The airline lost my suitcase: can I file a claim? Am I entitled to compensation? | Economy

The airline that was taking Maria and her family on a week-long holiday to Punta Cana lost two suitcases. Maria had to spend €1,200 to replace all the clothes and belongings the airline had lost. And he didn’t find them until he returned to his home in Madrid for five days. He later went to claim compensation from the airline for the time he had been without his suitcase and for the extra expenses he had incurred. Maria had trouble getting both claims accepted because she had not submitted a Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport. “It is important that the passenger reports the incident to the airline counters or to the ticket agent before leaving the airport. ability to handle who represents her (in case she is not physically present at the airport) to issue this report and provide a copy. Most companies need to provide this PIR form to accept the claim,” says Noemi Fernandez, manager of Reclamio.com.

This company specializes in handling traveler claims regarding delays, cancellations, overbooking or airline baggage problems: since 2017, the company has collected more than 32 million euros in compensation from more than 80,000 travelers. “Every third complaint (around 4,000 per year) that we handle is related to baggage incidents such as damage, delayed delivery or loss.”

Most of these complaints are concentrated at the beginning of the high season and at the airports with the highest passenger volumes. In the four months of the high season (June, July, August and September) of 2023, 83.8 million passengers flew through the airports of the Aena network, which was 30% of the total for the year (283 million). When analyzed by airport, Madrid and Barcelona account for almost 40% of the claims filed for lost baggage, with Barajas leading the way with 25% of the total. The percentages are expected to be higher, both in passengers and in complaints, in a summer and year that will be the best for international tourist arrivals, with forecasts already reaching 95 million for the entire year. “In the summer, there is an increase in lost suitcases, which makes us suspect that airlines are not investing enough in hiring staff, and this is resulting in poor service,” says Ana Rodriguez, chief operating officer of Reclamador.es, who also points out that companies are generally quite stingy when it comes to responding to individual requests, and only respond when the complaint comes from a professional manager.

The manager of Reclamio.com admits that if airlines return a suitcase before seven days, in case of damage, or before 21 days, the date from which it is legally considered lost, they usually ignore any claims. “The customer should be aware that he is entitled to compensation for the material value of what was in the suitcase, as well as the sentimental or moral value of the contents (gifts, photos, souvenirs…). The compensation will vary depending on the number of days that have passed from the notification until the suitcase appears, the value of what was inside, and whether the loss occurred during the outbound or return trip, since the return trip does not cause such major disruptions. ” In any case, Reclamio.com calculates that in the case where the suitcase does not appear within 21 days, the compensation corresponding to the injured party is 1,587 euros. “If one day passes, the claim amount will be 75 euros, and if 10 days pass, it will reach 750 euros.”

Javier Gándara, president of the Airline Association (ALA), an association that represents 71 companies accounting for 85% of air travel in Spain, believes that claims agencies paint a bleak picture of suitcase management, because some of them generate significant income from these claims. “Losing a suitcase at an airport is something exceptional and rare. In 2023, the global index measuring losses was 6.9 per 1,000 suitcases, down from 7.6 suitcases in 2022. In any case, we understand that if you are one of the customers affected by losses, it is a difficult task,” notes Gándara. , who points out that the main problems arise when transferring to different airports and when transferring with different airlines. “In the case of direct flights, the problem is usually due to human error, whereas in connecting flights you depend on the accuracy of the baggage distribution systems. I know that airlines have taken steps to prevent this from happening,” he explains.

As for compensation, the ALA president emphasizes that everything is governed by the Montreal Convention. “Claims companies tend to go to court because they charge a fee, and airlines prioritize baggage searches because in many cases the compensation does not cover the value of what you lost,” he emphasizes.

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