Lost Luggage with Air France: What to do?

Whether arriving to your destination, or returning home; nothing is more worrying than realizing that your luggage is not on the airport conveyor belt. Fortunately, Air France offers many ways to report lost or damaged luggage. Travelers can file an claim online within 48 hours of arrival, or go directly to the airport baggage claim office. In the event of a broken suitcase or missing object, a claim can also be made online or at the airport within 7 days. Here is a detailed explanation of the procedure to follow.

Depending on your arrival airport, Air France offers two options for declaring missing baggage: online within 48 hours of your arrival or with Air France KLM baggage services before leaving the airport.

If you find your baggage missing on arrival, don’t worry. Air France has set up a simple procedure for reporting lost baggage. You have 48 hours from the arrival of your flight to complete the declaration form available online or via the Air France application.

To make the process easier, be sure to bring your baggage receipt with you. You can find the receipt number in several ways: if you checked in at the airport, the baggage receipt was given to you at the baggage drop-off counter. If you have opted for online check-in and printed your boarding pass and baggage label at home, the receipt number will be indicated on the “Baggage receipt” page and in the confirmation e-mail sent to you.

Once you’ve gathered all the necessary information, fill in the online form, including the baggage receipt number. Following your declaration, you will receive a file number. Keep it in a safe place, as you’ll be able to track the progress of your luggage search online.

You can report missing baggage online if you have arrived at one of the following airports:

In some airports, it is impossible to report missing baggage online. If you notice that your baggage is missing before you have left the arrival airport, it is essential that you go directly to the Air France baggage department or its local representative. Before leaving the airport, you will be asked to fill in a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form to officially report the situation.

At the end of this declaration, you will receive a file number which you should keep carefully, as it will enable you to track the progress of the search for your missing baggage.

You can also file a claim if your suitcase arrives broken or has missing items at the airport.

If you notice any damage to your suitcase, it’s important to act quickly. You have 7 days from the date you receive your baggage to file a claim. To do this, you can fill in the online complaints form or contact the customer service department in your country of residence.

Be sure to provide the following documents with your claim: your boarding pass or ticket, your baggage tags, and the repair estimate or statement that your baggage cannot be repaired. Remember to keep the originals of these documents, as they may be required at a later date to process your claim.

If you find an item missing from your baggage, you also have 7 days from receipt of your baggage to make a claim by filling in this online form.

If your airport of arrival is in mainland France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion or French Polynesia, you can pre-complain online to facilitate the processing of your claim. For other arrival airports, we advise you to lodge a complaint directly with the police authorities, to simplify the process.

To report any incident involving your baggage, you must go to theAir France baggage department at your destination airport. A baggage irregularity report will be drawn up there, with all the information required to repair the damage, together with a file number to keep for tracking the progress of your claim.

If you arrive at Paris-Charles de Gaulle or Paris-Orly, you must fill in a letter of complaint on the spot, which will then be forwarded by Air France to the gendarmerie authorities responsible for handling the incident.

If your baggage has not been found within 72 hours of notification, Air France asks passengers to complete the inventory and claim form available after identification in the online baggage tracking tool.

In this document, it is essential to provide a detailed description of the contents of your missing luggage. Be sure to mention the value of each item of clothing, pair of shoes, and objects it contained. The accuracy and completeness of this description plays a vital role in identifying your lost luggage. If, unfortunately, your baggage has not been found within 21 days of your declaration, the values you have declared will be used to establish a claim for compensation.

If you have incurred essential expenses, such as the purchase of hygiene products or clothing, due to the non-receipt of your baggage, you may be eligible for a refund. You have 21 days from the effective date of receipt of your baggage to submit a refund request.

To do this, simply fill in the online claim form. To ensure that your claim is processed efficiently, please keep all invoices for expenses incurred, as these may be required at a later date to substantiate your claim.

If you lose your luggage while traveling, you may be entitled to compensation of up to €1,607 on presentation of supporting documents, such as invoices or proof of purchase.

If the sum of your belongings exceeds the compensation amount of €1,607, you can opt for additional insurance to declare the actual value of your belongings when checking in your baggage.

The purchase of additional insurance is not necessarily recommended, however, because of the significant additional costs involved. A practical alternative to avoid these additional costs is to subscribe to a bank card that offers luggage insurance. In France, several cards offer this option, including American Express and Air France KLM American Express, as well as Gold CB Mastercard cards from Fortuneo Banque, Hello Prime Visa from Hello bank!You and Metal from N26, Ultim and Metal from BoursoBank and Visa Premier from BNP Paribas, Société Générale and HSBC France.

By opting for a bank card offering luggage insurance, travelers can benefit from extensive protection for their luggage, without the need to purchase specific supplementary insurance. Before you travel, it’s always a good idea to find out about the benefits offered by your bank card, to make sure you’re well covered in the event of any baggage-related incidents while on the move.

Air France offers various options for reporting lost or damaged luggage and obtaining appropriate compensation. Travelers are advised to familiarize themselves with these procedures to facilitate their journey and reduce the stress and inconvenience of baggage problems. Before you leave, it’s also a good idea to find out about the benefits offered by your bank card, to ensure optimum protection during your travels. By taking these steps and making sure you’re properly covered, you’ll be able to embark on your trip with complete peace of mind.