Baggage problems
Damaged baggage: report it within 7 days
My bag arrived damaged — what should I do and how quickly?
Applies to: International · National law variesRules last checked:
On this page
In short
For damage to checked baggage the Convention’s written complaint must be made within seven days from the date of receipt. If no complaint is made within that time, no action lies against the carrier, except in the case of fraud on its part.
The carrier is liable for damage to checked baggage if it happened on board or while the bag was in its charge, up to 1,519 SDR per passenger.
What to do next
- Photograph the damage before you leave the airport.
- Get the damage report reference from the desk.
- Send your written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Keep the bag, the tag and the packaging until the claim is settled.
What to do
At the belt
- Check the bag and its contents before you leave the hall if you can; note the damage.
- Photograph the damage, the bag tag and the baggage belt area.
- Report at the airline’s baggage desk and ask for a damage report with a reference number.
What to check
The seven-day rule
In the case of damage to checked baggage, the person entitled to delivery must complain to the carrier forthwith after the discovery of the damage and at the latest within seven days from the date of receipt. Every complaint must be made in writing and given or dispatched within that time.
Damage discovered later — for example when you unpack — still needs the written complaint inside those seven days, so do not wait.
The airline’s liability for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage is limited to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR, an IMF unit of account) per passenger, according to the limits ICAO revised with effect from 28 December 2024, unless you made a special declaration of interest at check-in and paid a supplementary sum. The figure was 1,288 SDR before that revision.
What to do
What to put in the claim
- Booking reference, flight numbers and dates, baggage tag number and the damage report reference.
- Photographs and a description of what was damaged and how.
- The repair estimate or the purchase receipt and age of the bag or items.
- The amount you are claiming, in one figure.
Sources
- Montreal Convention 1999 — text as scheduled in UK legislation — legislation.gov.uk (UK National Archives)
- Revised limits of liability under the Montreal Convention (effective 28 December 2024) — International Civil Aviation Organization
General information to help you understand your options — not legal advice, and not a promise that any payment or refund is due to you. Your rights depend on the facts of your journey and the law that applies; check the official sources above and the carrier’s own terms.