Flight Delay and Lost Baggage in Qatar: What the Trade Law Says About Airline Liability

Delays, cancelled connections and missing suitcases are common reasons for complaint. This guide is based on the English text of the Trading Regulation Law on Al Meezan, Qatar's legal portal, which we read in October 2026. It explains the domestic rules. For international flights, Article 216 says the law applies "without prejudice to international conventions" to which Qatar is party, and we did not check which conventions apply or what they say, nor the airline's own conditions. It is general information, not legal advice.

Who is covered

Article 198 describes the passenger transport contract: the carrier commits to transport the passenger by a specified means from one place to another safely and on time in return for a fare. Article 216 says air carriage follows the general carriage rules unless the air carriage articles say otherwise. Article 217 defines air carriage as carriage of persons, luggage or cargo by aircraft for a fee.

Delay

Article 221 says the air carrier is responsible for damage resulting from delay in the arrival of passengers, luggage or goods. Article 222 lets the carrier avoid liability only by proving force majeure, defective goods, or an error by the sender, consignee or passenger. Article 203 adds that a carrier can limit liability for delay or material damage only by a written condition of which passengers have been fully informed.

Two points are not in the articles we read: what counts as "damage" from delay (for example hotel costs or a missed event), and any fixed amount per hour of delay. The law only says the carrier is responsible for damage and sets an overall cap. Ask the airline, and keep receipts.

Lost, destroyed or damaged luggage

Article 220 makes the carrier responsible for compensation if luggage or goods are destroyed, lost or damaged by an accident during air carriage. Air carriage covers the period in which the luggage is in the carrier's custody, from when it receives the luggage until it delivers it at the place of arrival. Article 217 defines luggage as things the passenger delivers to the carrier to hold during carriage, so it means checked bags and not small personal items.

**Small personal items** that stay with you, such as a handbag or laptop bag, are treated differently. Article 223 says the carrier is not responsible for loss or damage to them unless the passenger proves that the carrier or its staff were at fault.

How much can you claim

Article 224 sets these limits unless the parties clearly agree otherwise:

• **Passengers:** compensation may not exceed QR 150,000 for each passenger.
• **Luggage or cargo:** the English text says QR 150,000 per kilogram. That figure looks very high for luggage, and we cannot tell whether the translation is exact, so ask a lawyer how it is read.
• **Declared value:** if at delivery the consignee proves the value or importance of the luggage or cargo and pays any extra charge the carrier asks for, the carrier must pay the proven value, unless it proves the value exceeds the true value.
• **Small personal items in your custody:** no more than QR 3,000 per passenger.

Article 225 removes the limits if the damage was caused by the carrier or its staff acting with intent to cause damage or recklessly with knowledge that damage would probably result. Article 227 says any condition that exempts the carrier or sets liability below these limits is void, except for loss of goods at the place of carriage or damage due to the goods' own nature or defect.

The deadlines that decide a claim

• **Luggage damage (Article 229):** tell the carrier immediately on discovering the damage and no later than seven days from receipt for luggage (fourteen days for goods). Put it in writing as a reservation on the carriage document or as a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
• **Delayed luggage or goods (Article 229):** complain within twenty-one days of the day the luggage or goods were placed at your disposal.
• **Missing the deadline:** a lawsuit will not be accepted if you did not complain on time, unless the carrier or its staff committed fraud to make you miss the date or hide the damage.
• **No complaint on receipt (Article 228):** if you accept luggage without reservation, it is assumed you received it in good condition unless there is evidence to the contrary.
• **Time limit to sue (Article 230):** the right to claim lapses two years after the day the aircraft arrived, or should have arrived, or the carriage ended.

Injury and death

Article 219 makes the carrier responsible for compensation for death, injury or other physical harm from the time the passenger is in the place allocated for waiting before boarding until the passenger collects luggage at arrival. Article 201 says the carrier cannot disclaim responsibility for physical injury or delay unless it proves force majeure, the passenger's error or the passenger's health condition, and Article 203 voids any term that removes responsibility for physical harm.

What to do

These steps are our practical advice, built on the deadlines above.

1. Do not leave the baggage hall before reporting a missing or damaged bag to the airline desk. Get a written report and a reference number.

2. Photograph the damage and the tag. Keep boarding passes, bag tags and receipts for replacement items and extra costs.

3. Follow up in writing within seven days for damage and twenty-one for delay. A registered letter is named in the law.

4. Ask the airline in writing for its decision. If you disagree, speak to a Qatar-licensed lawyer, or see our guide to a store refusing a refund for consumer routes.

5. Do not wait. Two years from arrival is the limit in Article 230.

What we could not verify

• Which international conventions apply to your flight and how their limits compare with Article 224.
• Whether the Civil Aviation Authority has passenger-rights regulations, and each airline's own conditions of carriage.
• Any amendment to these articles after the version on Al Meezan.
• How Qatari courts have treated claims for delay or for missed connections.