The image shows a brown suitcase lying on an airport luggage conveyor belt. Next to it there are no other suitcases.

Baggage on board

Baggage problems

Find out how to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

Your baggage didn’t arrive?

Let us know immediately if your baggage doesn’t arrive at your destination by filling out the Lost & Found online form within 24 hours of landing and avoid waiting on line at the airport. Please note that it is not possible to complete this form online if your destination is in Brazil (except Sao Paulo - Guarulhos), Italy, or the United Kingdom due to legal restrictions. You can report up to 5 pieces of baggage per form. This service is only available for flights operated by TAP Portugal and TAP Express.

You can also report missing baggage at the Lost & Found desks located in the baggage claim area.

The details of the missing luggage items are entered in the computerized search system used by most airlines.

The success rate is 95%, and most baggage is delivered within 48 hours of registering the loss.

If we are unable to locate your baggage after 72 hours, we will ask you for a more accurate description of its appearance and contents, and to also fill out the baggage inventory form here. This information must be provided within 5 days of the loss.

Track your baggage

Keep informed about the search for your baggage.

You can check our baggage tracker at any time and make changes to the information on file using the registration number you were given when you reported the loss.

Since bags tend to look very similar, any identifying detailsare very important.

Damaged or tampered baggage

Check your bag before leaving the airport. If it is damaged or you notice articles are missing, let us know immediately.

You can do it at the airport, at the Lost & Found desks near the carousels where the bags arrive, so your complaint is registered and the respective document issued.

You must keep this document until the matter is settled.

Before reporting baggage damage

Please note that baggage registered at check-in suffers, during handling and transit through airport facilities, normal and unavoidable wear.
As such, TAP cannot assume responsibility for minor damage, such as:

Scratches;
Small signs of dirt;
Small cuts or dents;
Zipper puller;
Loss of removable/detachable accessories;
Damage due to excess baggage content;
Items not accepted for transportation*.

* (See general transport conditions)

Compensation and liability

If we are unable to find your baggage within a reasonable length of time, we are willing to compensate you as stated in the terms and conditions of our liability.

Please contact us in order to start the compensation claim process.

As specified in the Transportation Conditions, TAP’s liability for the loss and delay of baggage is limited and a loss claim is only set in motion after the information has been reviewed.

Important information

If you do not report the loss at the airport, you have up to 21 days after the date of the flight to make a written complaint.

We can only accept and pay compensation on cases that comply with the stipulated deadlines.

FAQs

You can report lost luggage using the Self Service PIR app.

You should do this within 24 hours after landing. You can record up to 5 items of luggage per form.

This option is not available when you are flying to Brazil (with the exception of São Paulo Guarulhos), Italy and the United Kingdom, due to legal restrictions in these countries.

If you arrived at a destination with the above restrictions, or more than 24 hours have passed and you cannot submit a report online, you should do so through our Requests and claims service , including as much information as possible (luggage tag, boarding pass, etc.)

You should report it as soon as you discover the problem, either at the airport’s Lost & Found area or through our Self Service PIR app, available up to 24 hours after you arrive at your destination.
This app is not available when you are flying to Brazil (with the exception of São Paulo Guarulhos), Italy and the United Kingdom, due to legal restrictions in these countries.
In addition to this initial report, you should submit a claim in writing through the website, within a maximum period of:

21 days - in the case of lost luggage;
7 days - in the case of damaged luggage, from the time you received your luggage.

This is the irregularity record number, whether it relates to a delayed arrival or damaged luggage.
It’s a unique code that helps us locate delayed or damaged luggage and should be used in any action related to the irregularity.
It’s a combination of 5 letters and 5 numbers (e.g. FRATP12345) and can be found above your name on the receipt that was given to you at the airport.

If you receive a reference code by email or text that’s different to the one that was given to you at the airport, please use the last (most recent) one you received.

We search for your luggage with the help of a tracking system called Worldtracer©, which is connected to hundreds of airlines worldwide.
Our teams will do everything they can to locate it as quickly as possible.
We will perform a search at every airport on your itinerary, using the description of your luggage provided by you. In addition to this, our teams on the ground will physically check the baggage transport, storage and loading areas. These actions lead to 95% of baggage being located and returned within the first 48 hours.If your luggage is not located within the first 5 days, we will need to move forward with the search process on the basis of baggage contents, since the external features of your luggage were unable to identify it. During this phase, TAP will contact you and ask you to send a detailed list of the items inside your luggage. If you prefer, you can do this right away by using the baggage inventory form (PDF, 0.3MB, PT, EN) available online.

Using this list, TAP will cross-check the items on the list you provided against the database of all available baggage contents in an attempt to identify your luggage.

If you are not in your country of residence and you have incurred essential expenses (e.g. purchase of personal care products or underwear) due to your missing luggage, you should submit a claim, including your receipts for purchases of essential items, since we will need these in order to assess your claim.Any luggage claim must be submitted in writing as soon as possible after confirmation of missing luggage upon arrival, within a maximum period of 21 days.

As soon as your luggage has been located, you will be notified by email of your delivery details.

Using our baggage locator you can also monitor updates related to the search, as well as updating your contact details. It is important that you use the link to verify your correct email address, so that we can contact you regarding your luggage.

You can also call our Contact Center or make a direct call to the number printed on the document that was given to you when you reported your missing luggage.

As soon as we find your luggage we will send it to the address indicated in the information provided by you (date of stay and address). If there are any issues, we will contact you via the telephone number included in the delayed baggage report.

If you have given us your email address, we will also email you notification of the delivery details.

Please be advised that in some countries, local laws do not allow baggage to be sent to your address, in which case you should collect it from the airport. Please see the following: Accra/Dakar/Bissau/São Tomé and Príncipe/Maputo/Luanda/Morocco.

TAP is performing a cross-check of the items on the list you provided against a database of all available baggage contents, both at TAP and at other airlines, so as to try to find which might be yours; it’s a complex process that normally takes a few days.

Provide precise and detailed descriptions on the contents form. If possible, gather the information describing the item(s) before filling out the form, and don’t forget to include any and all recognizable details so as to assist our search. If possible, include a photo of your luggage.

We will search carefully for your luggage for 21 days, counting from your flight date.

If we are unable to find your luggage within this period, you will receive a notification including a link to the form to be submitted for the compensation claim. This form is absolutely necessary in order to initiate your claim. Please be advised that unless this form is filled out, no compensation process for your luggage will be started.

At TAP, customer satisfaction is our priority. For this reason, we always want to return baggage to its rightful owner. Accordingly, any baggage found that can be returned to its owner will be returned, no matter how much time has passed.

We know your luggage is extremely important to you, so it is also extremely important to us. If we haven’t found your luggage, it’s because despite all the efforts of our staff involved in the search, who are absolutely focused on finding and returning your baggage, it hasn’t been possible. At this point, you should fill out the form, in order to start the compensation process.

You should contact TAP Lost & Found to organize the return of the baggage that isn’t yours, as well as initiating a missing luggage report with the details of your own luggage.
To speed up the return process, please find our contact details here.

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