Reviewed on 30 September 2026
Lost, delayed or damaged luggage: what to do and your deadlines
The property irregularity report at the airport, written claim deadlines and the most an airline can be made to pay under the Montreal Convention.
Once you check in a bag, the airline is responsible for it until it’s handed back to you. On flights from Spain, that responsibility is governed by the 1999 Montreal Convention, which in the European Union applies to all EU airlines.
Before you leave the airport
If your bag doesn’t appear on the carousel or comes out damaged, don’t leave the baggage hall without reporting it. Go to the airline’s desk (or its ground handling agent) and ask for a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). Keep the copy and the reference number: you’ll need them for any later claim.
Deadlines for a written claim
The airport report isn’t the same as a claim. According to the European Commission, you must complain in writing to the airline within these deadlines:
| Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Damaged bag | 7 days from receiving it |
| Delayed bag | 21 days from when it was delivered to you |
| Lost bag | If it hasn’t arrived 21 days after it should have, it counts as lost and you can claim for it |
Attach your boarding pass, the bag tag stub, the PIR and receipts for anything you’re claiming.
How much the airline can pay
The Montreal Convention sets a maximum per passenger for destroyed, lost, damaged or delayed baggage. Since 28 December 2024, following a review by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR), an International Monetary Fund unit whose value in euros changes daily.
It’s a ceiling, not a fixed payout: you’ll need to prove the value of what was lost or damaged. If you’re travelling with valuables, some airlines let you make a special declaration of value at check-in, usually for a fee.
If your bag is delayed
While you wait, you can claim essential expenses from the airline (toiletries, a change of clothes…). Keep every receipt and only buy what you need: airlines only refund reasonable, documented costs.
This guide summarises the rules for information purposes. Also check your airline’s conditions of carriage and the official sources linked below.