British Airways delayed or lost baggage: report, track and claim
Reviewed on 10 August 2026. Report missing British Airways checked baggage immediately, obtain the baggage report reference, keep bag tags and buy only reasonable essentials while it is delayed. Then submit a documented monetary claim. Under the Montreal Convention, baggage liability is generally capped at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger unless a higher value was specially declared.
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:
Flight-delay compensation and baggage damages are separate. A passenger can have both, but the baggage claim is based on proven loss rather than GBP 220-520 or EUR 250-600 distance bands.
First actions at the airport
- Use the BA baggage desk or portal before leaving arrivals.
- Obtain a Property Irregularity Report or equivalent reference.
- Check that name, address, bag description and tag number are correct.
- Retain the boarding pass, e-ticket and baggage receipt.
- Photograph the report and any damaged or partially delivered items.
- Update the delivery address if the journey continues.
BA's tracing portal can accept AirTag location information. A tracker helps locate a bag but does not replace the formal report or prove the contents and value.
Delayed or legally lost?
| Status | Practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Delayed | BA is tracing the bag and may deliver it later |
| Missing for more than 21 days | Montreal Convention allows the passenger to treat it as lost |
| BA admits loss earlier | A final lost-baggage claim can begin |
| Bag delivered with missing contents | Report pilferage or damage promptly |
Do not wait 21 days to report. The 21-day loss rule is not permission to postpone the airport record. BA's current reporting page says delayed bags should be reported within eight days, while immediate reporting provides much better proof.
Reasonable essentials during delay
A passenger away from home may need toiletries, basic clothing and other immediate necessities. Buy in stages according to how long the bag remains missing. Keep itemised receipts and avoid replacing the entire wardrobe on day one.
Reasonableness depends on destination, weather, purpose and expected delivery. A business traveller may need suitable clothing; a passenger returning home may already have alternatives and receive less. Explain each purchase rather than sending a total alone.
British Airways says reasonable essentials can be claimed and asks passengers to retain receipts. It may recommend insurance because a policy can provide broader cover. If insurance pays, disclose it to avoid duplicate recovery.
Valuing a lost bag
Montreal compensation aims to reimburse proven damage up to the liability limit, not pay 1,519 SDR automatically. Prepare an inventory with item, age, purchase price, current replacement cost, proof and reasonable depreciation.
Receipts, photographs taken before travel, warranty records and card statements can support ownership. Avoid claiming new retail value for heavily used items without explanation. The suitcase itself is part of the loss.
Special Drawing Rights are an IMF unit whose local-currency value changes. Use the relevant conversion date and source when the claim is decided; do not present an old approximate GBP amount as the legal cap.
A passenger can make a special declaration of interest before check-in and pay any required charge to increase the limit. Ordinary high-value contents without that declaration remain subject to the Convention and BA's conditions, which advise keeping valuables in hand baggage.
Which carrier handles the claim?
On multi-airline travel, report the bag to the carrier serving the arrival point and follow the tracing instructions. The Montreal Convention can permit a baggage action against the first or last carrier and, for the segment where loss occurred, the performing carrier, subject to its rules.
A BA ticket may include American Airlines, Iberia or another partner. Preserve every bag tag and transfer airport. Do not assume the last BA code means BA physically handled the bag throughout.
Where BA CityFlyer or BA Euroflyer operated a segment, the baggage portal may still use BA branding. Name the actual journey and operators in the claim rather than guessing which transfer caused the loss.
Submit the written claim
The report starts tracing; the monetary claim asks for payment. Use BA's baggage claim process and attach:
- report reference and bag tag;
- ticket and boarding passes;
- delivery date or written loss confirmation;
- itemised essential-purchase receipts;
- lost-content inventory and value proof;
- insurer correspondence where applicable;
- bank and contact details.
For a delivered delayed bag, send the written claim within 21 days from the date the bag was placed at the passenger's disposal. For a bag treated as lost, submit promptly once the 21-day threshold or carrier admission is reached. Keep the complete submission and case number.
Baggage and flight disruption can overlap
A cancellation may separate a bag from the passenger. If BA reroutes the traveller, make sure the baggage record shows the new flight and delivery address. If the passenger abandons travel and leaves without the checked bag, use the baggage portal as BA instructs.
Hotel and meal costs caused by the flight wait belong to UK261 or EC261 care. Clothing and toiletries caused by missing baggage belong to Montreal damages. One purchase should not be claimed twice.
Fixed flight compensation depends on route, delay and cause. Baggage liability does not require a three-hour flight delay and can arise even when the aircraft arrived on time.
If BA rejects or reduces the claim
Ask whether BA disputes necessity, ownership, value, depreciation, deadline or liability. Supply the missing proof and a numbered inventory. A generic cap explanation is not a valuation of actual loss.
British Airways participates in CEDR for eligible unresolved complaints, and CAA guidance covers Montreal baggage matters within the consumer complaint framework. Court action under the Convention generally must begin within two years, calculated under Article 35. Do not assume a long UK261 limitation period applies to baggage.
The BA baggage deadline guide provides the date sequence. For physical damage, use the damaged-baggage article because the seven-day notice is shorter.
FAQ
Is a baggage report the same as a claim for money?
No. The report starts tracing and records the incident. Submit a separate documented claim for essentials or lost contents.
Can I spend 1,519 SDR on replacement items?
No. That is generally a liability ceiling, not an allowance. Purchases and lost-property values must be reasonable and proved.
When can a BA bag be treated as lost?
The Montreal Convention allows loss treatment after 21 days without arrival, or earlier if the carrier admits the bag is lost.
Does an AirTag replace the BA report?
No. Share its location to help tracing, but retain a formal report reference, bag tag and written claim evidence.
Can I claim flight compensation and baggage damages?
Yes if both legal tests are met. Keep the fixed flight claim and proven Montreal losses separate and do not duplicate expenses.