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Air travel: lost, delayed or damaged baggage
Verified 29 February 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
When traveling by plane, any of your luggage is delayed, lost or damaged? The airline must compensate you. Only checked and checked baggage is affected. Compensation depends on the country in which your airline is based. We'll tell you what you need to know.
What applies to you ?
Delayed or lost luggage
The airline is liable if your checked baggage is lost or delayed. She has to compensate you.
If any of your luggage is absent on arrival, you must report as soon as possible to the airline you traveled with (your last flight).
Depending on the case, you must point out by one of the following means:
- Passage to the company counter
- Lodging of an alert on its website
The company must start a search of your luggage and keep you informed of the results.
You must to lodge a complaint with the company.
You can claim compensation depending on your situation:
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The luggage is found by the airline
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for their refund, justifying your purchases.
The application period depends on the company's situation.
Your airline is European
You must respect a maximum of 21 days.List of countries that have signed the Warsaw ConventionList of signatories to the Montreal Convention
The period runs from the day the baggage was placed at your disposal.
FYI
the company may offer you to deliver your luggage if this is provided for for example in its general conditions of sale or transport.
Your company is not European or you do not know its nationality
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
Your company depends on the Montreal Convention
You must respect a maximum of 21 days.
The period runs from the day the baggage was placed at your disposal.
FYI
The company may offer you to deliver your luggage if this is provided for for example in its general conditions of sale or transport.
Your company depends on the Warsaw Convention
You must respect a maximum of 14 days.
The period runs from the day the baggage was placed at your disposal.
FYI
The company may offer you to deliver your luggage if this is provided for for example in its general conditions of sale or transport.
The baggage is definitely lost
The time limit depends on the situation of the company.
Your airline is European
You must to lodge a complaint with the company.
The luggage is considered lost in the following cases:
- Loss recognized by the company
- Luggage not delivered at the end of 21 days
You must file a written refund request as soon as possible with the company, preferably by mail RAR: titleContent.
You must present in your application the harm you suffered.
Attach a copy of supporting documents (invoices for your goods, etc.).
FYI
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for a refund. Attach a copy of your proof of purchase.
Your company is not European or you do not know its nationality
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
You must to lodge a complaint with the company.
Baggage is considered lost in the following cases:
- Loss recognized by the company
- Luggage not delivered at the end of 21 days
You must file a written refund request as soon as possible with the company, preferably by mail RAR: titleContent.
You must present in your application the harm you suffered.
Attach a copy of supporting documents (invoices for your goods...).
FYI
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for a refund. Attach a copy of your proof of purchase
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
You must to lodge a complaint with the company.
Baggage is considered lost in the following cases:
- Loss recognized by the company
- Luggage not delivered at the end of 14 days
You must file a written refund request as soon as possible with the company, preferably by mail RAR: titleContent.
You must present in your application the harm you suffered.
Attach a copy of supporting documents (invoices for your goods...).
FYI
If the absence of your luggage has forced you to buy basic necessities, you can ask for a refund. Attach a copy of your proof of purchase.
The maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to depends on the country of your airline.
This amount shall be fixed in Special drawing rights (SDRs)However, it varies according to currency fluctuations.
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The airline is European
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
Other
The allowance is capped and depends on the agreement that applies to the flight.
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,667 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €28 per kg of baggage (22 SDRs).
If the damage you have suffered exceeds this amount, check whether you can benefit from a additional reimbursement.
Depending on your situation, you can do one of the following:
- Specific insurance you have taken out when checking in your luggage
- Insurance linked to your credit card if you paid for your flight with your card (according to the guarantees covered)
Please note
if you have made a special declaration of interest upon check-in of your baggage and paid the cost of this service, the airline must compensate you for the amount declared.
If the company refuses to compensate you or does not respond within 2 months, you can to contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel.
The airline must have signed the mediation charter.
You can check if the company has signed the charter and referred the matter to the mediator:
Contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel
If you don't succeed, you can to bring proceedings before the court of justice.
You have 2 years (from the loss of baggage) to do so.
The competent court depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a case less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a case greater than €10,000No, it's the court.
Who shall I contact
You can claim damages for the damage suffered (loss of luggage, replacement of lost objects, etc.) without limit of amount, if you can prove your damage.
Damaged luggage
If, on arrival, you discover that one of your luggage is damaged, the company must compensate you.
The airline is responsible if your luggage is damaged.
If you notice on arrival that any of your luggage is damaged or damaged, you must report promptly to the airline you traveled with (your last flight).
Send your complaint, preferably by mail RAR: titleContent.
You can use the following model:
Seek compensation from the airline in case of damaged baggage
The amount of time you have depends on the country in which your airline is established.
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The airline is European
You must act in a maximum of 7 days.
Your company is not European or you do not know its nationality
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
You must act in a maximum of 7 days.
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
You must act in a maximum of 3 days.
You can claim compensation for your baggage and what was inside it.
Accompany your request with copies or supporting documents (e.g. photos of damaged baggage, invoices for your goods).
The maximum amount of compensation to which you are entitled depends on the country in which your airline is established.
This amount shall be fixed in Special drawing rights (SDRs)However, it varies according to currency fluctuations.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
The airline is European
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,577 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
Other
The allowance is capped and depends on the agreement that applies to the flight.
If the company is not European or you do not know its nationality, check the agreement on which it depends. It is one of the following 2 conventions:
The information is on your airline ticket. If it is not, contact the airline to find out.
The flight depends on the Montreal Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €1,577 (1,288 SDRs) per passenger.
You must submit proof of your losses (invoices...).
The flight depends on the Warsaw Convention
The maximum compensation is approximately €27 per kg of baggage (22 SDRs).
If the damage you have suffered exceeds this amount, check if you can benefit from an additional refund.
Depending on your situation, you can do one of the following:
- Specific insurance you have taken out when checking in your luggage
- Insurance linked to your credit card if you paid for your flight with your card (according to the guarantees covered)
FYI
If you have performed a special declaration of interest upon check-in of your baggage and paid the cost of this service, the airline must compensate you for the amount declared.
If the company refuses to compensate you or does not respond within 2 months, you can to contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel.
The airline must have signed the mediation charter.
You can check if the company has signed the charter and referred the matter to the mediator:
Contact the Ombudsman Tourism and Travel
If you don't succeed, you can to bring proceedings before the court of justice.
The competent court depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a case less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a case greater than €10,000No, it's the court.
Who shall I contact
You can claim damages for the damage suffered (damage to luggage, replacement of lost objects, etc.) without limit of amount.
You must prove your damage.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
0809 540 550 DGCCRF - ResponseConso
Having trouble following a purchase? Do you have a question about a point of law before buying or ordering?
You can get an answer from a DGCCRF: titleContent by calling the 0809 540 550.
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