Delayed or damaged baggage on Indian flights: what compensation you’re actually owed (2026)
By Vihaan Patel (Vihaan Patel covers the intersection of travel and digital payments — Indian OTAs, airline-direct booking flows, UPI vs credit-card surcharges, RBI tokenisation rules and the booking-funnel mechanics that quietly cost (or save) you money.) · Published · 10 min read
The domestic cap is around ₹20,000 and the international ceiling under the Montreal Convention is roughly ₹1.72 lakh per passenger (approximately 1,288 Special Drawing Rights). Neither figure is automatic — you have to file a PIR at the airport within the right window, document your losses, and know when to push back on the airline’s depreciation formula.
TL;DR — the short answer
For domestic flights in India, the DGCA’s passenger rights circular caps baggage liability at around ₹20,000 per passenger (verify the current figure on dgca.gov.in). For international flights, the Montreal Convention applies and sets a ceiling of roughly 1,288 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) — equivalent to approximately ₹1.72 lakh at mid-2026 exchange rates, though that number moves with the SDR-INR rate. To claim anything, you need to file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the baggage claim hall before you leave the airport — ideally within the hour, and no later than the deadlines described below. Airlines will try to apply depreciation formulas to whatever you claim. Here’s how to fight back.
What counts as ‘baggage damage’ vs a normal wear-and-tear scratch?
Airlines love this distinction and use it aggressively. Minor scuffs, scratches on hard-shell cases, and broken wheels or handles are often pre-emptively excluded by the airline as ‘normal handling wear.’ IndiGo’s and Air India’s conditions of carriage both contain language to this effect — go read it before your next trip, it’s sobering.
What you can claim: structural damage to the bag (bent frames, torn fabric, cracked shells), items missing from inside (theft from checked luggage), or the bag itself gone missing. If a wheel is broken so badly the bag can’t roll, that typically qualifies. If the hard shell has a gash that wasn’t there when you handed it over, document it immediately — photograph the bag at the belt before you pick it up. That timestamp matters later.
The key principle: the airline accepted the bag in the condition you declared and now it’s worse. Everything flows from that moment of acceptance, which is why the baggage tag and boarding pass are your primary evidence.
Domestic flights: the DGCA ₹20,000 cap and what it actually means
The DGCA’s passenger charter sets a maximum liability for domestic Indian flights at around ₹20,000 per passenger for lost or damaged checked baggage. A few important caveats:
- This is a ceiling, not a floor. The airline will try to pay less by applying a depreciation formula — typically a percentage reduction based on the age of the item. A two-year-old suitcase might be treated as worth 40–60% of its purchase price by the airline’s formula. You can contest this if you have the original purchase receipt and can show the item was in good condition.
- Declaring higher value helps. Airlines allow you to declare a higher value at check-in and pay an excess valuation charge (usually a small fee per ₹1,000 or ₹1,500 of declared value above a threshold). If you’re checking a genuinely expensive bag, this is cheap insurance. Most people skip it; most people regret it once.
- Delayed baggage is separate from lost or damaged. For bags that arrive late (common on connecting itineraries), the DGCA circular entitles you to reimbursement of essential expenses — toiletries, a change of clothes, that sort of thing — within reason. Keep receipts. The amounts are modest but real.
Always verify the current cap figure on dgca.gov.in or the DGCA’s Passenger Charter page — these figures are subject to revision and the exact current number matters for your claim.
International flights: how the Montreal Convention works (and the SDR ceiling)
India ratified the Montreal Convention 1999, which means for any international flight operated by or to/from an ICAO-signatory country, the carrier’s liability for checked baggage is capped at 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger. The SDR is an IMF basket currency — at mid-2026 rates, 1,288 SDR works out to roughly ₹1.65–1.80 lakh, but check the current SDR-INR rate on the IMF or RBI website before filing a claim because it fluctuates.
Key points about the Montreal Convention in practice:
- Airlines cannot contract out of it. Even if the airline’s own conditions of carriage quote a lower limit, the Montreal Convention floor applies on international routes. If IndiGo or Air India tells you their own terms cap liability at a lower figure for an international flight, that clause is unenforceable for the checked bag claim.
- The SDR cap is per passenger, not per bag. If you checked two bags and both were lost, the total claim is still capped at 1,288 SDR for you as a single passenger.
- Proving the value is your job. The convention shifts the burden — you need receipts, photos, or a reliable valuation. Airlines will push back on anything that looks inflated. A realistic approach: list each item in the bag, estimate current replacement value honestly, and attach whatever documentation you have.
- High-value items belong in carry-on. The Montreal Convention explicitly excludes liability for valuables like laptops, jewellery, cameras, or cash that were put in checked baggage. This exclusion is universally enforced. If you checked a laptop and the bag is lost, you’re arguing from a weak position.
Filing the PIR: the single most important step
The Property Irregularity Report (PIR) is the document you must file at the baggage services counter in the arrivals hall — usually near the baggage carousel, staffed by the airline’s ground handling agent. Do not leave the airport without it. Seriously. Once you walk out of the terminal, your ability to claim drops dramatically and some airlines will refuse the claim outright citing their conditions of carriage.
