Qatar Airways lost or missing baggage? How to claim compensation

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated:  May 7, 2026

Reviewed by:  Michael Higgins

You have 7 days for damaged baggage and 21 days for delayed baggage. After these deadlines, Qatar Airways can legally refuse your claim.

If Qatar Airways mishandled your baggage, the first thing you need to know is this: for damaged bags, you must report it before you leave the arrival terminal. If you walk out of the airport without filing a report, your claim may be closed before it has even started.

Under the Montreal Convention and Qatar's own conditions of carriage, you could be owed up to approximately €1,920 for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage. Here is exactly what you are entitled to, what Qatar will and will not cover, and what you need to do to claim it.

Check your Qatar Airways baggage claim

Key takeaways

1. Qatar Airways' liability for baggage is governed by the Montreal Convention, with a maximum payout of approximately €1,920 per passenger for delayed, lost, or damaged checked and unchecked baggage.
2. For damaged baggage, you must file a written complaint before leaving the arrival terminal. The absolute deadline is 7 days from receipt of your bag.
3. For delayed baggage, you have 21 days from the date your bag was returned to you to file a written complaint.
4. Qatar will not accept liability for electronics, jewellery, money, computers, or documents packed in checked baggage. These items are explicitly excluded under Qatar's conditions of carriage.
5. Baggage that remains unclaimed for 90 days passes into Qatar's ownership under their conditions of carriage.
6. You can declare a higher value for your checked baggage at check-in by paying a supplementary fee, which raises the liability limit beyond €1,920.

Your rights under the Montreal Convention

Qatar Airways operates under the Montreal Convention for international flights, the same international treaty that governs baggage liability for most major carriers worldwide. Qatar's own conditions of carriage set their maximum liability at 1,519 SDR per passenger for loss, damage, or delay to both checked and unchecked baggage. 

At current exchange rates, and following the updated ICAO compensation ceiling that came into effect in December 2024, this equates to approximately €1,920 per passenger.

Unlike flight delay compensation under EU261, where the airline must be proved to be at fault, Qatar bears strict liability for checked baggage under the Montreal Convention. You do not need to prove negligence, but you do need to prove the value of your loss.

If your flight disruption involved a delay or cancellation rather than a baggage issue, your rights are covered separately under EU261 or UK261 depending on your departure point. The Montreal Convention applies specifically to baggage mishandling.

What Qatar Airways will not cover in a baggage claim

Qatar explicitly excludes liability for the following items when packed in checked baggage:

• Money, jewellery, precious metals, and valuables
• Computers, personal electronic devices, and similar technology
• Negotiable papers, securities, and share certificates
• Business documents, passports, and identification documents
• Fragile or perishable items
• Pre-existing damage or wear and tear, including minor cuts, scratches, scuffs, dents, and marks

If any of these items are damaged or lost while in your checked baggage, Qatar's conditions of carriage state clearly that the airline assumes no liability. If you are travelling with electronics, jewellery, or valuables that you cannot carry on board, consider purchasing additional travel insurance or using Qatar's excess value declaration service at check-in.

Qatar also accepts no liability for items removed from your baggage by airport security personnel.

File a PIR before you leave the airport

A Property Irregularity Report (PIR) is the official record of your baggage complaint. Without one, Qatar can reject your compensation claim entirely.

For damaged baggage, Qatar's conditions of carriage require you to complain in writing before you leave the arrival terminal. If you have left the airport, you still have until 7 days after receiving your bag to file in writing, but acting immediately at the airport gives you the strongest possible position.

For delayed baggage, file your PIR at the Qatar baggage desk before leaving the arrivals hall, or report online using Qatar's mishandled baggage portal.

Once you have a PIR reference number, use it to track your bag and to support your compensation claim.

Delayed baggage on Qatar Airways

If your checked baggage does not arrive at your destination, it is classified as delayed, not lost.

What to do at the airport:

1. Go to the Qatar Airways baggage service desk before leaving the arrivals hall.
2. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and keep your reference number.
3. Provide a delivery address so Qatar can send the bag directly to you.
4. Register your claim on Qatar's mishandled baggage portal using your PIR number.

Essential purchases while you wait

If your bag is delayed and you need to buy essentials such as clothing, toiletries, or medication, keep every receipt. These costs can be reimbursed as part of your claim. Only purchase what is strictly necessary.

Compensation deadline for delayed baggage

You must file a written complaint within 21 days of the date your bag was returned to you. If you miss this deadline, the claim is closed.

