My checked bag arrived damaged. How do I claim?
File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport baggage desk before you leave, photograph the damage from multiple angles, and submit the airline's damaged-baggage claim within 7 days. Under the Montreal Convention the liability cap is roughly €1,780 (1,519 SDR) per passenger.
The Montreal Convention gives a strict 7-day window to report checked baggage damage in writing (21 days for delay). File the PIR before exiting the baggage hall — airlines routinely refuse claims filed later. Photograph the damage inside the terminal with the bag tag visible. Repair estimates carry more weight than replacement estimates. Wear-and-tear is excluded; structural damage is not. Airlines will often try to offer a fee waiver on your next flight — cash refund of the repair or replacement cost is your right, not a courtesy.
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Last verified 2026-07-29.