Airline Lost/Damaged Baggage Claim

AIRLINE LOST/DAMAGED BAGGAGE CLAIM

TYPE OF CLAIM

☐ Lost Baggage - Bag not delivered and declared lost by airline
☐ Delayed Baggage - Bag not delivered on time but later recovered
☐ Damaged Baggage - Physical damage to bag or contents
☐ Pilfered Baggage - Items missing from checked baggage

SECTION I - PASSENGER INFORMATION

Full Legal Name (as on ticket): [________________________________]

Mailing Address: [________________________________]

City: [________________] State: [____] Zip: [__________]

Country: [________________________________]

Phone (Primary): [________________________________]

Phone (Alternate): [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

Frequent Flyer Number: [________________________________]

SECTION II - FLIGHT INFORMATION

Airline: [________________________________]

Flight Number: [________________________________]

Date of Travel: [__/__/____]

Departure City/Airport: [________________________________]

Arrival/Final Destination City/Airport: [________________________________]

Connecting Flights (if any):

Confirmation/Record Locator: [________________________________]

Ticket Number: [________________________________]

Class of Service: ☐ First ☐ Business ☐ Premium Economy ☐ Economy

SECTION III - BAGGAGE INFORMATION

Checked Baggage Details

Number of Bags Checked: [____]

Baggage Claim Ticket Number(s):

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. [________________________________]

Bag Description (Per Bag)

Bag 1:

• Type: ☐ Suitcase ☐ Duffel ☐ Backpack ☐ Garment Bag ☐ Other: [____]
• Brand: [________________________________]
• Color: [________________________________]
• Size: ☐ Carry-on size ☐ Medium ☐ Large ☐ Oversized
• Material: ☐ Hard-shell ☐ Soft-sided ☐ Fabric ☐ Leather
• Distinguishing Features: [________________________________]
• Approximate Weight: [____] lbs.

Bag 2:

• Type: ☐ Suitcase ☐ Duffel ☐ Backpack ☐ Garment Bag ☐ Other: [____]
• Brand: [________________________________]
• Color: [________________________________]
• Size: ☐ Carry-on size ☐ Medium ☐ Large ☐ Oversized
• Distinguishing Features: [________________________________]

SECTION IV - INCIDENT DETAILS

For Lost/Delayed Baggage

Did bag(s) arrive at destination? ☐ No (lost/missing) ☐ Yes, but delayed

Date/Time First Reported Missing: [__/__/____] at [________]

Location Reported: [________________________________]

Airline Reference/File Number: [________________________________]

Airline Employee Name/ID: [________________________________]

Has Airline Declared Bag Officially Lost? ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Pending

Date Declared Lost: [__/__/____]

If Delayed - Date/Time Bag Delivered: [__/__/____] at [________]

For Damaged Baggage

Type of Damage:
☐ Wheels broken/missing
☐ Handle broken
☐ Zipper broken
☐ Torn/ripped fabric
☐ Cracked shell
☐ Locks broken
☐ Contents damaged
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Description of Damage:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Date/Time Damage Discovered: [__/__/____] at [________]

Date/Time Damage Reported to Airline: [__/__/____] at [________]

Photos Taken: ☐ Yes ☐ No

IMPORTANT: Report damage as soon as possible:

• Domestic flights: Within 24 hours (some airlines require 6 hours)
• International flights: Within 7 days

For Pilfered Baggage

Items Missing:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Was Bag Locked? ☐ Yes - TSA-approved lock ☐ Yes - Other lock ☐ No

Signs of Tampering: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Describe: [________________________________]

TSA Inspection Notice in Bag: ☐ Yes ☐ No

SECTION V - CONTENTS INVENTORY

Complete Inventory of Bag Contents

(Required for lost baggage claims; helpful for damage/pilferage claims)

Value of Bag Itself: $[________]

TOTAL CONTENTS VALUE: $[________]

TOTAL CLAIM (Bag + Contents): $[________]

High-Value Items

(Note: Many airlines exclude or limit liability for certain items)

☐ Jewelry: $[________]
☐ Electronics: $[________]
☐ Cash/Currency: $[________]
☐ Prescription Medications: $[________]
☐ Business Documents: $[________]
☐ Fragile Items: $[________]
☐ Other Valuables: $[________]

Did You Declare Excess Value at Check-In? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Excess Valuation Amount: $[________]

Excess Valuation Fee Paid: $[________]

SECTION VI - INTERIM EXPENSES (Delayed Baggage)

