When I flew from Perth to Sydney, my suitcase was severely damaged — the hard shell was cracked. Right after I arrived at the airport, I went to the service counter to report it. However, the staff told me that baggage damage claims must be handled online.
Step 1: Take Photos and Prepare for Online Claim
So I took multiple clear photos of the damage from different angles and tried to use the live chat and customer service phone line the next day.
To handle baggage damage claims, you need to call 131 538. The call is initially answered by an AI voice system, so you’ll need to say “talk to a representative” or “speak to a human.” The AI will first ask for some basic information like your travel date and number of passengers, then it will transfer you to a real person.
Step 2: Talk to a Real Agent
Once connected to a real customer service agent, explain that your luggage was damaged. They will ask for your booking reference number, which you can find in your confirmation email. If you don’t have that, you can also provide your flight number and full name, and they can look up your record.
Once your details are confirmed, they will create a case and send you an email with a case reference number. From there, everything is handled by email.
Step 3: Email Documentation – Photos and Receipt
The first email I received asked me to send photos of the damaged luggage — so I replied with the pictures I took.
The next email requested a receipt or bank proof showing the original purchase of the damaged suitcase. Since I had bought the luggage years ago and no longer had the receipt, I sent them a receipt for a new suitcase I bought the day after the flight. However, they didn’t accept it and instead asked me to provide a Statutory Declaration.
Step 4: Statutory Declaration? Not Ideal…
A Statutory Declaration is a legal document where you declare:
- A description of the item
- The estimated value
- The place and date of purchase
To be valid, it needs to be signed in front of an authorised witness (like a police officer or lawyer), which I found a bit inconvenient. So I contacted Costco, where I had originally bought the suitcase, and fortunately, they were able to reprint the receipt from 2023, showing the purchase amount.
I emailed them the receipt along with a short explanation, and the process continued smoothly.
Step 5: Compensation Approved!
Soon after, I received an email confirming that the airline had approved the compensation based on the receipt. They included a link where I had to:
- Enter my bank account details
- Fill out and return a Settlement Agreement
Once I completed those steps and sent them back, they replied confirming receipt and informed me that the payment would be processed in a few business days.
✉️ Response Time & Tips
From my experience, I usually received a reply 2–3 days after each email, so if you don’t hear back after a few days, don’t hesitate to follow up.
💡 Final Thoughts & Advice
If possible, report and resolve baggage damage directly at the airport counter. It’s much easier than handling it later. I had originally assumed that I could just fill out an online form from the airline’s website — but that option didn’t exist. The live chat team informed me that claims can only be handled via phone.
At first, I was unsure what to do when the AI answered my call, especially since it often misunderstood me. I had to repeat myself multiple times. Eventually, I tried saying “speak to a human” and finally got transferred to a real agent — and that’s when the process really began.
Hope this post helps anyone dealing with damaged baggage claims. It’s a bit of a process, but once you know what to do, it’s manageable. Let me know in the comments if you have questions or if you’ve had a similar experience!