Incheon Baggage Damage: Report Before Leaving (7-Day Limit)

Bottom line: If your checked bag arrives damaged at Incheon Airport, go straight to the baggage counter behind the carousel and report it to airline staff before you leave the arrival hall. Once you leave the airport you have to contact the airline directly, and without an on-site damage check, compensation claims are often refused.

If you didn't know: Asiana Airlines requires damage or partial-loss reports within 7 days of receiving your bag, and delay reports within 21 days. The Montreal Convention, the treaty governing international air baggage liability, sets the same 7-day and 21-day limits. Miss the deadline and the airline can refuse to open a claim even if the damage is obvious. Since December 28, 2024, the international liability cap has been 1,519 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per passenger — worthless if you report too late to claim it.

The baggage carousel looks the same in every terminal: the belt rattles on, and travelers' faces shift between relief and frustration as suitcases roll out. Spot a cracked wheel or a torn handle and it's tempting to just drag the bag toward customs and deal with it later. Incheon International Airport Corporation's guidance says the opposite: report it on the spot, at the counter behind the carousel, the moment you see the damage. Baggage damage is classified as the airline's responsibility, so a staff member has to inspect and log it there before any compensation process starts. Airlines still take reports by phone or photo after you've left, but without that on-site check, disputes over how the damage happened get harder to win. Ordinary scuffs, general wear, and damage to locks or name tags are usually excluded from liability, so it's worth confirming on the spot whether your case even qualifies. A bag that never shows up follows a different process: if you flew out of Incheon but landed elsewhere, report it to the arrival airport; if airport property itself went missing, call that terminal's own lost-and-found office.

Journey stage: ②First hour · Verified 2026-10-17 · Source Incheon International Airport Corporation