How long does it take to get your bags back?

In most cases, delayed baggage is located and returned within a few days. If your bag has not been returned after 21 days, it is officially classified as lost under the Montreal Convention.

Lost baggage on Qatar Airways

If your bags still haven’t been returned to you after 21 days of your flight, Qatar must treat your baggage as lost.

At this point, contact Qatar's customer relations team to begin the lost baggage claim. You should also notify your travel insurance provider, as some policies provide coverage above the Montreal Convention limit.

Documents you will need for a baggage claim:

1. Your PIR reference number and a copy of the report
2. Your boarding pass or flight booking confirmation
3. Baggage tag number
4. Passport or official photo ID
5. Receipts for essential purchases made during the delay
6. Receipts or proof of value for items that were in the lost bag

The stronger your documentation, the better your outcome. Qatar will assess the value of lost items against their liability cap of approximately €1,920.

The 90-day rule

Qatar's conditions of carriage state that if baggage remains unclaimed for 90 days after being in their possession, ownership passes to Qatar. If your bag has been located but not yet returned to you, make sure you follow up before that window closes.

Passengers often assume that the 7-day and 21-day deadlines give them time to think. They do not. For damaged baggage, Qatar's own conditions of carriage require the passenger to report the damage before leaving the arrival terminal. That window closes the moment you walk out of the airport. Filing a report at the desk while the bag is in front of you, with photos taken on the spot, is always the strongest possible position. What comes after is largely a paperwork exercise. What happens at the airport determines whether there is a claim to make at all. – Michael Higgins, Aviation Lawyer, AirAdvisor

Damaged baggage on Qatar Airways

Most damaged baggage claims fail because the passenger left the airport before reporting the damage. 

Qatar requires you to report damaged baggage before you leave the arrival terminal. Seven days is the absolute limit, but waiting that long makes your claim harder to prove. Reporting at the baggage desk while the damaged bag is in front of you, with photos taken on the spot, puts you in a much stronger position than contacting the airline days later.

What to do at the airport:

1. Take your damaged bag directly to the Qatar baggage service desk before leaving the arrivals hall.
2. Complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
3. Photograph the damage thoroughly, covering the bag exterior, interior, and any damaged contents.
4. Keep your PIR reference number.

If you have already left the airport, you still have until 7 days after receiving your bag to file a written complaint with Qatar. Contact their customer relations team as soon as possible.

What Qatar will and will not cover in a damaged baggage claim

Compensation summary

How this works in practice

A passenger arrives in Bangkok on a Qatar Airways flight from London via Doha. Their checked bag did not make the connection and is not on the carousel.

Before leaving the arrivals hall, the passenger goes to the Qatar baggage desk, files a Property Irregularity Report, and receives a reference number. Over the next three days, they buy essential clothing and toiletries totalling €195, keeping every receipt.

On the third day, the bag is delivered to their hotel. The passenger then submits a delayed baggage expenses claim to Qatar with the PIR reference, flight details, and all receipts. Qatar reimburses the full €195.

The claim succeeded because the PIR was filed immediately on arrival, before the passenger left the airport. Without that report, Qatar could have rejected the expenses claim entirely.

Did Qatar Airways delay, lose, or damage your bag?You may be owed up to €1,920 in compensation. AirAdvisor handles the entire claim. You just submit your details.Start your Qatar Airways baggage claim

How to submit your Qatar Airways baggage compensation claim

1. Step. File a PIR at the airport before leaving the baggage reclaim area. For damaged baggage, do this before you leave the terminal.
2. Step. Gather your documents: PIR reference number, boarding pass or booking confirmation, baggage tag, receipts for essential purchases, and photos of any damage.
3. Step. Submit your claim to Qatar Airways through their customer relations portal within the relevant deadline. That is 7 days for damage and 21 days for delayed baggage expenses.
4. Step. Wait for Qatar's response. Baggage claims can take several weeks to assess.
5. Step. If Qatar rejects your claim or offers less than you are owed, you can escalate. AirAdvisor can handle that escalation on your behalf, including legal action if necessary.

Alternatively, let AirAdvisor manage your claim from start to finish. We handle the verification, correspondence, and if necessary the legal proceedings. No win, no fee.

Frequently asked questions

For flight delays and cancellations on Qatar Airways, see our guide to delayed, damaged, and lost baggage compensation. For baggage rights under international law, see our Montreal Convention guide.

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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