Air France damaged baggage: PIR, seven days and evidence

The process and liability amount were checked on 13 August 2026.

Inspect the bag at the carousel

Check wheels, handles, shell, frame, zip, locks and contents before leaving the baggage area. Photograph the damage from several angles in good light, including the baggage tag and the bag as a whole.

If damage is visible, go to the baggage service desk and request a PIR or damage report. Record the operating flight and airport. Do not discard the bag, tag or loose parts.

Reporting at the airport does not always complete the monetary claim. It creates contemporary evidence and a reference; follow Air France's written claim procedure within the legal deadline.

The seven-day written complaint

Under the Montreal Convention, receipt of checked baggage without complaint is initial evidence that it arrived in good condition. For damage, the passenger must complain in writing immediately after discovery and no later than seven days from receipt.

Count conservatively and submit early. Keep proof of the date and content sent. A telephone call without a written record is risky. Attach:

• PIR or airport report;
• e-ticket and boarding pass;
• baggage tag and claim reference;
• dated photographs;
• original purchase receipt if available;
• repair estimate or confirmation that repair is impossible;
• bank details through the official secure channel.

If Air France requests the suitcase for inspection, photograph it first and obtain a collection receipt.

Repair, replacement or value

The aim is to compensate proven damage, not automatically provide a brand-new premium suitcase. Air France may arrange repair, reimburse a reasonable repair, replace with a comparable item or pay depreciated value where repair is uneconomic.

Age, original price, condition and expected useful life affect valuation. A five-year-old bag is not normally valued at the retail price of a new model. Provide honest purchase information and evidence of quality.

Do not arrange an expensive repair before Air France can inspect unless urgent need makes delay unreasonable. Explain any immediate action.

Normal wear and excluded conditions

Airlines commonly distinguish transport damage from ordinary wear, scratches, scuffs, overpacking, defective baggage or fragile protruding parts. The Montreal Convention also allows a carrier to rely on an inherent defect, quality or vice of the baggage.

A generic "normal wear" response should be compared with the actual failure. A superficial scratch differs from a detached wheel or split hard shell. Close photographs and a repairer's opinion can clarify whether the bag remains usable.

Compliance with baggage size and weight rules strengthens the record. Keep the check-in receipt if Air France accepted the bag without noting prior damage.

Missing or damaged contents

If a checked bag arrives open or items are missing, report suspected pilferage immediately. List each item and preserve evidence of ownership. For theft, airport police or local authority reporting may also be appropriate.

Air France carriage conditions may restrict valuables, electronics, cash, documents, jewellery, medicines and fragile objects in checked baggage. Such restrictions and passenger conduct can affect liability. Do not place irreplaceable items in a checked suitcase where cabin carriage is permitted.

Damage to contents can be harder to prove than external shell damage. Show packaging, item condition, value and why normal handling rather than an inherent weakness caused it.

The current 1,519 SDR maximum

ICAO's revised Montreal Convention limits took effect on 28 December 2024. Ordinary carrier liability for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage is capped at 1,519 SDR per passenger, unless the passenger made a special declaration of interest and paid any required supplementary charge.

SDR is a variable-value accounting unit, not a fixed euro or dollar figure. The limit covers the passenger's baggage claims in the relevant event; it is not paid automatically for every damaged bag.

A traveller with expensive equipment should investigate a special declaration, specialist insurance and cabin-carriage rules before travel. After damage, ordinary insurance may supplement but not duplicate airline recovery.

Several bags and several passengers

The convention limit is per passenger rather than per suitcase. Two checked bags belonging to one traveller do not automatically double the ceiling. Conversely, a family should identify which bag was checked under which passenger and tag.

If one shared suitcase contains property of several people, ownership and the passenger entitled to claim can become disputed. Prepare a clear inventory and avoid submitting the same item under several names.

Codeshare and connecting itineraries

Report damage at final arrival even if the ticket has an AF code and another carrier operated the last flight. Keep all tags and boarding passes. Montreal rules can permit action against contracting and actual carriers and, for successive carriage, specified participating carriers.

The practical baggage desk may act for several airlines. A jointly issued PIR does not necessarily concede which carrier caused the damage. Preserve the entire itinerary so responsibility can be examined.

Damage discovered after leaving

Submit the written complaint immediately and within seven days. Explain when and how the damage was discovered and why it was not visible at collection. Photographs with metadata, unopened protective wrapping or a delivery record can help.

The absence of an airport PIR makes proof harder but does not automatically erase a timely written complaint. Air France may rely on the presumption that baggage was delivered in good condition, so supply detailed contrary evidence.

Mobility aids and essential equipment

Damage to a wheelchair or mobility aid can create urgent accessibility and consequential needs. Report it before leaving, ask for immediate temporary equipment and preserve repair and transport records. Additional European accessibility rules may apply beyond this general baggage page.

Do not delay essential safety arrangements while negotiating valuation. Inform Air France of the immediate functional impact and request an accessible solution.

Court period and insurance

Montreal Convention court action is extinguished after two years under Article 35. The two-year period does not replace the seven-day written complaint requirement.

Notify travel or household insurers within their own deadlines. Provide the Air France decision and disclose payment from either source to prevent duplicate recovery. Keep the damaged item until both processes permit disposal.

The Air France delayed-or-lost baggage guide covers a bag that never reaches the carousel rather than physical damage on receipt.

See the Air France compensation overview.

FAQ

Is a PIR enough to claim payment for a damaged suitcase?

Not always. It is important airport evidence, but submit a separate written monetary claim with supporting documents no later than seven days after receipt.

Will Air France buy me a brand-new suitcase?

Not automatically. Repair, comparable replacement or depreciated value may be appropriate depending on age, condition and whether repair is economical.

Does the 1,519 SDR limit apply to each bag?

No. The ordinary Montreal ceiling is per passenger for the relevant baggage event, not a fixed sum for every checked item.

What if I notice damage only at the hotel?

Report it immediately in writing within seven days and explain the discovery. Detailed dated photographs and other evidence are especially important without an airport report.

Can I claim EU261 compensation for a broken suitcase?

EU261 fixed payments concern flight disruption, not baggage damage. The Montreal Convention and carriage rules provide the main baggage framework.

Official sources

• Air France baggage problem information
• Air France carrier liability notice
• Montreal Convention text
• ICAO revised liability limits
• European Commission baggage rights