Luggage

1. As soon as you reach the airport arrivals hall, fill in a PIR form (Property Irregularity Report). Ask for a copy of the form.
2. Only buy necessary items and keep the receipts for all purchases you have to make because your luggage has been delayed.
3. When the delayed luggage has been delivered to you, file a written claim for compensation within 21 days to the airline to recover your financial losses. Attach to your claim a copy of the PIR form and receipts of the items you had to buy because of the delay. Write down on the receipts what the items you purchased were. Keep copies of the receipts.

The right to compensation often depends on whether the delay occurs on the outbound or return flight

• Outbound flight: You can claim compensation from the airline for necessary items you had to buy, including personal hygiene products and clothing, to get you through the waiting period at the destination. The passenger has a duty to minimise such costs; in practice, this means that you cannot replace your entire stock of clothing.
• Return flight: Delayed luggage on the way home does not usually cause the same kind of inconvenience as a delay on an outbound flight, which is why the passenger rarely has the right to compensation.

The airline is not liable for the delayed luggage if it can prove that it has taken all reasonable measures to avoid the losses. You will usually not have the right to compensation for delays caused by weather conditions, security risks or a strike, for instance. However, the airline must be able to prove the cause of the delay and justify its actions in the situation.

1. As soon as you reach the airport arrivals hall, fill in a PIR form (Property Irregularity Report) if your luggage does not arrive on the same flight with you. Ask for a copy of the form.
2. If your luggage does not turn up within 21 days of the arrival of the flight, submit a written claim for compensation to the airline as soon as possible. Attach to the claim the PIR form, a list of what you had in your suitcase, and the value and date of purchase of each item.

It is likely that the airline will demand proof of the value of the lost items. If you no longer have the receipts, try to put down the date of purchase and price of the goods on your list. You should note that the compensation for used goods will not be the full price you paid for them or the price of a new item, as the use you have had out of the items and their reduced value will be taken into account.

1. As soon as you reach the airport arrivals hall, fill in a PIR form (Property Irregularity Report). Ask for a copy of the form.
2. Submit a written report of the damage to the airline as soon as you notice it, and in any case within seven days of receiving your luggage. Otherwise, you will lose your right to compensation. Describe the damage and attach a copy of the PIR form to your claim. A photograph can be helpful in processing your claim.
3. Be prepared to prove the value of the damaged goods and note that the compensation for used goods will not be the full purchase price.

If checked-in luggage is damaged, lost or destroyed while under the care of the airline, the airline is liable. If you do not submit a report of the damage as soon as you receive your suitcase, it will be almost impossible to prove that the damage was caused when the suitcase was in the possession of the airline. The airline is not liable if the damage is caused by a defect in or the poor quality of the suitcase. The airline is only liable for damage to carry-on luggage if the damage was caused because the airline or a person employed by it was negligent.