Reasonable Expenses Incurred While Waiting for Baggage

TOTAL INTERIM EXPENSES: $[________]

SECTION VII - LIABILITY LIMITS

Domestic Flights (U.S. Carriers)

Per 14 CFR Part 254 (as of January 22, 2025):

Maximum Liability: $4,700 per passenger

• Airlines may not limit liability below this amount
• Claim amount capped at provable direct or consequential damages
• Depreciation typically applied to used items

International Flights

Per Montreal Convention:

Maximum Liability: Approximately 1,288 SDRs (~$1,780 USD, varies with exchange rates)

• Applies to flights between Montreal Convention signatory nations
• Airlines strictly liable unless they can prove all reasonable measures taken

Excess Valuation

If you purchased excess valuation coverage:

• Coverage Amount: $[________]
• Carrier's standard limit may be exceeded up to declared value

SECTION VIII - CLAIM CALCULATION

Lost Baggage Claim

Damaged Baggage Claim

SECTION IX - DEMAND LETTER

[Date]

Via [Certified Mail/Email]

[Airline Name]
Customer Relations / Baggage Claims
[Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Re: Lost/Damaged Baggage Claim
Flight [________] on [__/__/____]
File Reference Number: [________________]

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to formally submit a claim for [☐ lost / ☐ damaged / ☐ delayed / ☐ pilfered] baggage on my recent flight.

FLIGHT DETAILS:

• Flight Number: [________]
• Date: [__/__/____]
• Route: [________] to [________]
• Confirmation: [________________]
• Baggage Claim Tag: [________________]

INCIDENT SUMMARY:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

CLAIM AMOUNT:

[For Lost Baggage:]
The total value of my lost bag and its contents is $[________]. Pursuant to 14 CFR Part 254 (domestic) / the Montreal Convention (international), I am entitled to compensation up to the applicable liability limit of $[________].

[For Damaged Baggage:]
The cost to repair/replace my damaged bag and contents is $[________].

[For Delayed Baggage:]
I incurred $[________] in reasonable interim expenses while waiting for my delayed baggage.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION:
I have enclosed the following:
☐ Copy of baggage claim ticket
☐ Copy of ticket/boarding pass
☐ Itemized list of contents with values
☐ Receipts for items (where available)
☐ Photos of damaged bag/items
☐ Receipts for interim expenses
☐ Original airline incident report

DEMAND:

I demand payment of $[________] within 30 days of this letter.

Please remit payment by:
☐ Check payable to [________________________________]
☐ Credit to credit card ending in [________]
☐ Direct deposit to [________________________________]

If I do not receive satisfactory resolution within 30 days, I will:

1. File a complaint with the Department of Transportation
2. Pursue this claim in small claims court
3. Seek all additional remedies available under law

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

[________________________________]
[Printed Name]

Enclosures: [List enclosures]

SECTION X - SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION CHECKLIST

☐ Airline baggage claim ticket(s)
☐ Boarding pass(es)
☐ Ticket receipt / itinerary confirmation
☐ Airline incident report / Property Irregularity Report (PIR)
☐ Itemized contents list with values
☐ Original receipts for bag and contents (if available)
☐ Credit card statements showing purchases
☐ Photos of bag (before incident, if available)
☐ Photos of damage (for damage claims)
☐ Receipts for interim purchases (delayed baggage)
☐ Repair estimates (for damaged items)
☐ Correspondence with airline
☐ Written statement describing incident
☐ Other: [________________________________]

SECTION XI - ESCALATION OPTIONS

If Airline Denies or Underpays Claim:

1. Appeal to Airline:
Write to airline's customer relations department or executive office.

2. DOT Complaint:
U.S. Department of Transportation
Aviation Consumer Protection Division
Online: airconsumercomplaints.dot.gov
Phone: 202-366-2220

3. Credit Card Dispute:
If you paid baggage fees by credit card, consider disputing the charge.

4. Small Claims Court:
Jurisdiction: [________________________________]
Filing Fee: $[________]
Maximum Claim: $[________]

SECTION XII - TIME LIMITS

Reporting Deadlines

Claim Filing Deadlines

CRITICAL: Check your airline's Contract of Carriage for specific deadlines.

SECTION XIII - CERTIFICATION

I certify that the information provided in this claim is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that filing a false claim may constitute fraud.

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

CLAIM TRACKING

AIRLINE BAGGAGE CLAIM CONTACTS

This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Baggage liability limits and reporting deadlines vary by airline and by domestic vs. international flights. Always check your airline's Contract of Carriage and report issues promptly.