Practical timing rules:
- Damaged bags: File the PIR before leaving the airport or, at the absolute latest, within 7 days of receiving the bag (Montreal Convention Article 31). Domestic DGCA rules are stricter in practice — file before you leave.
- Delayed bags (received late but not permanently lost): File within 21 days of the date the bag was finally handed to you (Montreal Convention).
- Lost bags: If the bag is still missing after about 21 days from the flight date, it’s typically treated as lost and you can file a compensation claim. Keep the PIR reference number — it’s your anchor for all follow-up.
When you file the PIR: describe the damage specifically (‘right wheel broken off, not just scuffed’; ‘frame bent inward’). Vague descriptions (‘bag damaged’) give the airline room to minimise. If the agent tries to write something vaguer than what you’ve described, ask them to correct it — the PIR is a contemporaneous record and its wording matters.
How to push back on airline depreciation formulas
This is where most passengers lose money they shouldn’t. Airlines apply ‘depreciation’ as a negotiating tactic, offering you, say, 40% of the replacement value for a bag purchased two years ago. Here’s the counter-strategy:
- Document first, negotiate second. Photograph the damaged bag, the contents, and the original purchase receipt or e-commerce order confirmation. Screenshot the current replacement price of an equivalent item on Amazon or a luggage retailer.
- Write, don’t just call. Submit your claim in writing (email or the airline’s online claim form). A written record prevents the ‘we never received a formal claim’ response later.
- Cite the applicable regulation. For domestic flights, reference the DGCA’s Passenger Charter and the CAR on passenger rights. For international, cite the Montreal Convention 1999. Airlines often accelerate when they see a passenger who knows the rules.
- Escalate to DGCA’s AirSewa portal (airsewa.gov.in) if the airline stonewalls you. DGCA actively monitors complaints and airlines have a regulatory incentive to resolve them. Consumer Forum is a slower but effective backstop.
- Check if your credit card covers baggage delay/loss. Several Indian premium travel credit cards (Axis Atlas, HDFC Regalia, ICICI Sapphiro, SBI PRIME, AmEx Platinum Travel) include some travel insurance with baggage delay or loss cover. The claim process is separate from the airline’s — run both in parallel.
One honest note: if the item that was damaged or lost was cheap (a ₹1,500 bag, a ₹500 bottle of hair oil), the admin effort often isn’t worth the payout. The compensation framework is most worth fighting for genuinely expensive bags, checked electronics (though you shouldn’t be checking those), or meaningful losses on an international itinerary.
Bottom line
Know the caps before you travel: roughly ₹20,000 for domestic under DGCA rules, and around ₹1.65–1.80 lakh for international under the Montreal Convention. File the PIR before leaving the airport — that’s non-negotiable. Document everything with photos and receipts. Don’t accept the first depreciation offer without pushing back in writing. And if the airline doesn’t respond, AirSewa is your next stop.
Before your trip, use FlightGPT to find the best fare, then read the airline’s baggage policy page carefully — the conditions of carriage link is usually buried in the footer. Also worth reading: our guide on what a PNR vs ticket number actually means on Indian flights and our article on sending a child alone on a flight in India.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum compensation for lost baggage on a domestic Indian flight?
The DGCA’s passenger charter sets the cap at around ₹20,000 per passenger for domestic flights. This is a ceiling — the airline can offer less by applying a depreciation formula. Verify the exact current figure on dgca.gov.in before filing a claim.
How long do I have to file a baggage damage complaint with the airline?
File the PIR (Property Irregularity Report) at the baggage counter before leaving the airport — this is the safest approach. Under the Montreal Convention for international flights, you have up to 7 days for damage and 21 days for delayed bags (from the date you received them). Domestic DGCA rules are stricter in practice.
What is the Montreal Convention baggage limit in Indian rupees?
The Montreal Convention caps international baggage liability at 1,288 SDR per passenger. At mid-2026 exchange rates that works out to roughly ₹1.65–1.80 lakh, but the SDR-INR rate changes daily — check the current rate on the IMF website or the RBI’s published SDR rate before claiming.
What if IndiGo or Air India refuses to pay my baggage claim?
First escalate in writing to the airline’s Nodal Officer (required by DGCA to be listed on the airline’s website). If no resolution within a few weeks, file on the AirSewa portal (airsewa.gov.in) — DGCA monitors these complaints. The District Consumer Forum is a further fallback if the amount warrants it.
Can I claim for expensive items packed in checked baggage that were stolen or lost?
The Montreal Convention explicitly limits or excludes liability for valuables — laptops, jewellery, cameras, cash, and similar items. Airlines routinely invoke this exclusion. The practical advice: never check high-value electronics or jewellery. If you must, declare the value at check-in and pay excess valuation charges.
Does a delayed bag qualify for compensation on Indian domestic flights?
Yes — the DGCA passenger charter entitles you to reimbursement of reasonable essential expenses incurred due to baggage delay (toiletries, a change of clothes). Keep all receipts. The reimbursement amounts are modest but real. File the PIR at the airport and follow up with receipts in writing to the airline.