If your checked bag doesn't appear, report it at the airline's baggage desk before leaving the airport and obtain a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) or equivalent case number. Then send a short, factual email with your flight details, PIR number, baggage tag, bag description, delivery address, and the action you want.

These templates are written for U.S. travelers. Baggage rights and claim procedures can vary by route, operating carrier, ticket terms, and whether the trip was domestic or international. An email creates a useful written record, but it may not replace the airline's required claim form or online portal.

Quick steps before sending an email

  1. Report the problem at the airport. Ask the airline's baggage service desk for a PIR or equivalent case number before you leave.
  2. Keep your documents. Save your boarding pass, baggage tag, itinerary, PIR, photos, receipts, and every confirmation number.
  3. Use the official claims channel. Submit the airline's online form as well as an email if the carrier requires both.
  4. Buy only reasonable essentials. Necessary clothing, toiletries, and other urgent items may be reviewable under the applicable rules. Keep itemized receipts.
  5. Confirm your delivery details. Give the airline an address and phone number where you can receive the bag.
  6. Inspect the bag when it arrives. Photograph damage and missing contents before discarding packaging, repairing the bag, or replacing affected items.
  7. Check the deadlines. Delayed, damaged, and lost baggage can have different notice and claim requirements.

A PIR helps the airline trace the bag, but it isn't automatically a compensation decision. If the airline gives you a WorldTracer reference, include it in every message. SITA describes WorldTracer as an industry baggage-tracing system, not a separate payment or complaint service.

What to include in every baggage email

Use this subject-line format:

[Request] - PIR [number] - flight [number] - [travel date]

Include information relevant to the claim:

Don't email your full passport number, credit card number, online banking password, or other unnecessary sensitive information. Use the airline's secure portal for bank details or identity documents.

15 baggage email templates

Replace the bracketed text and remove any section that doesn't apply. Use the airline's official email address or portal, not an address copied from an unverified message.

1. Initial missing-bag report after filing a PIR

Subject: Missing checked bag - PIR [PIR number] - flight [flight number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Services,

My checked bag did not arrive after flight [flight number] from [departure airport] to [arrival airport] on [date]. I reported the missing bag at the airport and received PIR [PIR number].

Passenger name: [full name]
Booking reference: [PNR]
Baggage tag: [tag number]
Bag description: [brand, color, size, and identifying features]
Delivery address: [address]
Phone: [phone number]

Please confirm that the tracing file is active, provide the current status, and tell me when I should expect the next update. If the bag is located, please confirm the delivery arrangements.

Attachments:
1. PIR
2. Baggage-tag photo
3. Boarding pass or itinerary
4. Bag photograph, if available

Thank you,

[full name]
[email address]

2. Report sent after leaving the airport without a PIR

Subject: Missing checked bag - request for claim instructions - flight [flight number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Services,

I left [arrival airport] on [date] before opening a baggage report, and my checked bag has still not been delivered. I understand that an airport report or airline form may be required.

My details are:

Passenger name: [full name]
Booking reference: [PNR]
Flight and date: [flight number and date]
Baggage tag: [tag number]
Bag description: [description]
Current delivery address: [address]
Phone: [phone number]

Please tell me the correct process for opening a missing-baggage file and whether you can locate an existing report from this flight. I can provide photographs, my itinerary, and proof of the baggage tag.

Regards,

[full name]

3. Follow-up when there has been no status update

Subject: Follow-up on missing bag - PIR [PIR number] - no update since [date]

Hello [airline] Baggage Services,

I am following up on my missing checked bag from flight [flight number] on [date]. The PIR number is [PIR number], and I have not received an update since [date].

Please confirm:

- Whether the tracing file is still active
- The latest scan or known location, if available
- Whether you need any additional information
- The date or event that will trigger the next update

My delivery address and phone number remain unchanged: [details].

Please acknowledge this message and keep the PIR number in the subject line of future replies.

Thank you,

[full name]

4. Update your delivery address or phone number

Subject: Delivery information update - PIR [PIR number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Services,

Please update the delivery details for my delayed bag under PIR [PIR number].

