What to Do About Lost Luggage: Claims and Compensation Process

What to do about lost luggage: if your bag doesn't come out on the carousel, report it immediately to the Lost & Found Office at the arrival airport and fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the staff on duty. Keep your tag and flight documents, track your baggage with the reference number, then submit a written application to the airline. Baggage complaints are outside the scope of SHGM passenger rights.

In brief

• If your baggage doesn't arrive, fill out a PIR at the office at the arrival airport and get the reference number.
• Keep the tag and flight documents until the baggage is delivered.
• SunExpress and Freebird allow 7 days for damage; Freebird allows 21 days for delay.
• Baggage complaints are outside SHGM's scope; apply in writing to the airline.

The essence of the rule: report at the airport first

If your baggage doesn't appear on the carousel, the first thing to do is go to the Lost & Found Office at the arrival airport and report the situation immediately. There, together with the staff on duty, you fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). The PIR is the official record of the baggage issue; the tracking steps are linked to the number given in this record.

When the PIR is filled out, you're given a reference number. An example format is FRAXQ12345: it starts with letters and continues with numbers. Note the number and take a photo of it; you'll use this number to check the latest status of your baggage.

Keep the baggage tag and flight documents until your baggage is delivered to you. Your boarding pass, ticket and tag receipt should stay together.

Describe the baggage's color, brand, size and distinctive contents clearly to the staff member. Have your accommodation address and a reachable phone number recorded in full. This information makes it easier for the baggage to be delivered to you.

Differences in application by airline

The PIR is filled out at the airport. The channel and timeframe for the written application to the airline, however, vary by company.

SunExpress

You check the latest status of your baggage through the SunExpress baggage tracking system using the reference number given during the PIR. For damaged baggage, you report the damage in writing via the SunExpress Contact Form within 7 days after the flight date.

THY

For lost or late-delivered baggage, you apply to THY by selecting "New Feedback". You check a previous application from the "Previous Feedback" section using the file number and email. Separate feedback must be created for baggage irregularities on different flights; multiple irregularities on the same flight are described in a single feedback entry. If you have trouble creating or checking feedback, the call center number is 0850 333 0 849.

Freebird Airlines

Damage must be reported in writing to the airline within 7 days of the baggage delivery date; delay must be reported within 21 days after delivery.

If you flew with another airline, check the company's current rule. Don't guess the timeframe or channel.

Three separate situations: lost, late-delivered and damaged

The application logic for the three situations is similar, but the timeframes vary by airline.

• Lost or not-yet-arrived baggage: A PIR is filled out at the arrival airport, tracked with the reference number, then a written application is submitted through the airline's own channel.
• Late-delivered baggage: When the baggage is delivered to you, don't throw away the tag and documents right away. At Freebird Airlines, delay must be reported in writing within 21 days after delivery. For other airlines, check the timeframe from your airline's current rule.
• Damaged baggage: At SunExpress, damage is reported in writing via the Contact Form within 7 days after the flight date; at Freebird Airlines, within 7 days from the delivery date. For other airlines, check the timeframe.

The point to note is that the starting day of the timeframes differs: SunExpress bases it on the flight date, Freebird on the delivery date. Note the first day for your application timeline.

In case of damage, take photos of the baggage and its contents. Record details like a broken wheel, torn fabric or detached handle from several angles. Images showing the condition at the moment of delivery make your claim more concrete in the written application.

Compensation process and SHGM's role

The compensation claim proceeds through the PIR record and the written application to the airline. We don't provide amounts in this article; check your airline's current rule for payment conditions.

What you need to know is this: baggage complaints are outside the scope of SHGM passenger rights. The passenger contacts the relevant business, i.e. the airline, directly, while retaining the right to pursue legal remedies. Therefore, you should submit a baggage issue through the airline's baggage channel, not as a passenger rights application like delay or cancellation.

Documents you can typically add to your claim are as follows:

• Copy of the PIR and reference number
• Ticket and boarding pass
• Baggage tag
• Invoices for items that were damaged or that you had to purchase
• Photos, if there is damage

Keeping invoices for essential-need expenses makes your claim more concrete. Ask the airline which expenses can be covered before applying.

Common mistakes

The same mistakes recur in lost baggage applications.

