Does the Warranty Cover Flight Damage to Your Suitcase? What to Do With a Damage Report

In most cases no: a manufacturer's warranty is meant for manufacturing defects, and damage caused to a suitcase during a flight is the airline's responsibility. But that doesn't mean you are left without a solution. With a proper damage report filled in at the airport before you leave the terminal, we at Camel Mountain make sure you get a new suitcase. For one of our suitcases the replacement comes at no extra cost.

What the warranty covers, and what it doesn't

Our warranty is meant for one case: a product that stopped working in normal use because of a manufacturing defect. This is how it is built:

• Hard-shell suitcases made of 100% polypropylene: 10 years on the base of the suitcase, meaning the frame, the hard shell, cracks and structural breaks.
• Suitcases: 12 months on wheels, handles, the telescopic handle mechanism and zipper pulls.
• Bags and backpacks: 12 months on all components of the bag, unless the product page says otherwise.

The warranty starts on the purchase date on the invoice, and for a product we ship, on the date the shipment actually left. It does not cover cosmetic damage such as scratches, dents and scuffs, normal wear and tear, unreasonable use, or damage caused by a third party, including airlines, hotels and carriers.

So a crack that appeared because the suitcase was thrown at the airport, or a wheel torn off while loading the plane, is third-party damage. The one who should pay for it is the airline, and that is exactly what the damage report is for. The full terms are on the warranty page.

Why the damage report is the most important document

A damage report (PIR, Property Irregularity Report) is the airline's official confirmation that the suitcase was damaged while it was in its care. Without the report it is your word against theirs, and once you leave the airport it is almost impossible to prove that the damage happened on the flight and not in a taxi or at home.

The law is on your side too, but with a clock: under the Montreal Convention, which applies to most international flights, the airline is liable for damage to checked baggage, and a written complaint must be filed as soon as you discover the damage, and at the latest within 7 days of receiving the suitcase. In the requests that reach us, what separates a quick solution from a long argument is almost always one question: is there a report.

What to do at the airport, step by step

1. Check the suitcase at the carousel, before you leave the baggage claim area: wheels, handles, the telescopic handle, zippers and the corners of the shell.
2. Found a defect, even a small one? Don't leave the terminal. Go to the Lost & Found desk or the airline's desk at the airport.
3. Fill in a damage report and ask for a copy with the file number.
4. Take photos of the damage, the baggage tag that was attached at check-in and your boarding pass. Keep the tag.
5. Ask whether there is a solution on the spot. Some airlines replace or repair suitcases themselves, and some passengers leave the airport with a replacement suitcase already.

Only discovered the damage at home? Contact the airline in writing right away, with photos, the baggage tag and your ticket, and keep the confirmation of your complaint. More tips that prevent damage in the first place are in our guide to protecting your suitcase on a flight.

Have a damage report? Here is how we handle it

We work with many airlines and accept their damage reports, among them El Al, Israir, Iberia, LOT and Air Canada. Send us the report through the loss and damage report page on the site, where you will also find the up-to-date list, together with the flight details and photos. Once we have checked that the report is valid:

• A Camel Mountain suitcase: you get a new suitcase at no extra cost.
• A suitcase from another brand: get in touch with us and we will tell you what we can offer for your case.

And if the airline doesn't work with us?

Some airlines have no fixed arrangement with us, and then you file the claim directly with the airline. Here we help with an official compensation letter: confirmation that the suitcase cannot be repaired, with its value according to the purchase invoice. That is the document airlines ask for in order to pay. For a Camel Mountain suitcase the letter is free of charge.

And if there is no damage report at all?

We will say it honestly: without a report, damage caused while the airline was handling the suitcase is not covered by the warranty, and it is very hard to claim. But there is still something to do:

• Check whether it is flight damage at all. A wheel that stopped turning in normal use within 12 months, or a crack in a polypropylene shell under reasonable use, can be an ordinary warranty case. Send a photo and we will check.
• A repair quote: the price depends on the part and the work, and we give a quote based on a photo.

How to reduce the risk in advance

• A shell that flexes instead of cracking. Polypropylene absorbs knocks and returns to its shape, which is why our Navigator suitcases, made of 100% polypropylene, come with a 10-year warranty on the shell.
• Don't stuff it to the limit. An overstuffed suitcase puts strain on the zippers and the shell with every bump.
• Photograph the suitcase at check-in. A dated photo is proof of its condition before the flight.
• Remove straps and outside accessories that can get caught on the conveyor.
• A TSA lock lets US security open the suitcase without breaking the lock.
• Valuable and fragile items go with you in the cabin, not in the hold.