New delivery address:
[address]

Available dates and times:
[availability]

Phone number:
[phone number]

The bag is from flight [flight number] on [date]. Please confirm that this information has been added to the tracing file and tell me whether the delivery company will contact me before arrival.

For security, I will provide any payment or identity information through your secure portal rather than by email.

Regards,

[full name]

5. Request reimbursement for necessary purchases

Subject: Delayed baggage expense claim - PIR [PIR number] - receipts attached

Hello [airline] Claims Team,

My checked bag from flight [flight number] on [date] was delayed, so I purchased necessary replacement items while waiting for delivery.

Total claimed: [amount and currency]

Expense summary:
- [date] - [item] - [amount]
- [date] - [item] - [amount]
- [date] - [item] - [amount]

The purchases were limited to necessary items because my bag had not been delivered. I have attached itemized receipts and the PIR. Please confirm whether an additional claim form is required and assess these expenses under the rules and conditions applicable to my itinerary.

Please provide the claim reference and written confirmation of the next step. I will send any bank information through a secure channel.

Sincerely,

[full name]
[contact details]

6. Add receipts to an existing expense claim

Subject: Additional receipts for delayed baggage claim - [claim number]

Hello [airline] Claims Team,

Please add the attached receipts to my existing delayed-baggage claim.

PIR number: [PIR number]
Claim number: [claim number]
Flight and date: [flight number and date]
Additional amount: [amount and currency]

These receipts relate to necessary purchases made while my bag was delayed. They were not included in my original submission because [brief reason].

Please confirm that the documents were received and update the total claimed amount. If any receipt is not eligible, please identify the item and explain the reason in the written decision.

Thank you,

[full name]

7. Ask for the correct claim form or secure upload link

Subject: Request for baggage claim form - PIR [PIR number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Claims,

I have an active baggage file under PIR [PIR number] for flight [flight number] on [date]. I would like to submit my expense and baggage-value documents, but I cannot find the correct claim form or secure upload link.

Please send me:

1. The correct form or claims portal
2. The submission deadline that applies to this itinerary
3. The documents required
4. The claim reference I should use

I have the PIR, baggage tag, itinerary, photographs, receipts, and proof of value ready. I will not send sensitive financial or identity information by ordinary email.

Regards,

[full name]

8. Report visible damage when the bag is delivered

Subject: Damaged checked bag - PIR [PIR number] - flight [flight number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Claims,

I received the bag connected with PIR [PIR number] on [date], but it arrived damaged.

Damage observed:
- [cracked shell, broken wheel, torn fabric, damaged handle, or other issue]
- [any missing exterior parts]
- [whether the bag can still be used]

I reported the issue at [airport desk or other location] and received [report number], if applicable. Photos of the bag, baggage tag, and damage are attached.

Please confirm the written claim process, any inspection or repair requirements, and the deadline for supporting documents. I have kept the bag and will not repair or discard it until you advise me what to do.

Sincerely,

[full name]
[contact details]

9. Report damage or missing contents discovered after opening the bag

Subject: Damage or missing contents claim - PIR [PIR number]

Hello [airline] Claims Team,

After receiving and opening my checked bag from flight [flight number] on [date], I found the following problems:

- [damaged item or area]
- [missing item, if applicable]
- [condition of the suitcase and packaging]

I noticed the problem on [date]. I have attached photographs, receipts or other proof of value, and the baggage documents. The affected items are available for inspection.

Please confirm whether you need an airport report, a separate contents form, or an inspection before I replace or repair anything. Please also explain the written-claim deadline and the evidence required for this type of claim.

Regards,

[full name]

10. Ask whether a missing bag is now treated as lost

For many international itineraries covered by the Montreal Convention, 21 days after the bag should have arrived is an important lost-baggage benchmark. It isn't a universal deadline for every U.S. domestic itinerary. Ask the airline to apply the rule for your route rather than assuming that the same period controls every claim.

Subject: Bag still missing - request for lost-baggage status - PIR [PIR number]

Hello [airline] Baggage Claims,

My bag from flight [flight number] on [date] has not been delivered. It has now been [number] days since the scheduled arrival, and the PIR number is [PIR number].

