Lufthansa baggage deadlines: PIR, seven days, 21 days and court
Short answer: report a Lufthansa baggage problem immediately and obtain a PIR, then make the separate written Montreal Convention complaint on time. Damage complaints are due within seven days after receiving the bag; delay complaints are due within 21 days after delivery. A bag absent for 21 days can be treated as lost, and court action is generally extinguished unless brought within two years.
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The future nine-month EU passenger-rights complaint period does not replace these baggage deadlines. They arise from a different legal instrument.
Deadline map
| Event | Action | Deadline or trigger |
|---|---|---|
| bag missing on arrival | create PIR and tracing file | immediately, before leaving airport where possible |
| bag arrives physically damaged | airport report plus written complaint | no later than 7 days after receipt |
| bag is delivered after delay | written claim for delay damage and expenses | no later than 21 days after receipt |
| bag remains missing | enforce loss rights | after 21 days, or earlier if Lufthansa admits loss |
| legal proceedings | file in a competent court | within 2 years under Convention calculation |
Treat each line as a separate safeguard. Completing one does not reliably satisfy all the others.
What a PIR does
A Property Irregularity Report records the baggage tag, route, passenger details and problem. It enables tracing and creates valuable evidence that the bag was missing or damaged at arrival.
The PIR is usually completed at the baggage-services desk or through Lufthansa's designated online reporting process. Check every field and save the file reference. Incorrect delivery details can prolong the incident.
Article 31 of the Montreal Convention requires complaints in writing and delivered or dispatched within its periods. A tracing record which contains no compensation request, expenses or damage detail should not be assumed to meet that requirement. Send a later written claim even if the PIR was thorough.
Seven days for physical damage
For damage to checked baggage, the passenger must complain immediately after discovery and at the latest within seven days from receipt. Receipt usually occurs when the bag is collected at the carousel or delivered by courier.
Day-counting disputes are avoidable: report at once rather than aiming for the final day. If repair pricing is not ready, send a protective complaint describing the damage and promise supporting valuation promptly.
Example: a suitcase is collected on Monday with a broken wheel. The passenger creates a PIR, photographs it and emails Lufthansa the same day. A repair quote arrives the following week and is added to the open claim. The legal notice was not delayed for valuation.
Hidden damage discovered later should be documented at discovery, but the outer seven-day limit remains dangerous. Inspect returned baggage before storing or discarding it.
Twenty-one days after delayed delivery
A written complaint for damage caused by baggage delay must be sent no later than 21 days from the date the bag is placed at the passenger's disposal. That means the clock begins when Lufthansa returns the bag, not on the original flight date.
Interim purchases can be submitted earlier, but a complete schedule after delivery is practical. Include delivery proof, PIR, itemised receipts and an explanation of necessity.
Example: Lufthansa returns the bag on 4 August. Record that date and submit the expense claim well before 25 August rather than relying on fine questions about inclusive counting or local time.
The 21-day complaint rule is not permission to postpone the airport report. Without a prompt PIR, Lufthansa can dispute whether the delay occurred in its custody.
Loss after 21 days
Article 17 allows a passenger to enforce rights arising from loss when the carrier admits the bag is lost or it has not arrived after 21 days from the date it should have arrived. Prepare a contents inventory before that date so the loss claim can be sent promptly.
The 21-day point is not a maximum tracing period and does not create automatic payment of the liability ceiling. Lufthansa may find the bag later, and the passenger must prove actual contents and value.
If a bag arrives after a loss settlement, read the settlement terms and contact Lufthansa before retaining both the bag and full payment. Avoid double recovery.
Two years for court proceedings
The right to damages is extinguished if an action is not brought within two years, counted from the date of arrival at destination, the date the aircraft ought to have arrived or the date carriage stopped. The method of calculation is determined by the law of the court hearing the case.
A complaint, negotiation or tracing update should not be assumed to pause this Convention period. If the deadline approaches, obtain forum-specific advice and take a formal step which is legally effective there.
The court options under Montreal differ from an EU261 fixed-compensation case. Potential jurisdictions include specified places connected to carrier domicile, principal business, contract formation and destination, with an additional passenger-residence jurisdiction for death or injury cases rather than ordinary baggage loss.
Several airlines on one itinerary
When successive carriers perform checked carriage under one contract, Montreal rules can allow baggage claims against the first carrier, last carrier or the carrier during whose segment the damage occurred. Operationally, report to the final-delivery carrier immediately and preserve all tags and “operated by” details.
An LH ticket number does not prove Lufthansa handled every sector. If Lufthansa, United and another airline appear, include the full itinerary rather than sending isolated boarding passes.
Do not let carriers redirect the passenger repeatedly until a short complaint deadline expires. Submit protective written notice to plausible carriers within the seven- or 21-day period, stating that responsibility remains under investigation.
A practical evidence calendar
Arrival day: inspect baggage, report the incident, obtain PIR, retain tags and photograph condition.
During delay: track the bag, record contact, buy only necessary replacements and keep itemised receipts.
Delivery day: photograph the bag, note time, check contents and save courier confirmation.
Within seven days: send written notice for physical damage or missing contents discovered on receipt.
Within 21 days after delivery: submit delayed-baggage expenses and causal explanation.
At 21 days missing: send a loss inventory unless Lufthansa has already admitted loss.
Before two years expires: resolve or commence valid proceedings in time; do not rely on correspondence to preserve the claim.
What to include in the written claim
State the passenger name, booking code, e-ticket, flight and date, operating carriers, bag-tag number, PIR, incident type, receipt or delivery date and amount. Attach evidence in labelled groups.
For delayed baggage, use a table of purchases. For damage, provide photographs and repair or replacement evidence. For loss, list contents with age and value. The 1,519 SDR ceiling is not a substitute for itemisation.
Lufthansa's baggage irregularities page provides current reporting routes. Save the case number and submitted copy.
EU reform does not change Montreal clocks yet
The EU passenger-rights reform adopted in July 2026 includes a future nine-month period for certain compensation requests and a response period for airlines. It is not applicable on 10 August 2026, and in any event it concerns the EU flight-disruption regime rather than rewriting Montreal's baggage notice rules.
Keep four concepts separate: seven-day damage complaint, 21-day delay complaint, loss after 21 days and two-year judicial period. The damaged baggage guide covers valuation after timely notice.
For necessity purchases and the transition from tracing to a loss inventory, use the delayed and lost baggage guide.
FAQ
Does reporting a Lufthansa bag at the airport meet every deadline?
No. Obtain the PIR, then send a separate written complaint containing the damage or expense claim.
When does the 21-day delayed-baggage period begin?
It begins when the bag is returned and placed at the passenger's disposal.
Can I treat my suitcase as lost on day 21?
Yes, Montreal loss rights can be enforced after 21 days without delivery, or earlier if Lufthansa admits loss.
Does emailing Lufthansa stop the two-year court period?
Do not assume so. Limitation effect depends on valid proceedings and the law of the competent court.
Will the future nine-month EU rule replace baggage deadlines?
No. It belongs to a different passenger-rights framework and is not currently applicable.
Official sources
- Montreal Convention of 1999: Articles 17, 31, 35 and 36.
- Regulation (EC) No 2027/97: EU implementation and passenger liability notice.
- ICAO revised liability limits: current baggage ceiling.
- Lufthansa baggage irregularities: reporting, tracking and claims.
- Lufthansa baggage liability information: carrier notice and special declaration context.
- Council final clearance for passenger-rights reform: future EU flight-claim rules distinguished from Montreal.