Buried in international passenger-rights law is a system that gives flyers far more leverage than airlines like to admit.
By the time my suitcase finally turned up—three days after I’d returned home and was already en route to another assignment—I’d spent my entire 15-day work trip in Portugal without a single item I’d packed.
The bag never made it onto my flight from Dulles to Lisbon, sat in Lisbon Airport for most of my trip, and somehow still never reached me despite daily calls and repeated promises from TAP Air Portugal that it would. And because I was shooting photos during the trip, my camera equipment filled my carry-on bags, all my clothing and toiletries were in that checked bag—which meant I spent nearly two weeks rebuilding a workable wardrobe from scratch while juggling a full reporting schedule. When TAP initially offered me only $800 in reimbursement, it wasn’t even close to covering the basics I’d had to buy.
That moment—when an airline’s “final offer” doesn’t remotely reflect the reality of your experience—is where many travelers give up. But buried in international passenger-rights law is a system that gives flyers far more leverage than airlines like to admit. By staying organized, citing the rules governing delayed baggage, and refusing a nominal payout, I ultimately got TAP to increase my reimbursement to $2,200—nearly triple the original amount. This is the story of how I did it, and why more travelers could do the same.
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An Egregious Loss
The lost luggage saga began the moment I landed in Lisbon. At the counter, I filed a report requesting that my bag be delivered to my hotel. But the agent entered the wrong information, marking my file as if I would retrieve the bag myself—impossible, since I was traveling to Porto the next morning and my bag wouldn’t arrive for at least a full day. That small clerical error snowballed into not seeing my luggage again until after I returned home.
Every day of my trip, I called TAP for updates. Every day, I was told the bag would arrive “later today.” It never did. I repeatedly updated my hotel details in their system, only to find agents contradicting one another. One confidently informed me my bag had been delivered to the U.S. five days prior—a claim that, unless she had access to a time machine, wasn’t remotely possible.
Meanwhile, I had reporting to do. Because I carry my cameras onboard, everything else—business dresses for meetings, undergarments, pajamas, toiletries, shoes—was in the missing suitcase. I had to replace enough to stay presentable, all while trying to minimize the expense. I bought far fewer toiletries than I usually use, chose cheaper clothing options, and tried to be thoughtful about what would get me through the next day rather than shopping for comfort or style. And hours before I was set to fly home, I frantically searched for a suitcase to bring everything home—a several-hundred-dollar expense for a piece I didn’t want, but was all I could find.
The Lowball Offer
All of this—plus more than 40 hours on the phone with TAP—completely overshadowed the trip.
After returning to the U.S. (and heading straight into another work trip), I filed my reimbursement claim, which included a detailed list of the items, why they were necessary, and the cost, as well as the receipts proving purchase. After tax, the total came to just over $2,300.
However, TAP responded to my email, stating, “The receipts you shared are too high,” and offered only $800 in reimbursement.
But because I had documentation—and because I knew my rights under the Montreal Convention—that lowball offer didn’t stand.
Instead of firing off an angry email, I responded with a firm, factual message laying out exactly why the offer was inadequate. Here’s the exact statement I sent TAP:
“While I appreciate your response, the proposed reimbursement falls well short of covering the documented, necessary expenses I incurred due to this significant disruption.
“To be clear: TAP did not return my baggage for the entirety of my 15-day business trip. As a result, I was forced to purchase essential items—including clothing appropriate for meetings, toiletries, and other day-to-day necessities—in order to carry out my work obligations without the contents of my checked luggage.
“All expenses submitted were both reasonable and necessary under the circumstances, and I have provided full documentation and receipts. They are well within the bounds of what has historically been accepted by TAP and other international carriers in similar cases. Such reimbursement should reflect the actual disruption experienced—not a nominal or arbitrary amount.
“As TAP is aware, under the Montreal Convention (Article 19) and reinforced by TAP’s own Customer Service Plan (May 2023), passengers are entitled to reimbursement for such expenses when baggage is delayed. This is not a goodwill gesture—it is a legal obligation. Your current offer does not reflect the reality of the hardship imposed by the delay, nor does it meet the standard of care outlined in international passenger rights law.
“I respectfully request that TAP reassess my claim and reimburse the full submitted amount. I trust TAP will recognize the importance of honoring this obligation and resolve the matter appropriately.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a prompt and fair resolution.”
It wasn’t a rant. It wasn’t a threat. It was factual, specific, and grounded in TAP’s own obligations, explaining why the initial offer didn’t come close to meeting the standard. Still, it took two follow-ups and nearly two more months before TAP responded, increasing the reimbursement offer to $2,193.
It didn’t undo the hours of stress or the fact that my bag sat in Lisbon Airport for most of my trip while TAP repeatedly gave inaccurate updates. But it did finally compensate me fairly under the law.
How to Stay Strong
This entire ordeal taught me something: airlines bank on passengers not knowing their rights or not wanting to deal with the hassle. Many people accept the first offer because it is the path of least resistance. I didn’t get more money because I fought aggressively. I got it because I stayed organized, held them to the regulations that govern their operations, and refused to accept a reimbursement that didn’t remotely reflect what happened.
But if your luggage is missing for days—or in my case, the entire duration of an international business trip—you have every right to be reimbursed for what you reasonably needed to buy.
