What to do if your suitcase arrives damaged

The PIR form and photos to take before leaving the counter

At the baggage assistance desk, located near baggage claim with the airline logo, you complete the PIR (Property Irregularity Report), the form that generates a reference number to keep carefully: it links the damage to the specific flight and will be needed in every subsequent communication. Before handing over the suitcase for repair, photograph it from multiple angles, capturing both the damage and the baggage tag still attached; if the damage involves a mechanical part, a short video of the malfunction is evidence harder to contest than a static photo.

Which damages are compensated (and which are not)

Airlines distinguish quite rigidly between normal wear from transport — scratches, surface marks, light dents that do not prevent opening and closing the suitcase — and functional damage that compromises its use: broken wheels, torn handles, bent frames or zippers that no longer close. Only the latter almost certainly entitle you to compensation; aesthetic marks, however annoying on a new suitcase, are rejected in most cases.

The compensation ceiling under the Montreal Convention

For international flights, maximum compensation for baggage damage follows the Montreal Convention, which as of December 28, 2024 sets the limit at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, equivalent to approximately 1,900 euros at current exchange rates, unless a higher value declaration was made and paid at check-in. On domestic flights, consumer protection rules of the individual country may apply instead, with different ceilings: the general conditions of carriage published on the airline's website clarify which regime applies. For details on these limits, you can read the guide on liability limits under the law.

If the airline refuses your claim

Without a report filed at the airport for practical impossibility — for example a very tight connection — a written claim remains possible, typically within 7 days of arrival for damages: the exact deadline varies by carrier and should be verified on the airline's website. If the claim is refused, you can contact the national civil aviation authority — in Italy the ENAC — or, for smaller amounts, small claims court. Before the case is closed, it is better not to discard the damaged suitcase: some airlines want to have it inspected by an authorized repair center, and some major airports have one in the terminal, capable of handling wheels or zippers in a few hours.

Photograph the PIR form and the damage before leaving the assistance desk, and keep the receipt for any urgent replacement purchase: these two documents, more than any discussion at the counter, will decide the outcome of your claim.