In short: Report the problem at the arrival airport’s baggage desk and get a PIR with a 10-character reference (e.g. STNFR12345). Then claim through myRyanair: damage within 7 days, delay within 21 days of getting the bag back. Ryanair says it processes damaged and delayed claims within 15 working days and lost-bag claims within 28. Liability is capped at 1,519 SDR.
Step 1: get a PIR at the arrival airport
Ryanair’s help centre is explicit: lost, delayed or damaged checked baggage must be reported to the Lost Property (baggage) desk at your arrival airport. You receive a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a 10-character file reference at the top, such as STNFR12345. Ryanair says claims cannot be processed unless the problem was reported at the arrival airport and a PIR issued.
- Do this before leaving the baggage hall if you possibly can; returning later is much harder.
- Photograph damaged bags and contents on the spot.
- Keep your boarding pass and bag tag receipt.
- Track a delayed bag with the PIR reference on the baggage tracing site Ryanair links to.
Ryanair stresses that reporting at the airport is not a claim. The money is claimed separately, as below.
Step 2: submit the claim to Ryanair
Once you have a PIR, submit the baggage claim through the requests section of myRyanair, which Ryanair links from its help article. Include the PIR reference – Ryanair says the 10-character code must be on the claim – plus:
- a list of what you are claiming for: essentials bought while the bag was delayed, repair or replacement of a damaged bag, or the value of a lost bag and contents;
- receipts or other proof of value (bank statements, photos, order confirmations);
- for damage, photos and, where possible, a repair quote or a statement that the bag cannot be repaired.
Ryanair says damaged and delayed baggage claims are processed within 15 working days and lost baggage claims within 28 working days or once tracing is complete. It contacts you by post or email with updates. Guidance on what is reasonable: delayed baggage, lost luggage, damaged luggage.
Delayed bag: what you can buy and claim
Ryanair’s help pages do not publish a daily allowance for a delayed bag. The legal test is what you reasonably needed while you were without it: the Montreal Convention makes the airline liable for damage caused by delay, up to 1,519 SDR, unless it proves it took all reasonable measures to avoid it. In practice:
- Buy essentials – toiletries, underwear, a change of clothes, phone charger, any medicine – rather than replacing your wardrobe. The CAA says bare essentials such as toiletries, underwear and laundry are usually reimbursed.
- Keep every receipt and note why you bought each item. A bag delayed on the outbound flight of a week-long holiday justifies more than one that arrives the next morning.
- If you buy clothes you keep, expect Ryanair to argue for a deduction because you still own them.
- Do not wait for the bag to arrive before writing: send the claim with the PIR reference within 21 days of receiving the bag.
If the bag never turns up, the delay claim becomes a lost-bag claim for the value of the bag and contents – see below. Check your travel insurance too: many policies pay a fixed sum for delayed baggage, which can be claimed alongside or instead of the airline claim depending on the policy terms.
Ryanair’s baggage deadlines
Ryanair’s help centre gives these time limits, citing the Montreal Convention and its own baggage regulations:
| Problem | Ryanair says | Montreal Convention |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged bag | Claim within 7 days from the date of damage | Written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag (Art. 31) |
| Delayed (misplaced) bag | Documented claim within 21 days from the date the bag was placed at your disposal | Same: 21 days from when the bag was placed at your disposal |
| Lost bag | Report at the airport; claim once tracing ends | May be treated as lost after 21 days (Art. 17(3)); court within 2 years (Art. 35) |
The PIR is not a written complaint, so do not rely on it alone. If you are close to a deadline, send a short written claim with the PIR reference straight away and add receipts later.
How much Ryanair pays
Ryanair’s terms cap its liability at 1,519 SDR – for delay damage “for each passenger”, and Ryanair’s summary describes it as about €1,800. On the IMF rate of 10 November 2026, 1,519 SDR was about £1,534 or €1,837. It is a ceiling: you receive your proven loss, usually reduced for the age of items.
You can raise the limit by making a special declaration of interest at the ticket desk before check-in and paying a fee – Ryanair quotes €50 / £50 per passenger per one-way flight, increasing the limit to 2,262 SDR (about €2,600, in Ryanair’s figure).
Under the Convention, the airline is liable for checked baggage even without fault, unless the bag was already defective; for cabin bags, only if it was at fault. Delay costs are recoverable unless Ryanair proves it took all reasonable measures. Fragile items, cash and valuables are best kept in your cabin bag. More detail: the Montreal Convention.
If Ryanair rejects or underpays
Reply in writing with your PIR reference and evidence, and ask Ryanair to explain any deduction. In the UK, Ryanair names AviationADR as its ADR body for “all topics”, which includes baggage; it is free and you apply after Ryanair’s final response. The final step is a court claim within the 2-year limit – start with a letter before action and see small claims.
If the flight also arrived 3+ hours late, claim that compensation separately – see how to claim from Ryanair.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PIR and why does Ryanair need it?
A Property Irregularity Report is the record made at the arrival airport’s baggage desk. Ryanair says it cannot process a baggage claim unless the problem was reported there and a PIR issued, and the claim must quote the 10-character PIR reference.
How long does Ryanair take to pay a baggage claim?
Ryanair says damaged and delayed baggage claims are processed within 15 working days, and lost baggage claims within 28 working days or once the full tracing process is complete.
What is the maximum Ryanair pays for lost luggage?
1,519 SDR – about £1,534 or €1,837 on 10 November 2026 (Ryanair quotes about €1,800). You receive your proven loss up to that amount, or up to 2,262 SDR if you paid for a special declaration of interest.
I left the airport without a PIR. Can I still claim?
Ryanair says claims cannot be processed without a PIR from the arrival airport. Contact the airport’s baggage desk or Ryanair immediately and send a written complaint within the 7- or 21-day deadline to protect your position under the Montreal Convention.
The Ryanair name belongs to its owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site and is not affiliated with Ryanair. Information only, not legal advice.
Sources
- How do I report my bags as lost or damaged? – Ryanair Help Centre
- How do I claim for lost / damaged / delayed bags? – Ryanair Help Centre
- When do I need to make a claim? – Ryanair Help Centre
- How do I check the status on my bag claim, and when will it be paid? – Ryanair Help Centre
- General Terms & Conditions of Carriage (clauses 2.3, 14.4, 15.2) – Ryanair
- ADR Details – Ryanair Help Centre
- Lost, delayed or damaged baggage – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Montreal Convention 1999 – Articles 17, 22, 31 and 35 – EUR-Lex
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