Tunisair delayed or lost baggage: PIR, 21 days and 1,519 SDR

This guide addresses Tunisair delayed or lost baggage for Tunisair travel. The law and airline information were checked on 28 August 2026. Verify the route and operator for the travel date.

Which legal framework controls Tunisair delayed or lost baggage?

Baggage liability mainly follows the Montreal Convention and the carriage contract. The trip direction does not remove those rights. EC261 and UK261 address the flight disruption, not the suitcase.

That distinction matters in a Tunisair delayed or lost baggage case. A passenger may have two claims. One concerns proven baggage loss. The other may concern a qualifying flight delay. Each has its own evidence and deadline.

The revised baggage ceiling is 1,519 SDR per passenger from 28 December 2024. It is a maximum, not a standard award. Prove the loss, value, spending and causal link.

Create the file at baggage reclaim

The Property Irregularity Report records tracing information but is not always the complete written monetary claim. Obtain the reference before leaving, verify the delivery address and retain a screenshot of every tracing update.

Reasonable essentials depend on location, trip purpose and delay length. A visitor without clothing may need immediate purchases, while a passenger returning home may need less. Keep itemised receipts and explain each purchase.

Tunisair public conditions state delayed-baggage notice within 21 days of receipt and loss treatment beginning 21 days after arrival. File promptly rather than waiting for the ceiling. A two-year Montreal action period does not replace the written notice.

The current Montreal baggage limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger from 28 December 2024. Tunisair online conditions still display an older figure, so use the revised ICAO limit. The ceiling covers proven loss and is not automatic compensation per bag.

Worked example

A checked bag fails to arrive in Tunis after a through journey. The passenger obtains a PIR, buys modest toiletries and clothing and keeps receipts. When the bag arrives six days later, the passenger sends the written expense claim well within 21 days of receipt.

What can be requested in a covered Tunisair delayed or lost baggage case?

Fixed payment, ticket choices and care costs are separate. List each requested amount.

EC261 normally uses great-circle distance. A protected through booking uses its final destination. Timely rerouting can sometimes reduce a fixed payment.

Extraordinary events may remove only the fixed payment. They do not erase every duty. Tunisair must prove the event, causal link and reasonable measures.

Evidence checklist

For this Tunisair delayed or lost baggage request, preserve the following material:

• Baggage tag and boarding pass.
• PIR reference from the arrival airport.
• Tracing screenshots and delivery date.
• Itemised essential-purchase receipts.
• List of contents if the bag becomes lost.
• Proof of age and value for key items.
• Written claim and delivery confirmation.

How to submit and preserve the claim

Tunisair provides separate forms for flight, ticket, ground, onboard and baggage issues. Choose the form matching Tunisair delayed or lost baggage. The airline says each form is personal. Prepare one request per traveller.

State the date, airports, PNR, ticket number and operator. Give times with the time zone. List each remedy on a separate numbered line.

Attach readable copies, not original documents. Keep the ticket, passes, notices and receipts. Save the submitted text and confirmation page.

Tunisair says it aims to answer within two months. That is not a universal time limit. Ask a vague refusal for the precise cause and measures taken.

Escalation depends on the regime and departure state. An EU body may examine compliance. It may not recover money in every case. Tunisia also has a Ministry complaint portal. Court rules need a separate review.

Common mistakes to avoid

A Tunisair code does not prove who operated the flight. Check the operated-by line. Test the EU outbound and Tunisia return separately. Accept a voucher only by informed choice.

Keep baggage, refund, care and fixed payment amounts separate. Each has its own basis. Calculate the request rather than sending one unexplained total.

The EU reform approved in July 2026 is not yet applied on the checked date. Its future nine-month claim rule is not a current deadline. Nor is its 30-day reply rule. Existing law and national limitation rules still govern.

Related Tunisair guides

• Tunisair damaged baggage
• Tunisair claim time limits
• Tunisair flight compensation

FAQ

Is a PIR the complete baggage claim?

Not always. It starts tracing, but send a written monetary claim with receipts within the applicable deadline.

When does the 21-day period start?

For delayed baggage expense claims, count from the date the bag is delivered to the passenger.

Is 1,519 SDR paid automatically?

No. It is a liability ceiling per passenger. Prove actual reasonable loss and value.

When can a bag be treated as lost?

Tunisair conditions indicate claims for loss starting 21 days after the flight arrival. Preserve tracing records.

Can I also claim for a delayed flight?

Yes when the flight itself independently meets EC261, UK261 or another framework. Keep the claims separate.

Sources

• ICAO: Montreal Convention liability limits.
• Tunisair: General Conditions of Carriage.
• Tunisair: customer care and claim forms.
• Your Europe: air passenger rights.
• EUR-Lex: Regulation 261/2004.
• Tunisian Ministry of Transport: complaint form.