Our experience with Air India’s baggage…
Our experience with Air India’s baggage claims process was extremely disappointing.
Our 28-inch suitcase was seriously damaged during our journey and was officially recorded as major damage in the Property Irregularity Report (PIR). The suitcase was beyond repair.
Despite this, Air India initially offered only INR 2,500 in compensation, later increasing it to INR 3,500. We explained repeatedly that this amount would not even cover the cost of a basic no-brand replacement suitcase in Thailand, let alone one of similar quality to the damaged baggage.
Throughout the process, Air India repeatedly referred to internal policies and the absence of the original purchase receipt, insisting that no higher compensation could be offered. We found the communication repetitive and focused on rejecting our claim rather than finding a fair solution.
After many emails over several weeks, we were told that INR 3,500 was their "full and final" offer. We could not accept this, as we did not believe it reflected the actual loss. We therefore escalated the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India. After that, we never received any meaningful resolution.
What disappointed us most was not only the low compensation, but the amount of time and effort required to pursue what we believed was a reasonable claim.
My advice to other passengers is to document everything, keep photographs of the damage, retain all baggage documents if possible, and if you believe the compensation offered is unreasonable, consider escalating the case to the DGCA rather than assuming the airline's first or "final" offer is the only option.
Based on our experience, we cannot recommend Air India’s customer service, baggage claims handling, or booking a flight with Air India.