If your suitcase does not arrive or is damaged, report the problem quickly and document it. A baggage report is not necessarily a request for money. You must also send a written compensation claim to the airline by the correct deadline.
What should you do before leaving the airport?
The rules and guidance in this article were checked on 3 October 2026.
Contact the airline’s baggage service at the baggage reclaim area. Report that your checked baggage is missing or damaged and ask for confirmation. Norwegian creates a Property Irregularity Report, or PIR, with a reference number.
A PIR records the incident and helps track the search or damage case. Norwegian explicitly says you must submit a separate compensation claim for expenses caused by a delay. Do not close the case after receiving a PIR number.
Check that the report has your correct name, phone number, the address where you are staying, a description of the suitcase and your full itinerary. Your home address in Norway is not much help if your bag needs to be delivered to a hotel in another country. Save the report, boarding pass, booking reference and baggage tag from check-in.
If the suitcase is damaged, take pictures of the whole case and the damage. Show the problem to staff before you leave. If you only discover it at home, report it immediately. Norwegian says you must then be able to show that the damage likely occurred while the airline was responsible for the baggage. That does not mean every claim automatically disappears when you leave the airport.
What deadlines apply to a written claim?
The deadline depends on whether the baggage is damaged, delayed or lost. Two different rules use 21 days, but they start at different times.
| Problem | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| Checked baggage is damaged | Send a written complaint within 7 days after you receive the baggage |
| Delayed baggage is returned to you | Send a written claim for the delay within 21 days after the baggage is made available to you |
| Baggage is still missing | If it has not turned up after 21 days, or the airline acknowledges it is lost, you can claim for the loss |
The deadlines for damage and delay appear in the airline’s liability rules. The Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) explains when baggage may be considered lost.
Example: Your suitcase is returned five days after you arrive. The deadline for claiming necessary purchases during the delay is 21 days from when it was returned, not from your flight departure. If the case is also damaged, the damage complaint has its own shorter deadline: seven days after you receive it. Clearly report both problems in the same message or in the forms required by the airline.
Always report the incident itself immediately. Do not wait 21 days before recording a missing suitcase.
What can you buy while waiting for your baggage?
You can claim reasonable and necessary expenses caused by the delay. These may include toiletries, essential clothing or rental of important equipment. You must limit your losses and be able to explain why the purchases were needed.
Your needs will differ if you wait a few hours or go several days without baggage. Buy what you actually need while you wait. A delay does not automatically entitle you to replace your entire wardrobe. Keep itemised receipts and note what need each purchase covered.
The assessment may be different on your return journey because you usually have clothes and equipment at home. Norwegian says necessary purchases are normally not covered in this situation. If you have a special need, explain it specifically and check both the airline’s terms and your insurance policy. Do not assume that all expenses on a return journey are always rejected or always accepted.
You can keep a simple list of the date, item, price and reason. This makes a combined claim easier to assess than a folder of receipts without explanations.
What evidence should you keep for damage or loss?
Document what you lost or what was damaged, and its value. A loss claim does not automatically cover the price of completely new replacement items.
For a damaged suitcase, Norwegian asks for details including photos, brand, age, purchase price and receipt. State whether a wheel, handle, crack or contents were damaged. Ask the airline what it needs before throwing away the suitcase or ordering an expensive repair.
Normal wear and small scratches are not necessarily damage that qualifies for compensation. Pre-existing defects, inadequate packing and your own contribution may also affect liability. The rules for hand baggage differ from those for checked baggage. This guide mainly covers baggage you handed to the airline at check-in.
If the baggage is lost, make a list of the suitcase and its contents. Use receipts, photos or other evidence where available. Mark uncertain information as an estimate; do not invent purchase dates or prices to fill in blank fields. Follow the airline’s instructions if it asks for more information.
How much may the airline be liable for?
The ordinary baggage liability limit under the Montreal Convention is 1,519 SDR per passenger where the rules apply. The revised limit took effect on 28 December 2024, according to ICAO.
SDR, or Special Drawing Rights, is an international unit of account. Its value in kroner changes with the exchange rate. We therefore do not give a fixed amount in kroner as though it were a standard Norwegian rate.
The limit is normally a cap on liability, not an automatic payment. You must document your financial loss and show that the conditions for liability are met. It is not a new full limit for each suitcase either. An airline’s liability for a delay may also depend on the measures it took to avoid the damage.
For especially valuable baggage, you may need to make a special declaration of value at check-in and pay a fee. Check the option before you travel. It is generally not something you can add after your suitcase is missing.
How do you submit the claim and follow up?
Use the airline’s official compensation channel. Include the PIR number, travel details, the date you received the baggage, receipts and a clear list of amounts. Keep a copy of the claim and the submission confirmation.
You could write: “My baggage was missing when I arrived on [date]. The PIR number is [number]. It was delivered on [date]. I am claiming [amount] for necessary purchases during the delay. Receipts and an explanation of the need are attached.” For damage, add a description of the damage, the date you received the baggage and the evidence.
If you have travel insurance, check what it covers and report the case under its terms. Disclose claims and payments from other parties so the same financial loss is not reported as unpaid in several places.
If the airline refuses, first ask it to explain its reasoning. If you cannot agree, the Consumer Council refers travellers to the Transport Appeals Board. A baggage claim is separate from compensation for a flight delay, even if both problems occurred on the same trip.
SamfunnPrep’s practical tools can help you navigate services in Norway. For a baggage case, first secure your evidence and send the claim before the deadline.
