If your checked bag is lost or damaged after a Heathrow flight, the airline, not the airport, owes you compensation under the Montreal Convention, capped at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger (around $1,800-2,000 or EUR 1,900, roughly £1,400-£1,500 depending on the exchange rate). You must report it before leaving the baggage reclaim hall if at all possible, and you then have 7 days to file a written damage or loss claim, or 21 days after you actually get a delayed bag back. Checked 2026.
What compensation can you get for lost luggage at Heathrow?
All checked baggage is the airline's responsibility from check-in until you collect it, not Heathrow's, so any claim goes to the airline that operated your last flight, not to the airport. Under the Montreal Convention, airline liability for baggage loss, damage or delay is capped at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger. This limit rose from 1,288 SDR on 28 December 2024, under the Convention's built-in five-year inflation review, so treat any older source quoting a lower figure as out of date. In practice, you'll be compensated for the depreciated value of what's lost, based on age and condition, not a "new for old" replacement, and airlines typically ask for receipts or other proof of value.
What compensation can you get for damaged luggage?
The same cap applies to damage. Report it to the airline's baggage desk before you leave the reclaim hall; if damage only becomes obvious once you're home, you still need to notify the airline in writing within 7 days of receiving the bag. Keep the bag, its contents and any packaging until the claim is resolved, since the airline may want to inspect it.
What about a delayed bag?
A bag that turns up later isn't "lost" until it passes the point your airline or the Montreal Convention treats it as missing for good, usually 21 days. While it's delayed, most airlines will reimburse reasonable essentials you had to buy, such as toiletries or a change of clothes, and reasonable transport costs if you have to collect the bag yourself once it's found. To formally claim for a delay, write to the airline within 21 days of getting the bag back.
How to report a lost or damaged bag at Heathrow
- Before you leave the reclaim hall: find your airline's desk in the same hall (most have one), and ask for a Property Irregularity Report, sometimes called a missing bag report, with a reference number you can use to track progress.
- If the desk is unstaffed or you've already left: use the baggage enquiry telephones in arrivals, available at all four terminals, or contact your airline directly through its website or baggage portal.
- For an international flight: you may also need to complete a customs declaration form as part of the report.
- If you can't register in person at all: you still have 7 days to register the problem with the airline afterwards, though reporting immediately gives the airline the best chance of tracing the bag quickly.
What is a Property Irregularity Report (PIR)?
A PIR is the standard industry report an airline or its ground handler completes when your bag doesn't arrive, or arrives damaged. It typically becomes your reference for tracking the bag through the airline's system (often called WorldTracer industry-wide) and is usually required before the airline will process any compensation claim, so always ask for one and keep a copy, whether on paper or by email.
What the airline won't usually cover
Airlines' own conditions of carriage typically exclude or limit cover for:
- Jewellery, other valuables, money, and important documents packed in checked baggage, rather than carried with you.
- Fragile, perishable items, or anything packed in an unsuitable or already-damaged container.
- Stress, inconvenience, or a missed connection caused by a baggage problem, as opposed to the direct financial loss.
- "New for old" replacement value; expect compensation based on the item's age and condition instead.
Comparison: claim deadlines at a glance
| Problem | Report to the airline | Written compensation claim deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Lost bag | As soon as it doesn't appear, ideally before leaving reclaim | 7 days if treated as damaged/lost; up to 21 days once formally declared lost |
| Damaged bag | Before leaving reclaim, or within days of noticing | Within 7 days of receiving the bag |
| Delayed bag | As soon as possible, most airlines ask within about a week | Within 21 days of actually getting the bag back |
Should I claim from the airline or my travel insurance?
Either can work, and you don't have to choose only one route, though most policies won't let you be paid twice for the same loss. Travel insurance, or sometimes home contents insurance, often pays out more easily and without the Montreal Convention's cap, so it's worth checking your policy alongside an airline claim, particularly for higher-value items that the airline's compensation limit wouldn't fully cover.
Is this different from Heathrow's own lost property?
Yes. This guide covers checked baggage that goes missing or is damaged in the airline's care, between check-in and the reclaim belt. If you've instead left something behind in a terminal, at security, or on a previous visit, that's handled through Heathrow's own lost property process, covered in our Heathrow lost property guide. For how long baggage normally takes to reach the carousel in the first place, see our baggage reclaim guide. If your flight itself was delayed or cancelled rather than your bag, that's a separate compensation scheme, covered in our UK261 compensation guide. For current checked bag allowances and fees by airline, see our checked baggage prices guide.
Frequently asked questions
What compensation can I get for lost luggage at Heathrow?
Compensation comes from the airline, not the airport, and is capped at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger under the Montreal Convention, roughly $1,800-2,000 or EUR 1,900. You'll typically be paid the depreciated value of what's lost, not full replacement cost.
How long do I have to report a lost or damaged bag?
Report it before leaving the baggage reclaim hall if you can. If that's not possible, you generally have 7 days to register a loss or damage claim in writing, or 21 days after you receive a delayed bag back to claim for the delay.
Where do I report a missing bag at Heathrow?
At your airline's desk in the baggage reclaim hall of your terminal. If it's unstaffed, use the baggage enquiry telephones in arrivals, available at all four terminals, or contact the airline directly.
What is a Property Irregularity Report?
The standard report an airline completes when your bag is missing or damaged, giving you a reference number to track it. Ask for one every time, and keep the reference.
Will the airline pay for valuables in my checked bag?
Usually not. Most airlines exclude jewellery, cash, important documents and fragile or perishable items from checked-baggage liability, so carry high-value items with you instead.
Should I claim from my travel insurance instead of the airline?
You can often do both, though not for the same loss twice. Insurance frequently pays out more generously and faster than the airline's Montreal Convention limit, so check your policy alongside any airline claim.