What To Do if an Airline Damages Your Bag

Report it at the airport, photograph it and file a written claim, since airlines set strict time limits.

Published November 1, 2026 · 3 min read · Topic: Travel & Airline Rules · Travel rules

Typical situation

Your bag came off the plane with a torn side, a broken handle or a missing wheel. You want to know whether the airline will pay and what to do now.

Main answer · berabags Editorial Team · Consumer-rights view

Report the damage at the airport before you leave, take photos, and file a written claim with the airline as soon as you can. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) advises passengers to report damage before leaving the airport, since a claim made later is easier for the airline to dispute.

At the airport

Do not leave the baggage area. Go to the airline’s desk.
Show the damaged bag and ask for a written report and a reference number.
Take photos of the bag from all sides, and of the damage close up.
Take a photo of your baggage tag.
Keep the bag. Do not throw anything away, because the airline may want to see it.

Afterwards

Send a written claim to the airline with your report, photos, boarding pass, tag, and proof of the bag’s value if you have it.
Airlines set time limits for written claims, so file as soon as possible.
Keep copies of everything you send and note who you spoke to.

What the airline may and may not pay

The airline’s contract of carriage sets out what it will cover. Airlines often distinguish between damage and ordinary wear and tear, and may limit what they pay for items such as wheels and handles or for fragile contents. On US domestic flights there is also an overall liability limit set by DOT rules. Read the contract of carriage for your airline to see what applies.

Where this answer stops

This is general guidance based on US DOT advice for flights in the US. International flights follow different rules and deadlines, and airline policies differ. It is not legal advice.

Sources and further reading

Three more perspectives

berabags Editorial Team · Purchasing view

Keep the receipt or a record of what you paid for the bag, and any proof of its age. A claim for damage is easier to assess if you can show what the bag was, what it cost and how old it was.

berabags Editorial Team · Selection view

Bags with fewer protruding parts, such as recessed wheels and handles that fold flat, have fewer parts that can snap in handling. A hard shell can crack and a soft bag can tear, so neither is damage-proof.

berabags Editorial Team · Maintenance view

Before each trip, check wheels, zips and handles, and note any existing damage in a photo. If the bag is already scuffed or worn, an airline can argue that the damage was there before. A dated photo helps.

Independent and unofficial. berabags is an independent editorial site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any bag brand, retailer, airline or agency named on this page. This page contains no affiliate links; if berabags adds any in future they will be labelled. Rules and policies change, so check the linked source before you act. This is general information, not legal, medical or professional advice.