Qantas passenger rights
Qantas lost, delayed or damaged baggage: how to claim
This page covers the law, not airline policy
Rules for Qantas baggage claims
Which rules apply depends on your route and where the airline is licensed.
Montreal Convention 1999 (baggage liability)
Applies to: International journeys between two countries where the Montreal Convention is in force. Qantas is licensed in Australia, which is a party, so journeys between Australia and another party country are covered. Domestic flights fall under national law, which we haven't verified yet.
- For checked baggage, the airline is liable for destruction, loss or damage that happened on board or while the bag was in its care, without you having to prove fault, unless the damage came from a defect in the bag itself.
- For cabin baggage, the airline is only liable if the damage resulted from its fault, or that of its staff or agents.
- For delay, the airline is liable for your losses unless it proves it took all reasonable measures to avoid them. Typically that means essential items you had to buy.
- Liability is limited to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage, for journeys on or after December 28, 2024. This is a cap on proven losses, not a payment you're automatically owed.
- If you made a special declaration of value at check-in and paid any supplement, the limit can be higher, up to the declared sum.
- If another airline operated the flight, a complaint has the same effect whether it goes to Qantas (if it sold you the ticket) or to the operating airline (Art. 42).
- Every complaint must be made in writing.
| Damaged bag | Complain in writing within 7 days of receiving it (Art. 31(2)) |
|---|---|
| Items missing from the bag | Usually treated as damage: complain within 7 days of receiving it |
| Delayed bag | Complain in writing within 21 days of it being returned to you (Art. 31(2)) |
| Lost bag | Claim for it as lost if it hasn't arrived 21 days after it should have (Art. 17(3)) |
| Court claim | Start within 2 years of the arrival date (Art. 35) |
US DOT rules: checked bag fee refunds
Applies to: Flights to, from or within the United States.
- For flights to, from or within the US, a checked bag is significantly delayed if it isn't delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight's arrival, or 15 to 30 hours for international itineraries depending on flight length. You may then be owed a refund of the checked bag fee.
EU Regulation 261/2004
Applies to: Flight delays, cancellations and denied boarding only.
- EU261 covers delayed and cancelled flights and denied boarding. It does not cover baggage, so it gives no compensation for a delayed, lost or damaged bag.
- If the flight itself was also delayed by 3 hours or more, or cancelled, that may be a separate claim.
What to do now
- Report the problem to Qantas at the airport before you leave, and ask for a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) reference.
- Keep your boarding pass and bag tag receipt, and photograph any damage.
- Keep receipts for essentials you buy while your bag is delayed.
- Send a written complaint to Qantas within the deadline: 7 days for damage, 21 days after a delayed bag is returned.
- Use the refund assistant for a personalised plan with your exact deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to claim for a damaged Qantas bag?
Complain in writing within 7 days of receiving the bag. For a delayed bag, the deadline is 21 days from when it's returned to you. A court claim must be started within 2 years of the arrival date.
When does a delayed Qantas bag count as lost?
Under the Montreal Convention, you can claim for checked baggage as lost if it still hasn't arrived 21 days after it should have.
How much can I claim from Qantas for a lost bag?
There is no fixed amount per bag. You can claim your proven losses, up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, or more if you made a special declaration of value at check-in.
Does EU261 cover lost luggage?
No. EU261 covers delayed and cancelled flights and denied boarding, not baggage. Baggage claims on international flights fall under the Montreal Convention.
Official sources
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