Please confirm in writing:

- Whether the airline now treats the bag as lost under the rules applicable to this itinerary
- If the bag is not yet treated as lost, the applicable determination date and policy
- The form or portal for a lost-baggage valuation claim
- The deadline for submitting the claim
- The documents needed to prove the bag and contents' value

I have attached the PIR and baggage-tag information. Please keep this case open until I receive a written status decision.

Thank you,

[full name]

11. Submit a lost-bag valuation claim

Subject: Lost baggage valuation claim - PIR [PIR number]

Hello [airline] Claims Team,

I am submitting a valuation claim for the bag connected with PIR [PIR number]. The bag has not been delivered, and I was instructed to submit a lost-baggage claim.

Passenger: [full name]
Flight and date: [flight number and date]
Baggage tag: [tag number]
PIR number: [PIR number]

Itemized contents and claimed value:
- [item] - purchase date [date] - claimed value [amount]
- [item] - purchase date [date] - claimed value [amount]
- [item] - purchase date [date] - claimed value [amount]

I have attached available receipts, photographs, credit-card records, warranty records, or other proof of value. Please explain how the airline will apply depreciation, exclusions, any liability limit, and the applicable currency conversion.

Please acknowledge receipt and provide the claim reference. I will provide payment details through a secure channel.

Sincerely,

[full name]

12. Appeal a denied or reduced baggage claim

Subject: Request for review of baggage claim decision - [claim number]

Hello [airline] Customer Relations,

I request a review of the decision dated [date] on claim [claim number] relating to PIR [PIR number].

The decision offered or reimbursed [amount], but I believe the calculation should be reconsidered because:

- [receipt or proof was overlooked]
- [the item value was calculated incorrectly]
- [the reason for exclusion does not match the facts]
- [another specific issue]

I have attached the decision, my itemized valuation, and supporting documents. Please identify the policy or contract provision used for each reduction and provide an updated written calculation.

If the decision will not change, please confirm the carrier's final review process and the appropriate next complaint channel.

Regards,

[full name]

13. Escalate an unresolved claim to customer relations

Subject: Escalation requested - unresolved baggage claim [claim number]

Hello [airline] Customer Relations,

I am asking for a review of my unresolved baggage claim.

PIR number: [PIR number]
Claim number: [claim number]
Flight and date: [flight number and date]
Issue: [bag still missing, unpaid expenses, damage, or disputed valuation]

I contacted [baggage service or claims department] on [dates], but [briefly describe the missing response or unresolved issue]. I have attached the prior correspondence and supporting documents.

Please assign this to a supervisor or customer-relations specialist and provide a written response addressing:

1. The current claim status
2. Any missing documents
3. The decision or payment calculation
4. The next available review or complaint step

Please confirm receipt of this escalation.

Sincerely,

[full name]

14. Airline notification for a delayed bag

This sample is for airline or airport support teams. Travelers can use it as a checklist for the information a useful status message should contain.

Subject: Baggage status update - PIR [PIR number]

Dear [passenger name],

We are writing about the checked bag reported missing after flight [flight number] on [date]. Your PIR number is [PIR number].

Current status: [tracing continues / the bag is at the airport / additional information is required].

Next step: [we are arranging transfer to destination / please confirm your delivery address / please contact the baggage team].

Delivery address on file: [address]
Expected next update: [date or condition]

We apologize for the disruption. Please reply to this message or use [official contact channel] if your contact information changes. This update does not replace any expense or baggage-value claim form that may be required.

Regards,

[airline baggage team]

15. Airline notification that a bag has been located

Subject: Your bag has been located - PIR [PIR number]

Dear [passenger name],

We are pleased to confirm that the bag reported under PIR [PIR number] has been located at [airport or location].

We are arranging delivery to:

[address]

Estimated delivery: [date and time, if confirmed]
Delivery contact: [phone number or courier instructions]

Please keep receipts for necessary expenses incurred while the bag was delayed. To request reimbursement, use [claims portal or form] and submit the PIR, receipts, and any other required documents by [carrier's stated deadline].