• Not getting a PIR filled out. Tracking and application steps rely on the reference number given in the PIR; get the record done immediately.
• Throwing away the tag. The tag and flight documents must be kept until the baggage is delivered.
• Losing the reference number. At SunExpress, baggage tracking is done with this number. Take a photo of it.
• Missing the deadline. SunExpress and Freebird allow time for written notification. If you flew with another airline, learn the timeframe from its current rule.
• Describing different flights in a single form. At THY, separate "New Feedback" entries must be created for irregularities on different flights.
• Skipping the written record. Even if you speak by phone, apply through the airline's written channel and keep the file number.
• Waiting to apply to SHGM. Baggage complaints are outside SHGM passenger rights scope; write directly to the airline.

Another mistake is wasting time by waiting for the baggage. Make the report immediately, manage the waiting process afterward.

Step by step: when your baggage doesn't arrive

1. Wait until the carousel is finished. Check whether your baggage was mistakenly taken by someone else.
2. Go to the Lost & Found Office. Report the situation immediately.
3. Fill out the PIR. Have the baggage description, your address and your phone number recorded correctly.
4. Get the reference number. Keep the copy and a photo of the number.
5. Preserve the documents. Keep the tag, ticket and boarding pass with you until the baggage is delivered.
6. Track the baggage. Use the baggage tracking system with the reference at SunExpress, or the "Previous Feedback" section at THY.
7. Submit a written application. Choose the airline's own channel, such as the SunExpress Contact Form, THY's "New Feedback", or Freebird Airlines' written channel.
8. Collect invoices. Keep documentation of your essential expenses.
9. If there's no response, write again with the file number. If you have trouble at THY, call the call center.

To see baggage rights and conditions before buying a ticket, you can compare options on the search for flight tickets page.

Checklist before you set off

You can't eliminate the chance of baggage being lost, but you can lighten its consequences.

• Write your name, phone number and accommodation address inside and outside your bag.
• Take a photo of the baggage tag as soon as you hand over the baggage.
• Take photos of the outside of the suitcase and any valuable items inside.
• Put medication, passport, charger, valuables and a one-day spare set of clothes in your cabin baggage.
• On connecting flights, ask the staff at check-in where the baggage is tagged to.
• Learn the check-in steps in advance: the how to do online check-in guide will help.
• If you're planning a short holiday, keep your route flexible against baggage delays; international route suggestions for the October 29 holiday offers short trip ideas.
• Save your airline's baggage contact channel and call center number on your phone.

This preparation saves time during the report and makes your application more concrete.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first if my baggage doesn't arrive?

Go to the Lost & Found Office at the arrival airport and report the situation immediately. Fill out the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the staff on duty and get the reference number. Keep the tag and flight documents until the baggage is delivered.

What is a PIR and why is it needed?

PIR is the Property Irregularity Report, and it ensures the baggage issue is recorded at the airport. You track the latest status of the baggage using the reference number given during the report. That's why it must be filled out at the office.

How do I track my lost baggage?

You use the reference number given during the PIR. At SunExpress, the latest status is checked through the baggage tracking system with this number. At THY, a previous application is checked in the "Previous Feedback" section with the file number and email.

How much time do I have to report damaged baggage?

At SunExpress, damage must be reported in writing via the Contact Form within 7 days after the flight date. At Freebird Airlines, damage must be reported within 7 days from the delivery date. Check the current rule for other airlines.

How much time do I have for late-arriving baggage?

At Freebird Airlines, delay must be reported in writing within 21 days after delivery. For other airlines, check the timeframe from your airline's current rule. Noting the day you received delivery makes things easier.

Can I apply to SHGM for a baggage complaint?

No, baggage complaints are outside the scope of SHGM passenger rights. You contact the relevant airline directly. Your right to pursue legal remedies is reserved.

Can I report baggage issues from different flights on THY in a single form?

No. Separate "New Feedback" entries must be created for baggage irregularities on different flights. Multiple irregularities on the same flight, however, are described in a single feedback entry.

Sources

• SunExpress - Damaged or Delayed Baggage — sunexpress.com
• THY Baggage Services — www4.thy.com
• Lost, Damaged and Late-Delivered Baggage — freebirdairlines.com
• Passenger Rights Form - Directorate General of Civil Aviation — yh.shgm.gov.tr