Air France delayed or lost baggage: report, track and claim
Short answer: report a missing Air France bag immediately and keep the Property Irregularity Report reference. Claim reasonable essential purchases in writing no later than 21 days after the bag is returned. If it has not arrived after 21 days, Montreal Convention rules allow the passenger to invoke rights for loss. The current liability ceiling is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, not an automatic payout.
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:
The amounts and Air France process were checked on 13 August 2026.
Report the bag before leaving
Use the baggage desk or Air France's supported online reporting service as soon as you know the bag did not arrive. Obtain a PIR or file reference. Air France states that online reporting is available for supported airports within seven days after arrival, but immediate reporting is safer and preserves evidence.
Record:
- passenger and booking reference;
- baggage tag number;
- arrival flight and operating carrier;
- suitcase brand, colour, size and distinctive features;
- temporary delivery address and contact details;
- contents that can help identify the bag;
- AirTag or other tracker information, if available.
A PIR starts tracing but is not always the written monetary claim. Keep both procedural steps separate.
Track and update delivery information
Use the Air France baggage reference to monitor progress. Update your address if you move during the trip. Do not publish the reference publicly because it can contain personal information.
Air France allows passengers to share location data from a compatible tracking device in supported circumstances. A tracker can assist tracing, but it does not replace the airline's baggage systems or prove the amount of loss.
When the bag is delivered, note date, time and condition before closing the record. Photograph damage or missing contents immediately.
Essential purchases during delay
The Montreal Convention can make the carrier liable for proven damage caused by baggage delay, subject to defences and the liability ceiling. Purchase what is reasonably necessary for the circumstances.
| Situation | Typical assessment |
|---|---|
| toiletries and basic clothing away from home | commonly reasonable |
| replacement formal clothing for a documented event | can be reasonable, cost matters |
| luxury goods unrelated to immediate need | difficult to justify |
| purchases after the bag is delivered | normally not caused by ongoing delay |
| extensive purchases on returning home | need can be lower because belongings are available |
Keep itemised receipts. Explain trip purpose, delay duration and why each item was needed. Airlines may account for the continued value of clothing rather than treating every purchase as consumed.
The 21-day written-claim deadline
For delayed baggage, a written complaint must be made no later than 21 days from the date the bag was placed at your disposal. Do not count from flight day if delivery occurred later, but submit promptly rather than relying on the last day.
Attach the PIR, baggage tag, boarding pass, receipts, payment evidence and delivery date. State the amount and currency. A tracing conversation alone may not satisfy a monetary complaint requirement.
If Air France asks for originals, retain scans and proof of submission. Use the official channel associated with the baggage file.
When the bag becomes lost
Under the Montreal Convention, a passenger can enforce rights for loss where the carrier admits loss or the checked baggage has not arrived after 21 days from when it should have arrived. Air France's process then asks for an inventory to support valuation.
Prepare a credible item list with brand, age, purchase price, replacement evidence and depreciation. Do not claim every item as new unless it was new. Photographs taken before travel, receipts and order histories can support ownership.
Jewellery, cash, documents, medicines, electronics and fragile valuables may be restricted under carriage conditions and are better kept in cabin baggage. Their inclusion in a checked bag can affect recovery.
The 1,519 SDR ceiling
International liability limits were revised effective 28 December 2024. For destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage, the current Montreal Convention ceiling is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger unless a higher special declaration of interest was made and any supplementary sum paid.
SDR is an International Monetary Fund unit whose currency value changes. Convert it using the relevant rate for the claim or judgment date under applicable rules; do not present a fixed euro or dollar equivalent as permanent.
The ceiling is not a standard award. Air France can pay only proven recoverable damage below it. Conversely, a suitcase's checked-baggage fee does not cap the claim.
Which airline handles the claim
On a codeshare or multi-carrier itinerary, identify the carrier that accepted the bag, operated the final sector and delivered the baggage service. The Montreal Convention permits certain actions against the contracting carrier, actual carrier, first carrier, last carrier or the carrier during whose transport the event occurred, depending on the claim.
Operationally, report at the final arrival airport and follow the reference issued there. Keep every baggage tag and ticket so responsibility can be assessed later.
An AF code on the booking does not prove Air France operated the relevant sector. The Air France operating-carrier page explains how to read the ticket.
EU261 is a different system
EUR 250-600 under EU261 compensates qualifying flight disruption, not baggage delay. A passenger can have both claims when a late flight and late bag satisfy separate conditions, but one does not establish the other.
Do not put essential-purchase receipts into an EU261 fixed-compensation calculation. Submit them under the baggage reference and Montreal basis.
Insurance and card cover
Travel insurance or card benefits may pay faster or cover amounts outside airline liability. Notify the insurer within its deadline and disclose any Air France payment. You cannot recover the same purchase twice.
An insurer may ask for the PIR, final airline response, receipts and proof of trip duration. Preserve those documents even after the suitcase returns.
Court deadline
An action for damages under the Montreal Convention is extinguished if not brought within two years, calculated according to Article 35. That court period is distinct from the 21-day written complaint for delayed baggage and from national deadlines for EU261 compensation.
Do not wait for prolonged informal correspondence if the two-year date approaches. Jurisdiction and calculation can require legal advice.
See the Air France compensation overview.
FAQ
Is the PIR itself my Air France expense claim?
Not necessarily. It opens tracing, while a written monetary complaint with receipts should also be submitted within the applicable 21-day period after delivery.
Can I buy replacement clothes?
Reasonable essentials can be recoverable according to trip context and delay length. Keep itemised receipts and avoid disproportionate purchases.
Is my bag legally lost after 21 days?
The Montreal Convention allows the passenger to enforce loss rights if baggage has not arrived after 21 days from when it should have arrived.
Will Air France automatically pay 1,519 SDR?
No. That is the current maximum liability per passenger in ordinary cases, while payment depends on proven recoverable loss.
Can I claim both flight-delay compensation and baggage costs?
Yes, if each set of conditions is met. EU261 flight compensation and Montreal baggage damages are separate remedies.