European Union

My luggage was lost on an EU flight. What compensation can I claim?

€1,519
Max compensation
7 days
Report deadline
21 days
Claim deadline
Montreal Conven
Governing treaty
The Short Answer

You can claim up to €1,519 per passenger for lost luggage on an EU flight under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the Montreal Convention.

What the Law Says

The compensation for lost luggage on flights within, to, or from the EU is governed primarily by the Montreal Convention (1999), which applies automatically to all international air travel, and supplemented by EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 for aspects of passenger rights including baggage handling obligations.

Under the Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for destruction, loss, or damage to checked baggage occurring during carriage. The carrier’s liability is limited to 1,131 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger — approximately €1,519 as of 2024 — unless you declared a higher value at check-in and paid a supplementary fee.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 does not set baggage compensation amounts directly but requires airlines to handle baggage with due care and obliges them to assist passengers in cases of delay, loss, or damage. It reinforces the application of the Montreal Convention in EU airspace.

You must report lost baggage immediately — no later than 7 days after receipt of baggage if delayed, or within 7 days of the date the baggage should have been delivered if lost — to preserve your right to claim.

Statutory Text

The carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of destruction, loss or damage to checked baggage...

— Montreal Convention, Art. 17(2)
Statutory Text

The carrier's liability in respect of checked baggage is limited to 1,131 SDR per passenger...

— Montreal Convention, Art. 22(2)

What to Do

1

Report the loss immediately at the airport baggage service desk and obtain a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).

2

Submit a written claim to the airline within 7 days for delayed baggage or 21 days for lost baggage, including your PIR, boarding pass, baggage tags, and proof of contents/value.

3

If the airline rejects or ignores your claim, escalate to your national enforcement body (e.g., UK CAA, Germany’s Luftfahrt-Bundesamt) or file a small claims court action.

4

For high-value items (e.g., electronics, jewellery), provide receipts or valuations — note that airlines often exclude liability for unchecked valuables unless declared.

Sources

treatyMontreal Convention, Art. 17(2)treatyMontreal Convention, Art. 22(2)statuteRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.