First steps when your luggage did not arrive
The first rule: do not leave the airport without reporting the issue at the Baggage Services or Lost & Found desk. Every minute of delay reduces your chances of getting your suitcase back quickly.
Before you approach the desk, prepare your documents: boarding pass, baggage tag attached at check-in, and your passport or ID. The baggage tag is the barcode sticker that airport staff attach to your suitcase handle during check-in. Without it, identifying your bag becomes much harder.
If you cannot find the baggage tag, give your flight number, route, a description of the suitcase (colour, brand, size, distinctive markings) and your contact details. The more precise the description, the better. Show a photo of your suitcase from your phone if you have one.
Airlines are required to accept the report and issue confirmation in the form of a case reference number. Keep it - you will need it to track the status and for any compensation claim.
The PIR form - how to fill it in correctly
PIR (Property Irregularity Report) is the official baggage irregularity report form. You fill it in on the spot at the airport baggage office. It is a key document - without it the airline may refuse to pay compensation.
In the PIR form you provide: flight number and date, baggage tag number, detailed description of the suitcase (colour, manufacturer, model, distinctive marks, lock, wheels, straps), a list of the most important items in the luggage, the address for bag delivery (hotel, home), and a phone number and email.
Write as many details as possible. Describe the colour and pattern precisely (not "black suitcase" but "hard-shell black Samsonite with a red ribbon tied on the handle"). A precise description speeds up identification when the suitcase reaches the lost property warehouse.
After submitting the form you will receive a reference number in the World Tracer system - a global lost luggage database used by most airlines. You can use this number to track the status online.
Important: you have 7 days to file a PIR for damaged luggage and 21 days for lost luggage. After that, claims expire under the Montreal Convention which governs airline liability.
How to track lost luggage - systems and tools
Most major airlines offer an online baggage tracking tool. Just go to the carrier's website and enter your PIR case number. The World Tracer system also lets you check the status at worldtracer.aero.
Status updates usually appear every few hours. The most common statuses are: "Delayed" (luggage found, on its way to you), "Forwarded" (sent on the next flight) and "Found" (located at a specific place).
If after 5 days the system shows no progress, call the airline hotline directly. Have your PIR number, flight number, dates and bag description ready. For longer business trips or holidays it is worth sending email inquiries - you then have written confirmation of correspondence which can be useful for a compensation claim.
When the suitcase is found, the airline should deliver it to the given address at their own cost. In practice the waiting time ranges from a few hours to a few days. If you are already on your way home, give your home address or a permanent contact address.
Compensation for lost luggage - how much and when you are entitled
Under the Montreal Convention of 1999, the airline's liability for loss or damage to checked luggage is up to 1,288 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per passenger. In euro terms this is currently around 1,500-1,600 EUR, though the rate changes.
If your suitcase does not return within 21 days of the report, it is officially declared lost and you are entitled to compensation. You submit a written claim to the airline, attaching a copy of the PIR, boarding pass, proof of purchase of the suitcase if you have it, and a list of more valuable items with an estimated value.
The airline may pay a lump sum or ask for invoices confirming the value. It is worth photographing the contents of your suitcase before every trip - a simple practice that makes it easier to assess losses.
If you have travel insurance, check whether it covers lost luggage - the limit is often higher than the airline's liability and the process faster. Some premium credit cards also offer automatic luggage protection.
Also remember costs incurred because of the missing luggage: buying essential items (clothing, toiletries, medicine) that you did not have in your carry-on. The airline should reimburse "reasonable expenses" on presentation of receipts. The limit of "reasonable" is usually a few hundred euros for several days of delay.
How to protect yourself from losing luggage - practical tips
The most effective protection is what you put in place before anything goes wrong. Here are proven practices that significantly increase the chance of recovering luggage.
Photograph your luggage and its contents. Before every flight take a photo of the suitcase from the outside and open with the contents. A few seconds that can save hours of explanations.
Label luggage on the outside and inside. An external baggage label is the minimum. It is also worth putting a card with contact details inside the suitcase - when the external label tears off or gets lost, airport staff can open the suitcase and find contact details inside.
Make your suitcase visually distinctive. A black suitcase is the worst possible option because they all look identical. A coloured strap, tag, sticker or a vividly coloured suitcase makes identification easier on the belt and in the warehouse.
Do not pack invaluable items in checked luggage. Medicines, jewellery, documents, electronics, money - all of this should go with you in carry-on luggage. The Montreal Convention excludes liability for valuables in checked luggage.
Allow plenty of time for connections. Most luggage losses happen because of too little time at a connection. Luggage has to physically cover the same route as you. Allow at least 1.5-2 hours for a connection at a large airport.
Check the baggage tag before leaving the check-in desk. Make sure the tag shows the correct final destination, not the intermediate one. This is a frequent staff error on complex routes.
QR tag on your suitcase - quick contact with the finder without revealing your address
A classic luggage label with your name, phone number and home address solves the identification problem but creates another: your personal data is visible to anyone who picks up the suitcase. Your home address on luggage tells a potential thief where you live and that you are currently away.
A Smart QR tag is a label with a QR code that when scanned shows only what you decide: your first name, a contact email, the current hotel address, or just an anonymous contact form. The finder - airport staff, a warehouse worker or a random person - can contact you immediately, without knowing your home address.
For frequent travellers this is a huge convenience. Changing hotel or route? Update the details in the app - the physical tag stays the same. No need to print new labels before every trip.
The page shown after scanning works in 10 languages: Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian and Czech. A finder from Germany, Italy or Spain sees the information in their own language - this significantly increases the chance of contact when luggage goes missing abroad.
One QR code works on multiple items at the same time: suitcase, backpack, hand luggage. Print the label as many times as you need and attach it to every bag. All scans go to one account.
The anonymous contact form is extra protection for both parties: the finder does not need to give their own details to make contact, you receive an email notification and can reply through an encrypted connection.