Wizz Air damaged baggage compensation.
Could you be entitled to it? What are the airline baggage rules?
There are times when baggage gets heavily damaged during transportation. We are not talking about scratches, tiny dents here and there and other signs of use. For this kind of minor damage, Wizz Air is not responsible. No airline will accept responsibility for things like this. However, if the damage is serious, if, for example, handles or wheels of the suitcase are broken, these are situations when Wizz Air can be held accountable.
What to do if your luggage is damaged by Wizz Air?
What to Do If Your Luggage Is Damaged?
Your luggage is badly damaged. What you should do?
First, report the damage to the airline. The very first thing that you need to do when you see that your bag has arrived badly damaged, is to report the damage to the airline. Pick up your bag, but do not leave the baggage reclaim area (baggage hall). Try to find the Baggage Service Office. It’s often located in the baggage reclaim area right next to baggage carousels.
File a report for damage to your bag there.
Bring your damaged bag to the Baggage Service Office. Have your passport and boarding pass ready. Fill in the report and you will be told what to do next. Most probably, the airline will repair your bag. You don’t have to pay for the repair of your bag. If your suitcase or bag is irreparable, Wizz Air will replace it.
What if you didn’t notice it right away? If you discover that your luggage has been damaged only after leaving the airport, you can send a claim to the Wizz Air Customer Centre within 7 days after arrival. Make sure you don’t miss this deadline. However, we would recommend you to report the damage as soon as you arrive.
Wizz Air Damaged Baggage Compensation
Can you claim compensation from Wizz Air?
Yes, you can claim compensation if your luggage is damaged.
Damaged Baggage Compensation
If your check-in baggage is damaged, you can claim compensation.
According to Montreal Convention damaged baggage guidelines, Wizz Air is liable for damage to your checked baggage, and you may get compensation of up to around €1300.
The amount of compensation will depend on the value of your luggage. The compensation has to cover your expenses of purchasing a new bag (the same or similar) of the same value.
When possible, avoid carrying electronics, art, jewellery or other valuables in your checked baggage. Simply because Wizz Air isn’t liable to compensate for the full value of such items, but only to the extent defined by the Montreal Convention and its Conditions of Carriage. The same stands true not only with Wizz Air but also with other airlines.
If the damage is caused by a defect in the bag, in this case, you won’t be entitled to any compensation. Also, Wizz Air is not accountable for minor damage such as small dents, scratches, and other signs of use on your suitcase. Unfortunately, nowadays that’s the reality of air travel — it’s almost impossible to avoid wear and tear to your bag.
How to claim damaged baggage compensation?
Register your damaged Wizz baggage compensation claim with Wizz Air. The airline will transfer money to your bank account. You don’t have to accept any vouchers or coupons.
Reimbursement of Expenses
In this case, you aren’t entitled to it.
If your bag is delayed for hours or days, or lost, and you have to replace any of the necessary items, you are entitled to reimbursement for your expenses (sometimes referred to as delayed baggage compensation). Then you can buy all the essential things, and make a claim submitting all the receipts afterwards. And Wizz Air reimburses you for the expenses. You have 21 days from the day you receive your lost baggage to file a claim for reimbursement.
But this applies only to lost and delayed baggage.
Is Travel Insurance Necessary?
Do you need to have travel insurance?
Yes and no.
You can travel without travel insurance.
When you check in your luggage, the airline is responsible for it. Your luggage has to be delivered in time and without any damage. All thanks to the Montreal Convention, a treaty establishing common rules for handling claims for luggage delay, loss or damage compensation. The rules apply to most international flights and airlines all around the world. At the same time, we would recommend having good travel insurance.
Having travel insurance, you might be able to get compensation faster. Plus, it’s useful in a lot of different situations, from health emergencies to travel disruptions.
When you have filed a report for damage to your bag, contact your travel insurance company, to ask them what to do next. Your travel insurance may reimburse you for the value of your airline-damaged baggage without making you wait. As long as you are able to provide all the papers you’ve received at the Baggage Service Office when you made a damaged baggage claim.
Please note, that not all insurance policies cover luggage damage. Make sure to find it out in advance, to avoid unnecessary stress and surprises later.
Travel Prepared
Nowadays it’s always a great idea to have a plan B.
Baggage doesn’t get damaged or lost too often. But it happens.
Hence, why not pack a change of clothes, underwear and extra pair of shoes in your carry-on? Just in case your suitcase gets lost, or its contents get damaged. Keep in mind that it’s highly advised to keep all your most valuable items, such as money, electronics, medications and documents in your cabin luggage. If your bag gets seriously damaged (like large holes or cracks), its contents may be damaged, too. Or you may even lose some of the contents.
Take a packable backpack/duffel bag with you. If your luggage is seriously damaged, transfer some of your stuff to the packable bag. If you won’t use it for this purpose, the packable duffle bag may come in handy also if you run out of luggage space at the end of your trip. And, if it’s a backpack, it can also work as a daypack for sightseeing.
All the above-mentioned rules apply not only to Wizz Air, but to other airlines as well. These are common rules for handling claims for luggage delay, loss or damage, and are regulated by the Montreal Convention. The rules apply to most international flights and airlines all around the world.
Featured photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels