Aer Lingus delayed and lost baggage compensation
Use the verified report, tracking and claim routes below for delayed, damaged or lost baggage.
Aer Lingus asks for a delayed bag to be reported as soon as possible and within 7 days of travel, at the airport or through its ReportMyBag form, which issues a Delayed Baggage Reference Number. Damage not reported on arrival goes through the WorldTracer Passenger Self Service link: the damaged baggage page allows seven days from receiving the bag, while the claim form itself says five, so report inside five days to be safe. For essential purchases the airline publishes guide amounts of EUR 100 first needs on day 1, then on average EUR 50 a day for days 2 to 3, EUR 40 for days 4 to 8 and EUR 20 for days 8 to 21, and says they are guidance, not a cap. A bag delayed beyond 21 days is treated as lost and settled up to 1,519 SDR, which Aer Lingus puts at about EUR 1,900, with any essential-expense payments deducted from that final settlement.
Report the baggage problem first, keep the PIR or file reference, then use the relevant claim route below. BagClaim does not submit the form or send documents to the airline.
Where to report, claim and follow up
Report a delayed bag on ReportMyBag
One report per passenger, within 7 days of travel. If your final flight was not operated by Aer Lingus, report to the airline that flew it.
Open official routeSubmit the Baggage Claim Form
One claim type at a time, delayed or lost, or damaged. Have the booking reference, the baggage reference number, up to 10 receipts as separate PDF, PNG or JPG files and your bank details ready.
Open official routeTrack the bag and add its contents
Use the Delayed Baggage Reference Number to follow the search, update the delivery address and add the bag contents or an AirTag.
Open official routePrepare these items before the form opens
- Booking reference
- Delayed or damaged baggage reference number
- Baggage tag number
- Itemised receipts, one file per receipt
- Up to 3 photos of the damage
- Bank details for the reimbursement
A clean three-step handoff
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1
Report the baggage issue
Create the baggage report promptly and check that the passenger, flight and bag tag details are correct.
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2
Organise the evidence
Keep the report reference, travel proof, baggage tag, receipts, photographs and relevant airline messages.
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3
Submit and save confirmation
Use the official claim route, retain the exact submission date and keep every confirmation or case number.
Compensation and deadlines
Baggage compensation is based on documented loss, not a fixed tariff. For international journeys under the Montreal Convention, liability for delayed, damaged or lost luggage is normally capped at 1,519 SDR per passenger, roughly EUR 1,800 depending on exchange rates.
- Damaged baggage: written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Delayed baggage: written expense claim within 21 days of the bag being returned.
- Lost baggage: usually treated as lost after 21 days, then claim the documented value of the bag and contents.
If no substantive reply arrives after about 28 days, send a written follow-up and ask for the exact basis of any refusal.
How to report and claim, step by step
No invented claim email
Aer Lingus publishes no baggage claim address; claims go through its online Baggage Claim Form. central.baggage-tracing@aerlingus.com is its tracing desk, published only for returning the Bag Contents form while a delayed bag is being searched for.
Open Aer Lingus baggage guidanceAer Lingus baggage claim questions
How long do I have to complain about baggage?
For an international journey under the Montreal Convention the written complaint is due within 7 days of receiving a damaged bag and within 21 days of a delayed bag being returned to you. A bag that has not arrived within 21 days can be treated as lost. Individual carriers often set shorter reporting windows on top of that, so the deadline that binds you is the earlier of the two.
Where do I report the problem first?
Aer Lingus asks for a delayed bag to be reported as soon as possible and within 7 days of travel, at the airport or through its ReportMyBag form, which issues a Delayed Baggage Reference Number. Damage not reported on arrival goes through the WorldTracer Passenger Self Service link: the damaged baggage page allows seven days from receiving the bag, while the claim form itself says five, so report inside five days to be safe. For essential purchases the airline publishes guide amounts of EUR 100 first needs on day 1, then on average EUR 50 a day for days 2 to 3, EUR 40 for days 4 to 8 and EUR 20 for days 8 to 21, and says they are guidance, not a cap. A bag delayed beyond 21 days is treated as lost and settled up to 1,519 SDR, which Aer Lingus puts at about EUR 1,900, with any essential-expense payments deducted from that final settlement.
Is there an email address for the claim?
Aer Lingus publishes no baggage claim address; claims go through its online Baggage Claim Form. central.baggage-tracing@aerlingus.com is its tracing desk, published only for returning the Bag Contents form while a delayed bag is being searched for.
How much compensation can I expect?
Baggage compensation is documented loss, not a fixed tariff. The Montreal Convention caps the carrier's liability at 1,519 SDR per passenger, roughly EUR 1,800, and inside that ceiling you are paid what you can prove: receipted essential purchases for a delay, repair or replacement value for damage, and the evidenced value of the bag and its contents for a loss.
What if the airline never answers?
Silence is not a refusal and it does not stop the clock on your own rights. Send one written follow-up quoting the report reference and the date of the original claim, ask for a reasoned decision in writing, and keep every message. If the carrier still does not answer, the national enforcement body or the airline's listed dispute-resolution scheme is the next step, and court action stays open for two years from the date of arrival.
Put the timeline and evidence in one reviewable file.
BagClaim checks the case, drafts the letters and builds the PDF locally in your browser. You stay in control of the airline submission.
Check my claimLinks were automatically checked on 2026-10-09. Airline forms and requirements can change. Confirm the current instructions on the airline's own site before submitting. BagClaim is self-service software, not the airline and not legal advice.