Air Austral delayed, lost or damaged baggage claim
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An Air Austral baggage claim starts at the arrival airport, not with an EU261 compensation form. Report the irregularity promptly, obtain a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), keep the baggage tag, and later send a written monetary claim supported by receipts or proof of value. Baggage liability follows the Montreal Convention and must remain separate from flight-delay compensation.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
Create the airport record immediately
Before leaving the baggage hall, approach the Air Austral or ground-handler desk. Describe the missing bag or visible damage and obtain the PIR reference. Check that your name, flight, tag number, delivery address and bag description are accurate. Photograph damage, the carousel area and the bag before repair or disposal.
A PIR starts tracing and records what happened; it is not necessarily the complete written claim for money. Keep the original baggage tag, boarding pass and ticket receipt. If the desk is closed, use the published reporting channel immediately and preserve screenshots.
Handle delayed baggage purchases carefully
Buy only reasonable essentials while away from home: basic toiletries, underwear and necessary clothing suited to the trip. Keep itemised receipts and payment proof. The longer the delay and the more remote the location, the more explanation may be needed. Luxury replacements made on the first evening are difficult to justify.
Returning home changes necessity. A passenger in Paris who already has clothes and toiletries at home may have a smaller reasonable-loss claim than a visitor beginning a week in Réunion. Document when the bag was delivered and which purchases occurred before delivery.
Preserve a damaged-bag claim
Photograph the case from several angles and note missing contents. Ask whether Air Austral proposes inspection, repair or replacement before discarding it. Provide purchase evidence if available, but expect age and condition to matter rather than assuming automatic new-for-old value.
For damaged checked baggage, Montreal’s written-complaint deadline is generally seven days from receipt. For baggage delay, the written complaint is generally due within 21 days from the date the baggage was placed at the passenger’s disposal. Act sooner and verify the facts; the two-year period for bringing an action is not permission to miss the earlier written notice.
Tracing and legal classification are related but not identical. Continue using the PIR reference and ask for status. Prepare an inventory with brand, approximate purchase date, original cost, current value and supporting photos or receipts. Avoid unsupported round figures.
Montreal liability is generally limited by Special Drawing Rights unless a higher value was specially declared and any required charge paid. The SDR value is not a fixed euro figure and changes over time. Do not confuse this proof-based ceiling with EU261’s EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 fixed flight awards.
Follow a realistic Dzaoudzi arrival
Ethan flies Paris–Saint-Denis–Dzaoudzi on one Air Austral ticket, but his checked bag remains in Réunion. He reports it before leaving Dzaoudzi, receives a PIR and buys modest toiletries and two days of clothing for a work visit. The bag arrives 52 hours later.
His written claim lists each purchase, attaches receipts, the PIR, baggage tag, itinerary and delivery message, and explains why the items were necessary. A five-hour passenger delay on the same journey would be a separate EU261 file. He should not describe clothing purchases as care meals or add them to fixed compensation.
Identify the carrier and applicable contract
On connecting travel, find which carrier accepted the bag and which delivered the final sector. A UU marketing number may hide operation by EWA Air, Air France or another partner. Keep every baggage receipt and coupon so the airlines can allocate handling responsibility without forcing you to guess.
Réunion and Mayotte are EU outermost regions, but that status does not convert baggage damage into EU261 compensation. Montreal supplies the main international baggage framework. Package organisers and travel insurers may have additional, separate obligations; disclose other recovery and avoid double payment.
Send a complete written demand
Use a clear subject line with passenger name, flight date and PIR. State whether the bag was delayed, lost or damaged, give the timeline and total only the documented baggage loss. Attach legible copies, retain originals, and keep submission confirmation. Air Austral publishes a post-travel route; tracing messages alone should not be assumed to satisfy a monetary complaint requirement.
As at 9 September 2026, the July 2026 EU reform has deferred application and its future nine-month claim period is not current law. It does not replace Montreal’s baggage notice structure. If Air Austral refuses an item, ask whether it disputes necessity, causation, value, notice or carrier responsibility and answer that issue with evidence.
Questions about the baggage claim with Air Austral
Is a PIR the same as a monetary baggage claim?
No. It records and traces the irregularity; send a separate written, evidenced demand for money within the applicable time.
How long do I have to complain about damaged baggage?
For checked baggage, Montreal generally requires a written complaint within seven days of receipt. Report visible damage immediately.
What is the deadline for delayed baggage expenses?
The written complaint is generally due within 21 days after the bag is placed at your disposal; submitting earlier is safer.
Can I claim any replacement purchase?
No. Claim reasonable necessities caused by the delay and support them with itemised receipts and context.
Is baggage compensation added to EUR 400 for Paris–Réunion?
It is a separate Montreal claim. Any EU261 fixed award concerns the flight disruption and uses different conditions.
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