We apologize for the inconvenience and will contact you if the delivery estimate changes.

Regards,

[airline baggage team]

How to make a claim easier to review

Airline claims staff generally need to match the baggage report, flight record, receipts, and correspondence. Make that matching straightforward:

A necessary-expense claim is easier to assess when each purchase is modest, connected to the delay, dated during the delay, and supported by a receipt. Don't assume that a maximum liability figure is a guaranteed payment. The airline may assess actual loss, current value, exclusions, depreciation, and the applicable cap.

Deadlines and baggage rules that matter

There isn't one universal U.S. rule requiring every lost-bag email to be sent within 48 hours. Reporting immediately is still the safest approach because the airline may require an airport report, written notice, or a separate online claim.

Situation Practical deadline or action What controls
Bag absent at the carousel Report before leaving the airport and obtain a PIR Airline baggage procedure
U.S. domestic baggage claim Submit the carrier's required written claim promptly Airline contract and applicable federal rules
Damaged baggage on many international trips Written notice is commonly required within 7 days of receiving the bag Applicable international convention and carrier terms
Delayed baggage on many international trips Written expense claim is commonly required within 21 days after the bag is returned Applicable international convention and carrier terms
Bag still missing Ask the airline when it will treat the bag as lost and request its valuation form Route, carrier policy, and applicable law

The UK Civil Aviation Authority's baggage guidance tells passengers to report baggage problems at the airport, keep the PIR, and submit written claims within the stated deadlines for UK-related travel. The European Consumer Centres Network guidance describes seven-day damage and 21-day delayed-baggage deadlines in its European consumer context. Those pages are useful examples, but they aren't blanket rules for every U.S. domestic trip.

For covered U.S. air carriage, 14 CFR Part 254 addresses baggage liability disclosures and an inflation-adjusted liability framework. It does not set one claim deadline for every situation or mean that every passenger automatically receives the maximum. Proof of value, exclusions, depreciation, the airline's contract, and the facts of the loss still matter.

The Montreal Convention may apply to an international itinerary. Verify the route, operating carrier, ticket terms, and current liability limit before relying on it. International baggage limits are expressed in Special Drawing Rights rather than a permanently fixed dollar or euro amount.

Delayed, lost, and damaged baggage are different claims

Delayed baggage

The bag is still being traced or arrives later. The practical request is usually reimbursement for reasonable, necessary purchases supported by receipts, along with delivery information and a status update.

Lost baggage

The airline has declared the bag lost, or the applicable period has passed without delivery. Ask for the lost-baggage form and submit an itemized valuation with proof. This is different from requesting reimbursement for expenses incurred while the bag was delayed.

Damaged baggage

The bag arrives, but it or its contents are damaged. Photograph the condition, report it promptly, keep the bag and affected items, and ask whether inspection or repair is required before taking action.

Carry-on or personal items

If an item disappeared from the cabin, gate area, security area, or airport, the responsible party and applicable policy may differ from checked-baggage rules. Report it to the airline and to the airport or security authority that controlled the location.

What does not automatically control the claim

Several statements commonly appear in baggage emails but can weaken a claim if used without checking the facts:

If the airline does not resolve the claim

Follow a clear escalation path:

  1. Reply to the baggage service team and quote the PIR and claim number.
  2. Submit the airline's official claim form or portal if you have not already done so.
  3. Ask customer relations or a supervisor for a written decision.
  4. Request the calculation behind any denial, depreciation, exclusion, or reduced offer.
  5. Check your travel insurance and credit-card benefits separately, following their notice requirements.
  6. If the airline still does not respond, use the relevant aviation or consumer-protection complaint channel for the route involved.

Keep the airline claim and any insurance claim accurate and consistent. Don't submit inflated values or claim the same loss twice without explaining how any payment will be handled.

Final email checklist

Before pressing send, confirm that the message contains:

Send the initial report as soon as possible, use the airline's required claim channel, and save every confirmation. Update the claim when the bag is delivered, damaged, or formally declared lost.