Air France delayed & lost baggage compensation: Your rights and how to claim

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated:  March 13, 2026

Reviewed by:  Michael Higgins

You may be able to claim up to around £1,650 from Air France if your luggage is lost or delayed. You can also ask for money back for things you had to buy while your bag was missing. To get this money from the airline, you must follow certain steps and meet important deadlines.

This guide explains your rights and what to do if your bag does not arrive when you do. It also shows you how to claim the money you may be owed from Air France.

Key points about Air France baggage mishandling

1. The most Air France baggage compensation you can get is roughly £1,650 (€1,920) per passenger, based on the rules of the Montreal Convention.
2. If your bag is lost, delayed, or damaged, report it to the airline right away and fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). Keep the PIR number.
3. If your bag is delayed, you have 21 days after it is returned to claim money back for things you had to buy.
4. If the bag is not found after 21 days, it is treated as lost, and you can make a full claim.
5. If your checked bag is damaged, you must report it and submit a claim within 7 days after you receive it.

What are your rights when your bags go missing?

If your checked baggage goes missing or gets damaged, your passenger rights are protected by a treaty known as the Montreal Convention. 

It says that Air France must take specific steps to:

1. Locate or repair your baggage, 
2. Reimburse you for any expenses you had to make, and 
3. Compensate you for the loss or damage up to roughly £1,650 (€1,920)

The Montreal Convention sets the maximum baggage compensation at a fixed amount in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), an international currency used by the IMF. This means that the exact value you receive can change because SDRs are converted into local currencies using the exchange rate at the time of payment.

Passengers often think baggage claims are mainly about proving the airline made a mistake, but in practice they are often about proving your losses clearly and within the required deadlines. Passengers who report the issue immediately, keep their baggage documentation, and save receipts usually have the strongest claims. - Michael Higgins, Aviation Lawyer, AirAdvisor

How much can you claim for delayed, lost or damaged Air France baggage?

For delayed bags, Air France will reimburse you up to roughly £1,650 per passenger for any essential purchases you had to make while you were waiting for your bags to be delivered. However, you'll need to keep the actual receipts for these purchases, not just a credit card statement.

For lost or damaged bags, the amount of compensation you receive is based on the proven value of your belongings up to the maximum of around £1,650 per passenger.

Baggage delays: When your Air France luggage doesn’t arrive when you do

If your belongings don’t arrive on the carousel, remember this: Just because your bag is missing doesn’t mean that it is lost. In fact, Air France classifies all missing luggage as ‘delayed’ until it has been missing for 21 days. After that point, they will classify it as officially lost.

This matters because it affects how long you have to file missing baggage reports and claims.

What to do when your bags are delayed

As soon as you realise your bags are missing, make a report immediately at the airport or online via the Air France app. This report is called a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), and it is essential for filing a claim for compensation. 

Without the PIR, your baggage claim will likely be rejected.

• Keep your PIR number. You will be given a unique reference number that allows you to track the progress of the search. Take a photo of it and note it down separately in case you misplace the paper copy.
• Save all your travel documents. Do not throw away your baggage tags, boarding passes, or baggage receipts. These will all be needed to support your claim.
• Start keeping receipts. If you need to buy essentials while waiting, keep every receipt, no matter how small. These form the basis of your delayed baggage expenses claim.

You have 21 days to file a report about your missing baggage. The sooner you submit an official report, the sooner Air France can open a tracing file and begin an official search.

Filing a Property Irregularity Report before leaving the airport and keeping receipts for essential purchases can make the difference between a smooth reimbursement process and a denied claim. - Michael Higgins, Aviation Lawyer, AirAdvisor

Next, track your delayed baggage

After reporting your missing bag, Air France will begin the tracing process. You can monitor the search progress with the airline’s online baggage tracking tool. Just enter the claim reference number from your PIR. 

Will Apple AirTags help the airline find my luggage?

Yes it could help. If you use an Apple AirTag or a similar tracking device inside your bag, sharing its location data with the Air France baggage team can sometimes help speed up the recovery process. It can narrow down where the bag was last scanned and help staff locate it more quickly.

How do you reach Air France baggage assistance?

You can call the airline’s baggage handling department at one of the following customer service phone numbers:

• +44 808 196 8686 
• +44 204 586 5394 

If your bags aren’t located within 72 hours

If Air France has not located your bag within 72 hours of your initial report, they will typically ask you to complete an inventory form through their online baggage search tool. This form asks you to list the contents of your bag in as much detail as possible, along with the estimated value of each item. 

A detailed, accurate inventory is one of the strongest pieces of evidence you can provide, both for the search and for any compensation claim. If you photographed the contents of your bag before you travelled, use those photos. If not, take your time and be as thorough as you can. Vague descriptions or underestimated values can reduce what you are eventually paid.

When can you file a claim with Air France for delayed baggage?

You can file a reimbursement claim as soon as your luggage is delivered to you. You have 21 days from the time you received your bags to do this.

Delayed baggage on the way home: How is it treated differently?

If your bag is delayed on the way home rather than on the way out, Air France may argue that you already have access to what you need at home, and may refuse to reimburse essential purchases. 

Keep your receipts and submit them anyway, but be prepared for pushback. Your right to compensation for the delay itself is not affected, but your out-of-pocket expenses claim is likely to be smaller or disputed.

