Delayed or missing luggage: what to do first

The carousel stops, but your case has not appeared. Before leaving the airport, take a few minutes to report it. An early report helps the search and gives you a written record for what follows.

1. Report that the bag is missing

Go to the airline’s baggage desk or the service indicated at the airport. Have your boarding pass and checked-bag receipt to hand. Ask for a case reference, often called a PIR, and the contact details for the baggage team. Some airlines offer an online report; follow their procedure and keep the confirmation.

2. Give useful details

Describe the case, its colour, distinctive features and the address where it can be delivered. If you use a tracker linked to your phone, you can share the last available location with the airline. It may help the search, but it does not replace the official report or guarantee live tracking.

3. Keep your records

Ask the airline what its process is for essential purchases while the bag is delayed. Keep receipts for reasonable expenses, messages with the carrier and the delivery date. If the case is damaged, take photographs as soon as possible and report the damage through the airline’s procedure.

4. Check the applicable deadlines

Your rights depend on the route and legal framework. For flights covered by European rules, the official Your Europe portal says a written complaint should be made within seven days for lost or damaged baggage, or within 21 days of receiving delayed baggage. Check the rules for your flight and do not wait unnecessarily. A search report is not necessarily the same as a written claim.

Keep these together

• The case reference and checked-bag receipt
• Boarding pass and airline contact details
• Photographs, an inventory and receipts for essential purchases
• Copies and dates of messages

See Your Europe’s official air passenger guidance for details. For journeys outside that framework, ask the airline which rules apply to your trip.