How much compensation do you get if your luggage is lost on a flight? Know the rules

In India, cases of lost or damaged luggage during domestic flights are handled under the Carriage by Air Act, 1972.  For international flights, the Montreal Convention applies.

Cases of lost luggage at Lucknow Airport are becoming increasingly common. The latest incident involves an Indigo Airlines flight, where Judge Suresh Kumar Gupta's suitcase went missing after he arrived in Lucknow from Kerala on an Indigo flight. The judge, who arrived in Lucknow via Hyderabad, did not find one of his bags on the conveyor belt at the airport. Despite waiting and filing a complaint, there was no trace of his luggage even after two days. The judge has filed a formal complaint regarding the matter. Earlier, on December 30th, another passenger arriving in Lucknow from Muscat also reported their luggage missing. So, let's tell you how much compensation you can get if your luggage is lost on a flight and what the rules are.

What to do if your luggage is lost on a flight?

If your bag doesn't appear on the conveyor belt after disembarking from the flight, you should immediately report it to the airline's baggage claim counter. Here, you need to file a Property Irregularity Report. The airline then searches for your luggage for 21 days. If the bag is found during this period, it is returned to you. However, if the luggage is not found even after 21 days of searching, it is officially considered lost. In such a situation, the passenger can claim compensation, although documents like the boarding pass and baggage tag are necessary.

How much compensation can you get if your luggage is lost?

In India, cases of lost or damaged luggage during domestic flights are handled under the Carriage by Air Act, 1972. For international flights, the Montreal Convention applies. In both cases, the airline's liability is limited to a certain extent. According to DGCA rules, if a passenger's luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged on a domestic flight, the airline may have to pay compensation of up to ₹20,000. For Indian passengers traveling on international airlines, the company pays up to 1131 SDR (Special Drawing Rights), which is equivalent to ₹124,925, for damaged luggage. SDR is a unit of account created by the International Monetary Fund, and 1 SDR is currently worth approximately ₹109.

What to keep in mind when claiming compensation?

When traveling by flight, always remember to take pictures of your bags and luggage before check-in.
Keep your boarding pass and baggage tag safe.
Then, submit your claim along with a copy of the PIR (Property Irregularity Report) within the stipulated time.