Air India Lost Baggage Compensation | Get Refunded

Air India's baggage record has drawn real frustration online. Trustpilot reviewers frequently cite slow refund processing and poor follow-through on delayed bag claims. On PissedConsumer, Air India scores below average for customer service resolution, with many users reporting they never received a callback after filing. BBB complaint threads echo similar themes: bags arriving days late, reimbursement forms going unanswered, and agents offering brochures instead of actual help. Air India has been expanding its US routes through 2025 and into 2026, which means more American passengers are now caught in these situations. You have legal rights here. Use them. For Air India's official baggage policy, visit Air India Baggage Help.

What to Do at the Airport Right Now

Stop walking. Seriously. Before you head to ground transportation or grab a coffee, you need to find the Air India Baggage Service Office inside the terminal. Leaving the secure area without filing a report is the single biggest mistake passengers make, and it can kill your claim before it starts.

What Are Your Rights? DOT Rules and Air India Policy

This is not Air India doing you a favor. These are legal protections you are entitled to as a paying passenger.

For domestic US flights, the Department of Transportation sets a liability cap. As of 2026, that cap sits at $3,800 per passenger for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage. That is the ceiling on what Air India is required to pay, not a guaranteed flat payout. You still need to prove your losses.

For international flights, the Montreal Convention governs. The limit is roughly $1,700 per passenger, calculated using Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), which fluctuate with currency exchange rates. Most Air India routes between the US and India fall under this treaty.

Interim expenses matter too. While your bag is delayed, Air India is expected to reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket costs. Think toiletries, a basic outfit, a phone charger. Keep every receipt. 'Reasonable' is the operative word, so a $400 jacket probably will not fly, but $60 in essentials usually will.

For the official federal rules, see the DOT baggage rights page. For Air India's own policy, check Air India Baggage Help.

How Much Compensation Can You Get from Air India?

The short version: it depends on your route and what you can prove. Here is a quick breakdown.

A few things worth knowing: the cap is per passenger, not per bag. If two people on the same booking each lost a bag, each person has their own cap. Air India can choose to pay more than the cap, but they are not required to. And neither cap is automatic. You have to document your losses and submit a claim.

How to File a Baggage Claim with Air India: Step by Step

This part comes after the airport. You have your PIR, your file reference number, and hopefully a folder of receipts. Now it is about getting paid. This process typically starts 24 hours after the incident and should be completed within 21 days for delayed bags, or 7 days for damaged ones.

What If Air India Denies Your Baggage Claim?

A denial is not the end. It is frustrating, yes, but there are real next steps that can move things forward.

Start by getting specifics. A vague 'claim not approved' response is not acceptable.

• Ask for the exact policy clause or reason code they used to deny your claim. Get it in writing.
• Resubmit with clearer documentation. Higher-resolution photos, itemized receipts, and a clean copy of your PIR can flip a denial.
• Request a supervisor review in writing. Email is better than a phone call here because it creates a record.
• Escalate through Air India's official complaint channel on their website if the front-line team is unresponsive.
• File a DOT complaint if your travel was to, from, or within the US: File a complaint with DOT. Airlines take these seriously because the DOT tracks them publicly.
• Check your credit card benefits. Many travel cards (Chase Sapphire, Amex Platinum, and others) carry baggage delay or loss protection that kicks in when the airline falls short.
• Review your travel insurance policy if you purchased one. Baggage loss is a standard covered event under most plans.

How to Contact Air India About Your Baggage Claim

Getting a human at Air India can feel like a project in itself. Here are the verified contact options available to US passengers.

A note on the phone line: the claim portal timed out on me once mid-submission, and calling was the only way to confirm the file reference number was still active. Keep the number saved.

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