Codeshare Baggage Damage: Whose Rules Apply
Codeshare baggage damage rules are more complex than a single-carrier trip. The Montreal Convention sets the liability cap, but which airline you claim against and which rules govern the process depends on who operated the flight and where it was ticketed. This guide untangles the liability chain.
Codeshare Baggage Damage: Who Is Legally Responsible?
Codeshare baggage damage rules follow a two-carrier framework that confuses most passengers. When your bag is damaged on a codeshare flight, you need to identify two things: the marketing carrier (whose code is on your ticket) and the operating carrier (who actually flew the plane and handled your bags). Under the Montreal Convention and most bilateral agreements, the operating carrier holds the primary liability for baggage damage during the specific flight where the damage occurred.
Who to claim against: start with the operating carrier at the destination airport. If the damage occurred on their aircraft, they are primarily responsible. The marketing carrier may be jointly liable depending on the ticket agreement.
For hotel costs on a codeshare delay (a related but distinct issue), see who pays the hotel on a codeshare delay. For specific joint venture rules, see Delta KLM joint venture codeshare rules.
The Montreal Convention Cap on Baggage Damage
The Montreal Convention 1999 sets the international liability cap for damaged or lost baggage at approximately 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger. As of 2026, this is roughly $1,700-$1,800 USD depending on the current SDR exchange rate. This cap applies to most international codeshare routes.
- ›
The cap applies per passenger, not per bag.
- ›
To exceed the cap, you must have made a special declaration of value at check-in and paid the applicable fee.
- ›
The cap is a ceiling, not an automatic payment. You must prove actual damage and its value.
- ›
ACAA (US accessibility rules) supersedes the cap for mobility devices and assistive equipment on US-regulated flights.
How to Identify Which Carrier Handled Your Bags
On a codeshare flight, bags are typically handled by the operating carrier's ground crew at each airport. However, interline baggage agreements can result in bags being transferred between carriers without the passenger touching them. To determine who handled the bags at the time of damage:
- 1
Check your baggage claim tag: it identifies the carrier responsible for the bag at each stage of the journey.
- 2
Check the flight number on the operating carrier: the five-digit IATA code identifies the actual operating airline.
- 3
Ask the baggage service office which carrier last handled your bag before delivery to the carousel.
- 4
Check your boarding pass: it shows both the marketing and operating flight numbers if different.
Filing a Baggage Damage Claim on a Codeshare
- 1
Report immediately at the destination airport: file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the operating carrier's baggage service office before leaving the baggage claim area. If you leave without filing, the claim becomes much harder to win.
- 2
Document the damage: photograph every piece of damage from multiple angles before any repairs.
- 3
Keep the damaged bag: the airline will want to inspect it. Do not repair or modify it before the claim is resolved.
- 4
Submit a written claim within 7 days: Montreal Convention Article 31 requires written notice of damage within 7 days of receipt. Missing this deadline can void your claim.
- 5
Include repair or replacement quotes: two or three quotes from certified luggage repair shops strengthen the claim.
- 6
Submit to the operating carrier's baggage claims department, with a copy to the marketing carrier if your ticket was issued by a different airline.
7-day rule: the most common reason baggage damage claims are rejected is missing the Montreal Convention's 7-day written notice requirement. File immediately, even if you do not yet have repair quotes.
When the Operating and Marketing Carriers Dispute Liability
In practice, both the operating carrier and the marketing carrier may point to each other. This is a deflection tactic. Under most interline agreements and the Montreal Convention, both carriers can be held jointly liable. You do not need to resolve the intercarrier dispute to recover. File claims against both simultaneously.
For EU261-related codeshare liability questions (which carrier files the compensation claim), see which airline files the EU261 claim on a codeshare.
Claim Amounts You Can Realistically Recover
- ›
Repair costs: airlines typically pay actual repair costs up to the Montreal cap, provided the repair is professional and documented.
- ›
Replacement value: if the bag cannot be economically repaired, replacement value is paid, usually depreciated for age.
- ›
Contents: if contents are damaged, document each item with receipts or purchase records. Airlines often resist contents claims without proof.
- ›
Temporary replacement costs: if you needed to purchase toiletries or essential items while the damaged bag was under inspection, document these.
Travel Insurance and Credit Card Baggage Damage Coverage
Travel insurance and premium credit cards often have baggage damage coverage that is secondary to the airline's Montreal liability. This means you claim from the airline first, and the insurer or card covers any gap up to the policy limit.
For high-value items, making a special declaration of value at check-in (and paying the fee) is the most reliable protection. This raises the Montreal cap on your bag specifically and puts the airline on notice of the value.
TravelStacks can help document and submit baggage damage claims including codeshare scenarios. Start a claim to begin. For the full codeshare rights framework, see codeshare flight rights: which airline is responsible.