01
Search for the report, not the flight booking
The file reference exists only after a baggage incident has been reported. Search email and messages for terms such as delayed baggage, missing baggage, baggage report, PIR, file reference or report reference, together with the airline name.
If baggage staff handed you a paper document, photograph both sides. The reference is commonly printed near the passenger name or report heading and may be labelled PIR no., file reference or WorldTracer reference.
02
Know the three identifiers passengers often confuse
A WorldTracer file reference is commonly ten characters and may combine airport and airline identifiers with five digits. That pattern is a clue, not a universal rule; use the exact value and label supplied by your airline.
- File or PIR reference: identifies the baggage incident and is commonly used with your surname for status updates.
- Baggage-tag number: identifies the checked bag and appears on the barcode receipt from check-in.
- Booking reference: identifies the reservation and is commonly used to manage the flight booking.
03
If the portal rejects the reference, check the transcription
Compare every character with the original report. Watch for O and 0, I and 1, or a missing letter. Enter the passenger surname as shown on the report, which may differ from the person who made the booking.
Do not repeatedly try unrelated identifiers. Use the airline's official baggage contact if the confirmed details fail, because it may use a different system or tracking page.
04
If the report confirmation is missing, contact the file owner
Contact the airline operating the arrival flight or the handler named at the baggage desk. Provide the passenger name, travel date, flight, route and bag-tag number so it can identify the report and tell you the correct tracking route.
BagBack cannot recover a reference from WorldTracer or an airline database. Do not send BagBack your surname, PIR, baggage tag or travel documents.
05
Store the reference with the claim evidence
Keep the PIR confirmation, bag-tag receipt, boarding pass, status messages, delivery record and essential-purchase receipts together. The tracking reference supports the chronology, but expenses still need to be submitted through the airline's claim process.