Lost baggage: If Air France still can’t find your luggage after 21 days

Once 21 days have passed without your bag being located, Air France will officially declare it lost. This is actually an important milestone because it's when the full compensation process opens up and you can claim for the value of your bag and everything in it, up to the £1,650 (€1,880) limit.

Here is what to do next:

1. Confirm the official lost status in writing: Contact Air France directly and ask them to confirm in writing that your bag has been declared lost. You want this on record before you submit your claim. Also, keep a copy of everything, especially your correspondence with the airline.
2. Prepare a detailed inventory of your bag's contents. Air France will ask you to list everything that was in your bag. Be as thorough and accurate as possible. Vague or incomplete inventories are one of the most common reasons claims are reduced or disputed. If you photographed the contents of your bag before you travelled, now is the time to use that evidence.
3. Gather proof of purchase for higher-value items. For anything of significant value, try to locate receipts, bank statements, or order confirmations. You do not need proof of purchase for every item, but the more evidence you provide, the harder it is for Air France to dispute your claim.
4. Submit your formal claim Once your documentation is in order, submit your lost baggage claim through the airline’s official baggage claim portal or in writing to their customer service team. Include your PIR reference number, your inventory, all supporting evidence, and a clear statement of the total value you are claiming. You can also save a lot of time and energy by submitting your claim through AirAdvisor. 
5. Keep records of every interaction Note the date and time of every call, email, and submission. If Air France later disputes your claim or misses a response deadline, this paper trail becomes your strongest asset.

Damaged baggage: What to do and how to get compensated by Air France

Damaged baggage is one of the most straightforward compensation claims you can make against Air France. 

However, under Article 31 of the Montreal Convention, you have just 7 days from the moment your bag is returned to you to report the damage and submit your claim in writing. 

How to report and claim for damaged baggage with Air France

1. Photograph the damage before you leave the airport. 

Do this immediately, before anything else. Timestamped photos taken at the airport are significantly more compelling evidence than photos taken at home the following day. Capture the damage from multiple angles and include your baggage tag in at least one shot to link the photos directly to your bag.

2. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the Air France baggage desk. 

Go straight to the baggage services desk and report the damage before you leave the airport. Staff will help you complete a PIR. This is not your compensation claim. It is simply the starting point that makes a claim possible. Keep your PIR reference number safe.

3. Submit your written claim within 7 days. 

This is the step that actually gets you compensated, and the one most passengers complete too late. This must include your PIR reference, your photographs, and as much relevant information about your flight and the damage as you can provide.

Can you claim for cabin baggage?

For hand luggage carried in the cabin, the rules are different. 

Air France is only responsible for loss or damage to cabin bags if the airline was at fault. This means you would need to show that the problem was caused by something the airline or its staff did. 

The same compensation limit that applies to checked baggage also applies to cabin baggage, although most claims are for much smaller amounts depending on the damage.

Can you claim travel insurance plus Air France baggage compensation?

Yes. You can usually claim from both the airline and your travel insurance, but you cannot be compensated twice for the same loss.

Claim from the airline first

In most cases, you should first claim from the airline under the Montreal Convention. Travel insurance usually acts as secondary coverage, reimbursing any remaining losses that the airline’s compensation does not cover, subject to your policy limits and excess.

Before claiming, check your policy carefully, as items such as electronics, jewellery, and cash often have separate limits or exclusions.

What if Air France rejects or ignores your baggage claim?

If Air France rejects your claim or offers less compensation than you believe is fair, you still have options.

Ask for a written explanation. Request the reason for the decision so you can see whether the claim was denied due to missing documents, a deadline issue, or a dispute over the value of the items. In many cases, submitting additional evidence can lead to a reassessment.

You can also let AirAdvisor handle your claim from the beginning or at any point in the process.

Can AirAdvisor handle Air France baggage claims?

Yes. AirAdvisor regularly assists passengers with complex baggage claims against airlines such as Air France. Here’s an example of a recent case we handled:

What happened

A passenger travelling from Toronto to Bucharest via Paris discovered that one of her 2 checked suitcases never arrived at her final destination. Both bags were identical Samsonite suitcases wrapped in blue protective film. A tagging error during handling meant the suitcase that arrived had two baggage labels attached, while the missing bag had none.

Because the missing suitcase could not be properly identified in the system, tracing it became extremely difficult. After the airline’s standard search period passed without locating the bag, it was officially declared lost.

What we did to get compensation

AirAdvisor helped the passenger prepare and submit a detailed claim to Air France, including baggage documentation and a complete inventory of the suitcase contents. 

With the correct evidence and claim structure in place, Air France approved compensation of £1,520 (€1,772) which is close to the maximum available under the Montreal Convention.

Need help with an Air France baggage compensation claim? Just enter your basic flight details to begin.Start your claim

How does Air France rank for baggage reliability?

AirAdvisor ranked 7 of Europe's biggest airlines on baggage handling in their Baggage Reliability Score, and Air France came last, scoring just 2.2 points out of 7. More Air France passengers search for baggage help, make claims, and mention luggage problems in reviews than any other airline in the study.

The airline scores well for overall quality. It ranks 9th in the world on the Skytrax list, but when it comes to your bags specifically, the data tells a different story.

If something goes wrong with your luggage on Air France, you are more likely to need to push for compensation than with most other European airlines. 

FAQs

Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead

Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.

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