Lost, delayed or damaged baggage in India: how to claim
Report the problem at the airline’s baggage desk before you leave the arrivals hall and get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). Then claim in writing: within 7 days for damaged baggage and within 21 days of getting a delayed bag back. Keep the PIR number, boarding pass, bag tag, receipts and — the part most people lack — photos of what was in the bag.
Most delayed bags turn up within a day or two. But the steps you take before you leave the airport decide whether you can claim if one doesn’t — or if it comes back broken. Here is what to do, in order, for flights within India and international flights to and from India.
At the airport: get a PIR before you leave
- Go to the airline’s baggage services desk in the arrivals hall, before you exit.
- Report the missing or damaged bag and ask for a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). You get a reference number — every later step uses it.
- Give a clear description: brand, colour, size, identifying marks, what’s on the tag. A photo of the bag helps.
- For damage, show it at the desk and make sure the PIR describes it. Photograph it there too.
- Keep your boarding pass and bag tag stub (the sticker on your boarding pass or ticket).
- Give a delivery address and phone number, and ask how you will be updated.
If you only notice damage after you get home, report it to the airline in writing straight away — but a report made at the airport is much easier to accept.
The deadlines
| Problem | Written complaint, at the latest |
|---|---|
| Damaged checked baggage | Within 7 days of receiving the bag |
| Delayed baggage | Within 21 days of the bag being delivered to you |
| Lost baggage | As soon as the airline confirms it lost, or after 21 days missing — don’t wait; file in writing early |
The 7-day and 21-day limits come from Article 31 of the Montreal Convention, which India applies to international flights. Airlines operating in India follow the same windows in their conditions of carriage, but check yours — and complain in writing even if you have already called.
How much you can get
International flights
Under the Montreal Convention, an airline’s liability for lost, damaged or delayed baggage is capped per passenger. ICAO revised the cap to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger from 28 December 2024. SDR is a basket currency, so the rupee amount moves with exchange rates. The cap is a maximum: you are paid your actual, proven loss up to it.
Flights within India
Domestic flights follow the DGCA rules and the airline’s conditions of carriage, which cap compensation per kilogram of checked baggage up to a fixed maximum per passenger — far below the international limit. Read your airline’s current figure in its conditions of carriage before you claim.
Declaring a higher value
If you travel with things worth more than the cap, ask at check-in about a special declaration of value (sometimes for a fee). Better still, don’t check them in — see below.
Delayed bag: claim your essentials
While a bag is delayed, you can usually claim reasonable costs for essentials — toiletries, a change of clothes, medicines. Ask the airline what it covers, keep every receipt, and buy only what you actually need. Some airlines pay a fixed interim amount; others reimburse against bills.
What to send with your claim
- PIR reference number
- Boarding pass and bag tag number
- Ticket or booking reference
- A list of the contents with approximate values
- Receipts for valuable items, if you have them
- Photos of the bag and of what was in it
- Photos of the damage and a repair estimate (for damaged bags)
- Receipts for essentials bought while the bag was delayed
- Your bank details for payment
The contents list is where claims stall: few people can list everything in a suitcase from memory, at a counter, after a long flight. If you photograph each bag as you pack it — the open suitcase, contents visible — you have both the list and the evidence. WhatsWhere does this per bag and keeps the date, so the list is ready if you need it.
What never to put in checked baggage
- Passport, visa, tickets and copies of all documents
- Cash, jewellery and gold
- Laptops, tablets, cameras, hard drives
- Medicines for at least two days, with prescriptions
- Keys, chargers and power banks (power banks must go in the cabin)
- One change of clothes for each traveller
Airlines’ liability for valuables in checked bags is limited or excluded, and a bag at the wrong airport is the worst place for your medicines.
If the airline doesn’t respond
- Follow up in writing with your PIR number and a date to reply.
- Escalate to the airline’s grievance or appellate officer (listed on its website).
- Use the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s AirSewa grievance portal.
- As a last step, a complaint can go to the consumer commission through e-Daakhil.
Packing for a trip soon? Start with the travel packing checklist.
Rules and amounts change; this is general information, not legal advice. Check your airline’s conditions of carriage for the current terms.
Photos of every bag, before you fly
Photograph each suitcase as you pack it and WhatsWhere lists what’s inside, with the date. If a bag goes missing, you already have the contents list and the photos for the claim.