Up to 285 euros: More money when you have to deal with baggage

This is good news for travelers: The liability limits for damages in air travel have been raised. This applies to loss, damage, and delay of baggage. But more money will now also be paid out in cases of death and injury.

This is the fear of all travelers: The baggage carousel at the destination airport keeps turning and turning, but your suitcase never appears. This usually means trouble and stress. However, airline passengers can now benefit from higher compensation limits in such cases. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) raised the corresponding limits by approximately €285 at the beginning of the year – largely unnoticed by the public.

No matter how expensive the contents were, travelers whose suitcases were lost or destroyed were previously reimbursed up to a maximum of 1,288 Special Drawing Rights, equivalent to approximately €1,580. Those whose suitcases and contents were more expensive were left with the remaining replacement costs. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) are the artificial currency of the International Monetary Fund. 1 SDR is equivalent to approximately €1.18.

Now the limits have been raised by almost 18 percent. The new liability cap is 1,519 SDRs, or approximately €1,865. The adjustment is intended to compensate for inflation since the last adjustment five years ago and seems truly necessary: ​​Even expensive suitcases like the Rimowa Essential Trunk Plus currently cost almost €1,200. Incidentally, the new liability limits already apply to flights starting December 28, 2024.

The maximum amount of compensation a traveler can receive if their luggage is lost, damaged, or delayed is regulated by the Montreal Convention on Civil Air Liability. It is in force in 140 countries, including Germany. The ICAO administers the convention and is responsible for its regular amendments.

Ratification is not insignificant, as important travel destinations such as Thailand and Turkey have not ratified the agreement. In these cases, airlines are not obligated to apply the provisions of the Montreal Convention. Furthermore, the agreement applies exclusively to international flights. It does not apply to purely domestic flights.

The maximum amounts for death or bodily injury – for example, in the case of a crash – have also been increased by almost 18 percent. Instead of the previous 128,821 SDRs, there is now a maximum of 151,880 SDRs. This corresponds to slightly more than 186,000 euros. The other maximum amounts will also be increased by around 18 percent – ​​for delays in passenger transport, for example, to 6,303 SDRs, or approximately 7,700 euros.

Please note: All amounts are upper limits and not automatically payable. However, the upper limits may not apply in some cases, namely when the airline itself clearly contributed to the damage through intentional or grossly negligent conduct.

Conversely, less money or no money at all is given if the passenger has not behaved properly. If the conveyor belt remains empty, the most important rule is that passengers must go to the designated lost and found counter. This is usually operated by service providers, but occasionally by the airline itself. Tip: If it becomes apparent that your luggage hasn't been reloaded due to a delayed connecting train, you should hurry – a long line quickly forms at the counter.

There, travelers must fill out a PIR form (PIR = Property Irregularity Report). Some airlines now also offer electronic reporting via the airline's mobile app.

The claim for damages must be received by the airline no later than 21 days after the flight – including the baggage tag and, ideally, purchase receipts, for example, for the lost suitcase. Please note: In the event of damage, you only have seven days. In fact, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court ruled years ago that those who report their damage too late will lose out (case no. 16 U 66/12).

If your luggage didn't arrive with you at your destination airport, you can still buy replacement items, such as missing clothing. It's advisable to shop sparingly and only buy the bare essentials. Because your suitcase usually turns up again at some point, and then the cost of replacement clothing is only partially reimbursed. Tip: If you think the airline's payment is too low, you can, of course, file a lawsuit. A free and equally promising option is to contact the Travel & Transport Arbitration Board in Berlin.

It's also helpful if the luggage is clearly labeled. In addition to a name sticker, there should also be some indication of the owner inside, such as a note with the home or hotel address placed on top. Passengers should also ensure that old luggage labels from previous flights, especially their barcodes, are removed. And if in doubt, prominent luggage straps help identify misplaced belongings even from a distance.

A clever travel hack is electronic luggage trackers that allow you to locate your luggage from your mobile phone. The most popular such trackers are Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag and Apple's AirTag. Numerous airlines are already taking advantage of iOS's "Share Item Location" feature, integrating the small, round tracking devices as part of their lost-baggage search service. Airlines participating in this system include Air Canada, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Delta, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines.

In addition, airport equipment supplier SITA has also integrated the feature into its software. It is used by baggage handlers at over 2,800 airports. The "Share Item Location" feature is part of iOS 18.2. The location shared under "Find My" is deactivated once a user is reunited with their item, can be stopped by the owner at any time, and automatically expires after seven days. Link recipients must authenticate themselves.

(hwr)