Damaged, delayed or lost baggage

 

We work daily to offer our passengers a pleasant and comfortable experience, making sure that all the details involved in a trip are properly covered.    
Despite this, we cannot avoid occasional problems related to baggage.

To ensure we can solve any irregularity as soon as possible, please check your baggage carefully when arriving at your destination and when removing your baggage from the carousel to avoid an exchange of baggage with other passengers or to be able to complain immediately if you find any damage.

We also ask for your understanding regarding the fact that baggage is subject to normal and inevitable wear and tear during handling and circulation on carousels. In this sense, we don’t consider that the baggage is damaged when its correct use has not been compromised, as in case of dented corners, scratches, and signs of dirt.

 

Your baggage report

In case of any irregularity with your baggage, you must immediately contact SATA Azores Airlines’ Lost & Found Services or the Handling Agent at the airport of arrival. If you have not done so before, you must submit a complaint by email to the airline as soon as possible. In situations where checked baggage is delayed, it must be done within 21 days and, in case of damage, within 7 days. In both situations, it must count from the date on which the baggage was delivered.

For missing baggage, you must contact the Lost & Found Services at the airport during the first 5 days. Five days after starting the process, it is transferred to SATA's Central Baggage Service, which continues with the search for a longer period, and to where you can contact via e-mail: lost.found@sata.pt / telephone: (+351) 296 209 047, to get the latest information on the process, or to send additional information, such as content lists (you can fill them out here) or new contacts (address or telephone).

For damaged or pilfered baggage, when in mainland Portugal, Azores, and Madeira, you should always contact SATA Azores Airlines Services at the airport where the complaint was filed, and the claim was opened.    
As for the claims opened in airports abroad, after opening the claim at the airport you should contact via email lost.found@sata.pt or by telephone (+351) 296 209 047.

 

Liability relating to passengers and their baggage

Liability for loss or damage caused to checked baggage is limited up to 1 288 SDR – International Monetary Fund Special Drawing Rights - approximately 1 700 USD (depending on the exchange rate).

This limit may be higher if the passenger makes a prior declaration of the baggage value, paying an additional fee.

The company is not liable for the loss or damage verified in monetary values, jewelry, photographic, electronic or computer equipment, documents, medicines or other fragile, valuable, or perishable goods, which must not be included in the registered luggage, and must be carried by the passenger in the hand baggage.

This information note summarizes the airlines rules by Community airlines on liability as required by Community law and the Montreal Convention.

 

In case of delay in baggage delivery, the airline is responsible for any damage, unless all reasonable measures were carried out to avoid them, or it has been impossible to take such measures. SATA Azores Airlines provides the refund of duly proven expenses, upon presentation of original invoices/receipts, to passengers under certain conditions, subject to analysis and depending on the number of days of the baggage loss, whether the missing items are of first need, or whether the passengers are locals at the airport where they presented the claim.    
The compensation will be determined by the airline up to the maximum amount of 1 288 DSE /EUR1500 (estimated amount in local currency).

The airline is responsible for the destruction, loss, or damage to baggage up to the amount of 1 288 SDR (approximate amount in local currency). As for checked baggage, the airline is responsible for damage, even if not at fault, unless the baggage was defective. Regarding unchecked baggage, the airline liable only if at fault.

Passengers can benefit from a higher liability limit by making a special declaration in advance and paying a supplementary fee.

In case of any irregularity with your baggage, you must immediately contact SATA Azores Airlines’ Lost & Found Services or the Handling Agent at the airport of arrival. If you have not done so before, you must submit a complaint by email to the airline as soon as possible. In situations where checked baggage is delayed, it must be done within 21 days and, in case of damage, within 7 days. In both situations, it must count from the date on which the baggage was delivered.

If the airline performing the flight is not the contracting airline, the passenger has the right to address a complaint or a claim for damages to either of them. If the name or code of an airline is indicated on the ticket, that airline is the contracting airline.

Any legal action regarding damages must be brought within two years from the date of arrival of the aircraft, or from the date on which the aircraft should have arrived.

 

The rules described above are based on the Montreal Convention of May 28, 1999, implemented in the Community by Regulation (EC) No 2027/97 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 889/2002 and legislation national of the Member States.