in case of loss of luggage, you will be reimbursed for the entire declared value;
  • When checking in for a flight and checking in your luggage, be sure to take and save your luggage receipts, tags, and boarding passes.

2. The first actions of a passenger upon detection of missing luggage.

Contact the special airport service that deals with lost luggage. You will need your passport, airline ticket, boarding passes, luggage tags and receipts. Fill in special application for luggage search. Based on this statement, the carrier will be obliged to begin an immediate search for your luggage. The search includes sending requests to the airport of departure and other airports where the baggage may have been mistakenly found, as well as a request to resend the baggage if it can be found. The airline must find your luggage within 21 days. Delivery of baggage to your address is carried out at the expense of the airline.

So at this stage you need to get:

  • report of non-arrival of baggage / statement of search for baggage;
  • certificate of flight delay (in case the plane is late);
  • also keep documents confirming your losses associated with resolving this situation.

3. If your luggage has not been found within 21 days, write a formal complaint to the air carrier.

The claim must be made in writing and sent to the airline by registered mail or a valuable letter with a list of the contents and acknowledgment of delivery. A claim can be filed within 6 months for lost baggage on a domestic flight, and within 18 months for baggage lost on an international flight. The period for consideration of a claim is 30 days. Please attach copies of supporting documents to your claim, including:

  • air ticket;
  • baggage receipt;
  • luggage tags;
  • details for transferring compensation for lost luggage;
  • confirmation of the value of lost items (receipts, contracts, purchase invoices or certificates of average value);
  • documents confirming the delay in delivery of baggage or a passenger (airport certificate, invoice of the courier service that delivered the baggage, etc.).

What you can ask the airline if your luggage is lost or damaged:

1) Compensation for lost luggage.

A) If baggage was carried for an additional fee with a declared value, compensation is paid in the amount of the declared value (both on domestic and international flights).

b) If baggage without a declared value is lost on a domestic flight, compensation is paid in the amount of the cost of lost, damaged, missing items, up to a maximum of 600 rubles per kilogram of baggage. If you can’t prove in any way what specific things were damaged, then ask for 600 rubles for each kilogram lost.

The cost of lost luggage or item is determined on the basis of the seller's invoice or agreement for the purchase of the item. If there are no such documents, you need to get a certificate about the average cost of the item on the day when the luggage was supposed to be issued.

V) If you lose your personal luggage on a domestic flight, you have the right to receive compensation in the amount of the cost of lost, damaged items, or up to 11 thousand rubles if the cost cannot be determined;

G) Compensation for loss or damage to special mobility aids for disabled people (including wheelchairs) is paid in the amount of their value.

e) Compensation for loss of baggage without declared value on international flights.

Flights on which the destination and departure points are located on the territory of different states are considered international. Or flights where the destination and departure points are located on the territory of the Russian Federation, but there was at least one landing point on the territory of another state.