Lost, Delayed or Damaged Baggage with Saudia? How to Submit a Report and Compensation Claim

Written By Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated: April 17, 2025

What happens when you arrive at your destination, after a Saudia flight, but your checked baggage doesn’t. Even worse, what if your bags have been damaged?  Luckily, an international treaty known as the Montreal Convention protects your rights, in these cases, and requires the airline to provide up to approximately £1,600 (€1,920) in compensation and reimbursement. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through these rights, as well as what you should do if you arrive to find your checked luggage delayed, lost, or damaged. 

What are Your Rights for Saudia Baggage Mishandling?

On international flights, your passenger rights, for baggage loss or damage, are protected by the Montreal Convention. The rules of this treaty state that airlines are liable for compensating passengers up to roughly £1,600 (€1,920) for baggage mishandling.

Your Baggage is Missing after a Saudia Flight. Now What?

If your bags don’t arrive at the destination baggage claim area, here’s what you need to do, ideally before you leave the airport.

1. Go to the Baggage Services Desk, and make a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). This document serves as the official statement to Saudia that your bags did not arrive as planned. Be sure to keep a copy as you will need this later to file a claim. Also, you can use the PIR number to track the status of your luggage.
2. If you have already left the airport, you can still complete this step by using Saudia’s online form within 48 hours of arrival.
3. Track the status of your luggage by using Saudia’s WorldTracer link.
4. Purchase essentials, like clothing and toiletries, and keep all the receipts for reimbursement.

No matter where you file our PIR, you will need to provide Saudia with information about your flight, a description of your missing items, contact and delivery information, as well as other pertinent details. 

Also, it’s important to understand that most airlines consider baggage missing until 21 days have passed, at which point they will consider it officially lost. 

If Your Baggage is Damaged after a Saudia Flight

If you collect your checked bags and find them to be damaged, you should take the following steps before you leave the airport.

1. Locate the Baggage Services desk at the airport, and complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). 
2. Take photos of the damage so you have supporting evidence for your claim.
3. Keep the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) number to use when you file a claim with Saudia.
4. Make any essential purchases and keep your receipts for reimbursement.

A Saudia representative will inspect the damage and try to help you with an alternate bag, provided one is available. If you want to submit a claim for baggage compensation, you have 7 days to do so.

Important: If you don’t discover the damage until after you leave the airport, you still have 7 days to make a report and file a claim. You can do this via the Saudia site or by returning to the airport with your damaged luggage.

Saudia Baggage Claims: Lost, Delayed & Damaged Bags

How to Submit a Saudia Baggage Compensation Claim

You can submit a claim for both lost and damaged baggage on Saudia’s complaint form.

Add as many details as possible about your mishandled baggage, including your:

1. Property Irregularity Report (PIR) copy
2. Photos of the damaged baggage (as applies)
3. Receipts for essentials and/or receipts from the purchase of your bags
4. Bag tag(s)
5. Details about your trip, like the arrival and departure airports, flight number(s), copy of your boarding pass, and any other relevant information.

Saudia doesn’t say how long it will take for them to respond to claim submissions, but generally you should get a response in 7-10 business days and a decision about your case within 45 days.

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How to Keep Your Baggage from Getting Lost or Damaged

Here are a few tips to keep your baggage from being mishandled in the future.

1. Add baggage labels. Add your name, email, and phone number to both the outside and inside of your bags.
2. Remove old barcodes and tags from previous flights.
3. Take photos of your suitcases. Snap photos of the contents as well as the exterior. This will help the airline locate your items if they’re missing. If your luggage is damaged, you will have a way of proving what they looked like prior to checking them with the carrier. You will also have an account of what you packed, so you can better itemize the contents as part of your report and claim.
4. Check-in early so your bags have time to make it to your aircraft.
5. Leave enough time between connections. Ideally, you should allow between 1.5 and 2 hours so your bags have time to be loaded. 
6. Don’t overpack! Overstuffed bags are more likely to be damaged when loaded.

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Need help with a baggage compensation claim? Let us help! We’ve been helping passengers since 2017 get the payouts they deserve. Our legal team can contact the airline and submit a claim on your behalf, so you don’t have to! Best of all, we only get paid if we win your case.

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