How to Handle Damaged, Delayed, and Lost Baggage

One common problem that travellers face is damaged, delayed, and lost baggage.

While it’s never a good feeling to arrive at a destination without your belongings, fortunately, there are protections in place to make sure you’re not left footing the bill.

In this guide, we’ll look at the various policies that govern damaged, delayed, and lost baggage, and how to recoup any losses you may incur.

Which Policies Govern Damaged, Delayed, and Lost Baggage?

There are a number of policies and protections in place in the event of damaged, delayed, or lost baggage.

Some are automatic, and apply to all passengers on particular routes, while others come as a benefit on credit cards.

The Montreal Convention

The Montreal Convention is a treaty which was signed and ratified by 132 states and the European Union. It provides uniform rules and regulations for the international carriage of passengers, cargo, and baggage.

There are two scenarios in which the Montreal Convention applies.

The first and most common scenario is when your departure and arrival points are in two countries that have both signed and ratified the treaty.

For example, if you fly from Canada to Australia, the Montreal Convention applies, since both countries have signed and ratified the treaty.

The second, less common scenario is when your departure and arrival points are in the same country that has signed and ratified the Montreal Convention, but you have a stopover en route in a different country.

For example, if you fly from Vancouver to Toronto with a stopover in Chicago, the Montreal Convention applies, since Canada is a signatory to the treaty.

The European Union and 132 additional states have signed the Montreal Convention. Therefore, if you’re on an international flight, there’s a good chance that the Montreal Convention will apply.

EU261

EC Regulation 261/2004, commonly referred to as EU261, is legislation that provides rights and protections as an air passenger when travelling to, from, or within the European Union.

EU261 applies in the following scenarios:

• Flights departing the EU on any airline
• Flights arriving in the EU on an EU-based airline

For example, if you’re on an Air Canada flight from Paris to Toronto, EU261 applies. However, if you’re on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Paris, EU261 doesn’t apply, since Air Canada…