What to Do the Moment an Airline Loses Your Luggage

First, confirm the bag is actually missing

• Check the carousel for 15 minutes after the last bag arrives.
• Walk the perimeter — bags occasionally end up on the wrong belt.
• Open your AirTag in Find My if you have one in the bag.

File before you leave

Find the airline's baggage service desk in the baggage claim area. File a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) before exiting.

You'll need:

• Boarding pass and bag tag receipt.
• A description of the bag (color, brand, distinguishing marks).
• Local address for delivery.

Get an interim allowance

Many airlines will issue a small stipend for toiletries on the spot. Always ask.

Start tracking

Most airlines now offer real-time bag status in the app. Add the PIR reference number, refresh, and stop calling the agent every 30 minutes — they don't have more info than the app.

Within 24 hours

• 80% of bags surface here.
• The airline will contact your local address for delivery once located.

After 5 days

• Officially "lost." Begin a written claim.
• Document contents with receipts where possible.
• File a parallel claim with travel insurance or your credit card.

Tracker tip

Pin the flight in FlightyFlow. Even after a missing-bag situation, the app shows the exact baggage carousel for return flights, which speeds up the next leg.