Lost luggage in Brazil: what to do on a business trip

The carousel stops, the other passengers leave and your suitcase never shows up. On a holiday, that ruins the day. On a business trip, it can put an early meeting at risk, delay a site visit that requires protective equipment or leave a presentation without the materials that were in the checked bag. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes makes all the difference.

At ArrowTur, which has managed corporate travel in Brazil since 1989, we deal with this situation regularly. Below is a step-by-step guide for the traveler and what the company should have defined in advance, so that lost luggage becomes a manageable setback rather than a blow to the schedule and the budget.

First: delayed, lost or damaged?

Not every bag that fails to arrive is gone for good. In most cases it was loaded onto another flight or left behind at a connection, and it is delivered a few days later. Even so, for the airline, a bag that did not appear on the carousel enters the lost baggage process, with deadlines set by ANAC Resolution No. 400/2016. ANAC is Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, and this resolution sets out passenger rights and duties on flights in Brazil.

A bag that arrives damaged or tampered with is a different case, with a different deadline to complain. That is why the first step is to check your luggage while you are still at the airport, before leaving the arrivals area.

Step by step at the airport

1. Report the problem right away

The resolution requires passengers to file a claim with the airline as soon as they notice the bag is missing. In practice, that means going to the airline’s baggage desk in the arrivals hall and opening a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), called RIB in Brazilian airports. Leaving the airport without this report makes everything harder later on.

2. Keep your documents at hand

To file the report, the traveler needs the boarding pass and the baggage tag receipt handed out at check-in. A good habit is to photograph the tag and the suitcase itself before checking it in: the photo helps describe the bag accurately.

3. Describe the bag and its contents

The form asks for the color, model, brand, size and any distinctive marks of the bag, plus a list of what was inside. The more detailed the description, the easier the search. Also give a delivery address valid for the next few days, which can be the hotel, and a phone number the traveler will actually answer.

4. Keep the report number

At the end, the airline provides a reference number. The traveler uses it to track the search on the airline’s website or call center, and the company will need it for any reimbursement request.

Deadlines and passenger rights in Brazil

Under ANAC Resolution No. 400/2016 (official text in Portuguese), once the report is filed the airline has the following deadlines to deliver the bag to the address provided:

• Domestic flight: up to 7 days.
• International flight: up to 21 days.
• Bag not found within these deadlines: the airline must compensate the passenger within 7 days.

While the bag is missing, a passenger who is away from their home city is entitled to reimbursement of emergency expenses, such as clothing and toiletries, paid within 7 days after receipts are submitted. Each airline sets the payment method and daily limits for this reimbursement in its own terms, so it is worth asking at the desk, when filing the report, what conditions apply.

On international flights, compensation follows the limits of the Montreal Convention, the international treaty on airline liability. For bags with high-value items, you may be able to make a special declaration of value at check-in, according to the airline’s rules.

Damaged or tampered bags

If the bag arrives broken, torn or showing signs of having been opened, the claim must also be filed at the airline’s desk. The resolution allows up to 7 days from receipt to file it, but ideally it should be done at the airport, with photos of the bag and the damaged contents. Collecting the bag without any complaint implies that it arrived in good condition.

What to do about the work schedule

The practical side is usually the most urgent. Some tips to help the traveler keep their commitments:

• Buy only what you need for the next appointments and keep every receipt in the traveler’s name.
• Let your manager and the client know if the meeting depends on material that was in the bag; often the file can be sent by e-mail or printed at the hotel.
• Work equipment, such as protective gear or tools, can be rented or bought at the destination; agree in advance with the company who approves that expense.
• Follow up on the report every day and let the hotel know the airline may deliver the bag there.

What the company should define in its travel policy

Lost luggage means money spent on the spot and a reimbursement that arrives later. Without a clear rule, the traveler does not know whether they can buy a shirt or a suit, and the finance team does not know how to record the expense. It is worth putting in writing:

• How the traveler pays emergency expenses: corporate card, cash advance or reimbursement afterwards.
• Limit and approval for emergency purchases, per day and per trip.
• Who follows up with the airline on reimbursement and compensation, and how the money received goes back to the company.
• Carry-on as the rule for short trips and for essential items, such as laptops, documents and medication, which should never go in checked luggage.
• Travel insurance covering lost baggage on international trips, checking the policy terms.

Lost luggage support with ArrowTur

When a traveler’s bag does not arrive, our team guides them through the airline report, helps track the claim and, if the schedule is affected, rearranges hotels, transfers or flights. We also help the company define in its travel policy how to handle emergency expenses and reimbursements, and choose fares and insurance suited to each type of trip. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Brasília time), with emergency support outside those hours.

Learn more about our corporate travel management, talk to our sales team on WhatsApp or by phone at +55 11 5189-4120, or visit our Contact us page.

Read also: Business travel baggage: airline rules in Brazil.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the airline have to return lost luggage?

Under ANAC Resolution No. 400/2016, up to 7 days on domestic flights and up to 21 days on international flights. If the bag is not found within that time, the airline must compensate the passenger within 7 days.

Can I report lost luggage after leaving the airport?

The rule requires an immediate claim. Leaving without a report makes it harder to prove what happened. If it does happen, contact the airline through its official channels as soon as possible and keep your baggage tag receipt.

Who pays for clothes bought while the bag is missing?

A passenger away from their home city is entitled to reimbursement of emergency expenses by the airline, within its rules and limits. On business trips, the company usually covers the expense first and then recovers the amount, so it is important to keep all receipts.