Lost, damaged or delayed baggage: the airline's liability, decoded

The Commission's air passenger rights page states it plainly: for checked-in luggage that is lost, damaged or delayed, the airline is liable and you're entitled to compensation up to an amount of approximately €1,300. The built-in exclusion: if the damage was caused by an inherent defect in the baggage itself, you're not entitled to any compensation. Hand luggage runs on a different footing — the airline is liable for damage to it only if the airline was responsible.

Source: Your Europe — Air passenger rights, luggage (European Commission), read 9 September 2026.

Per the same guidance, a claim for lost or damaged luggage must be filed in writing to the airline within 7 days, or within 21 days of receiving your luggage if it was delayed — and there is no standard EU-wide form, so the airline's own claims channel is the route. The calendar is the whole game: the PIR reference you get at the airport desk is not a claim; the written submission inside the window is.

Source: Your Europe — luggage claims, deadlines, read 9 September 2026.

Two honest options from the same page for expensive contents: you can, for a fee, request a higher compensation limit from the airline you are travelling with — in advance and at the latest when you check in; and the Commission's own advisory is that to ensure you have sufficient coverage when travelling with expensive items, it's advisable to hold travel insurance. Movers hauling a life across borders usually pass the ceiling without noticing — declare, insure, or carry the irreplaceable in the cabin.

Source: Your Europe — luggage, higher limits and insurance, read 9 September 2026.