Do not wait to report the bag
Report missing checked baggage at the destination airport and keep the Property Irregularity Report, baggage-tag receipt and tracing reference. Send written notice through the airline's official baggage route promptly, even while tracing continues.
When the trace becomes a lost-bag claim
GOV.UK says baggage is considered irretrievably lost after 21 days of searching. Before then, keep the trace active and claim reasonable essentials under the delayed baggage process. Once the airline treats the bag as lost, request the claim form and preserve that status confirmation.
Prepare an inventory with evidence
| Item | Purchase date | Original cost | Proof | Claimed current value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [suitcase] | [date] | £[ ] | [receipt/photo/card record] | £[ ] |
| [item] | [date] | £[ ] | [receipt/photo] | £[ ] |
Useful material can include:
- purchase receipts, order histories and card statements;
- photographs showing the bag and contents before travel;
- warranty records, serial numbers or product confirmations;
- the bag tag and through-checking record; and
- a clear explanation where an original receipt no longer exists.
Expect depreciation, not “new for old”
The CAA says airlines generally assess an item's value according to its age rather than replacing old goods with new ones at full retail price. Give a realistic current value and keep the original cost visible so the airline can understand the calculation.
The maximum is not the likely payout
Checked-baggage liability arises under a separate international framework rather than the UK261 fixed bands. Official UK pages currently express approximate maximum liability in pounds, and those approximations are not identical. Currency conversion and the applicable legal limit can change. This guide therefore does not present one sterling figure as a guaranteed maximum or expected award: check the live CAA, GOV.UK and airline guidance when valuing the claim.
Multi-airline journeys
The CAA says you can make a lost or damaged baggage claim against any airline involved in a multi-airline journey, though the final carrier is usually the practical place to start. Keep evidence that the bag was checked through and do not let carriers' referrals cause you to miss a written-notice deadline.
Compare the travel-insurance route
Travel insurance may cover a wider range of loss or use a different valuation method, but it can have an excess and its own deadline. Tell each party about any amount recovered elsewhere and do not seek duplicate reimbursement for the same loss.
If the dispute remains unresolved
Use the airline's complaints process first. Baggage loss falls within the types of complaint the CAA says aviation ADR can consider. After a final response or eight weeks without one, check the airline's current ADR provider; if none is appointed, consider whether PACT can help.