The belt has stopped and your suitcase is not there: what you need to do while still at the airport, which deadlines apply, what you are entitled to under the Montreal Convention, how delivery to your hotel works – and what happens with your waiting driver.
Few things spoil an arrival like an empty baggage belt. The good news: the vast majority of delayed suitcases turn up within a few days and are delivered. What matters is doing the right thing in the first few minutes – otherwise it becomes difficult to assert your claims later.
This guide explains step by step what to do with delayed, lost or damaged luggage at Zurich Airport. It does not replace legal advice; your airline's conditions and the applicable conventions apply.
Step 1: do not leave the baggage claim area
Report the problem before you go through customs into the public arrivals hall. In the baggage claim area there are baggage services counters where you can have the loss or damage recorded. Many airlines also offer reporting online or via their app.
You receive a report, usually called a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), with a reference number. This number is the key to everything that follows: search, delivery and compensation. Photograph the report and keep your baggage tag and boarding pass.
Step 2: give the right details
The more precise your details, the faster the suitcase is found:
- Description of the suitcase: brand, colour, size, material, distinguishing features such as tags or stickers.
- Contents: a few distinctive items that make the luggage unique.
- Delivery address: the hotel with its full address and the length of your stay; for mountain resorts, also whether the hotel can only be reached by train.
- Contact: a phone number on which you can be reached abroad, and your email address.
Step 3: your driver is waiting – let us know
If you have booked a transfer, your driver is waiting in the arrivals hall. The price includes 60 minutes of waiting time after the actual landing, but reporting lost luggage can take longer if there is a queue at the counter.
In that case, send us a quick WhatsApp message as soon as you know it will take longer. The driver is then informed and need not worry that you have missed the meeting point. How the meeting in the arrivals hall works is explained in Arrival 1 or Arrival 2?.
The deadlines: be sure to meet them
For international flights the Montreal Convention governs airlines' liability for luggage. The deadlines for written notification to the airline are particularly important:
| Case | Deadline for written notification |
|---|---|
| Damaged luggage or missing contents | within 7 days of receipt |
| Delayed luggage | within 21 days of it being placed at your disposal |
| Lost luggage | considered lost if it has not turned up after 21 days |
The airline's liability is limited per person; since the end of 2024 the ceiling has been 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, a unit of account of the International Monetary Fund. In principle the proven loss is compensated, not automatically the maximum amount. For valuable items, a declaration of value with the airline or travel luggage insurance before the flight is worthwhile.
Essential purchases: keep the receipts
If your suitcase is delayed, you may buy the essentials within reason: a toothbrush, underwear, some clothing, and for a mountain trip warm things too. Keep all receipts and submit them to the airline together with the reference number. What is reasonable depends on the circumstances; luxury purchases are usually not reimbursed.
Many airlines also hand out a small emergency kit at the counter. Ask for one.
Delivery: to your hotel, even in the mountains
When your suitcase is found, the airline usually delivers it to the address you gave. In the city this often happens within one or two days; to mountain resorts, and especially car-free villages such as Zermatt or Wengen, it can take longer because the courier goes to the last station and the hotel takes care of the rest.
Track the status online with your reference number. If the airline offers you the option of collecting the suitcase yourself at the airport and you want to do so, you can book a ride with us for it.
Damaged luggage
If the suitcase arrives but is damaged – a broken handle, a torn-off wheel, a burst zip – report it while still in the baggage claim area and have the damage documented. Take photos. If you only discover damage to the contents at the hotel, report it to the airline in writing within seven days.
How to prevent problems
A few simple measures make all the difference if something goes wrong:
- Essentials in your hand luggage: medication, documents, chargers, a change of underwear and, for mountain trips, a warm layer.
- Label your suitcase: a name tag with your phone number inside and outside; remove old tags.
- Take a photo of the suitcase and its contents before departure.
- Put a luggage tracker in your suitcase so you can see where it is yourself.
- Allow enough connection time; tight connections are the most common cause of delayed luggage.
Frequently asked questions about lost luggage
Where do I report lost luggage at Zurich Airport?
At the baggage services counter in the baggage claim area, before you go into the public arrivals hall. Many airlines also offer online reporting.
How long do I have to report damage?
Seven days after receipt for damage, 21 days after the luggage was placed at your disposal for delay.
When is a suitcase considered lost?
If it has not turned up 21 days after the intended day of arrival.
Will the driver wait if reporting takes longer?
Message us on WhatsApp as soon as it becomes clear that it will take longer. That way the driver can plan and knows you are still coming.
Will the airline deliver my suitcase to Zermatt?
Usually yes, to the address you gave. Delivery to car-free villages can take a little longer.
Book a transfer from Zurich Airport now – your driver waits in the arrivals hall.
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