Mishandled, delayed or lost baggage

Reporting delayed baggage

If your checked bag hasn't turned up on the baggage carousel, be assured that our teams are already working behind the scenes to reunite you with your bags, but please inform us of your contact and delivery details.

If your baggage was checked through for multiple flights, and your final airline operator wasn't Air New Zealand, you'll need to contact the airline that operated your final flight.

If you're at the airport

You can report your delayed baggage by visiting the baggage service desk upon arrival.

Note: If you've travelled to New Zealand from overseas, you must see the baggage service desk before leaving the baggage claim area and going through Customs.

If you've left the airport

If you've left the airport without your checked bags, you can still report your delayed baggage within our time limits.

You'll need to have these things ready:

• Your contact, delivery and flight details
• Your baggage tag numbers or bag tag receipts

You can complete and submit a delayed baggage report online.

You can choose to receive daily updates via SMS and/or email. Please ensure you provide the correct contact details, including a valid mobile number and/or email address. You can also check the status by managing your delayed baggage report.

If you need to add extra details or change your contact and/or delivery details after submitting your report, you can update your delayed baggage report online.

While you wait - after 24 hours

If your baggage isn't returned to you within 24 hours, and you're away from your hometown, you may be entitled to emergency expenses. Please contact the online baggage tracing service or your nearest baggage services office for more information. If you have travel insurance, you can also check your policy benefits.

While you wait - after 5 days

If your baggage hasn't been found within 5 days, please provide us with any extra details you may remember and submit a claim. If your baggage isn't located within 21 days, we'll process the claim while continuing to search.

You should also contact your travel insurance provider. Air New Zealand's liability for lost baggage is limited by international conventions and the Carriage of Goods Act. Read our conditions of carriage.

When your baggage has been found

We'll let you know as soon as your baggage has been found and arrange to get it to you.

Reporting time limits

All delayed checked baggage must be reported within these time limits.

Domestic (no international connections):

• At the latest within 30 days from when the checked baggage should have been available to collect

International:

• At the latest within 21 days from when the checked baggage should have been available to collect

For more details, please see our conditions of carriage.

Reporting damaged baggage

If your baggage has been damaged during your flight with us, please report it as soon as possible. We will do our best to guide you through the process.

If you're at the airport

If you've collected your bags from the baggage carousel and something is not quite right, you can report your damaged bag by visiting the baggage service desk upon arrival for assessment.

If you've left the airport

If you don't notice that your checked baggage has been damaged until you've left the airport, you can still report it. Any damaged baggage needs to be reported within our time limits.

You'll need to have these things ready:

• Your contact and flight details
• Photos of your baggage with the damage visible. Please leave baggage tags on your baggage

Reporting within 4 days:

If your flight arrived within the last 4 days, you can complete and submit a damaged baggage report online.

If you need to add extra details after submitting your report, you can update your damaged baggage report.

Reporting after 4 days:

If you miss the 4-day window, don't worry, you can still report it. You need to fill out a damaged baggage claim form and email it to your nearest baggage services office. They'll help you raise the report and once it's in the system, you'll be able to manage your damaged baggage report online.

Reporting time limits

All damaged checked baggage must be reported within these time limits.

Domestic (no international connections):

• At the latest within 30 days after you've collected your baggage

International:

• At the latest within 7 days after you've collected your baggage

Your claim will be assessed and processed according to the applicable liability limitations. For more details, please see our conditions of carriage.

Lost property

If you leave something on the plane or in the airline lounge

If you left an item in one of our lounges or on board our aircraft, complete our online lost property report.   

We'll make every effort to find your property. If required, a letter can be provided to support an insurance claim. Found items are held for one month. You'll need to confirm ownership and provide photo ID when you collect a lost item.

Once we've found your item, we will be in contact with instructions on how you can retrieve it.  

If you leave something at the airport

If you left an item at a gate or check-in or somewhere else in at the airport, please contact the relevant airport company.