Flight delay rules you need to know - and how much you could be entitled to

Passengers have faced travel chaos today as dense fog continues to hamper air travel across the country. After Gatwick Airport announced it was having to ground some flights tonight (Sunday, December 29), we've looked at the rules about flight delays and whether you could be due compensation.

Anyone who's been through the ordeal of flight delays knows all too well the stress and inconvenience they bring. Tales of passengers stranded on runways for hours on end and last-minute flight cancellations seem to be increasingly common.

Weather conditions, technical glitches, and airline crew working hour regulations are just a few factors that can lead to delayed flights. But what rights do you have as a passenger when your travel plans are thrown into disarray due to flight delays or cancellations?

Read more UK Airport grounds easyJet flights as fog chaos continues

Are you eligible for compensation?

According to the latest advice on Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website, travellers could be entitled to between £110 and £520 in compensation if their flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours. If your flight has been cancelled at short notice, you're likely entitled to some form of compensation.

Since October 2012, the rules surrounding flight delays have been clarified - passengers are entitled to compensation if they've experienced long delays, provided they meet certain criteria, reports Birmingham Live. This hasn't changed post-Brexit.

Money Saving Expert offers free flight delay reclaiming letters for download and a free online reclaim tool to help travellers check their eligibility to claim.

Flight delays - know your rights

If your flight distance was up to 1,500km and you arrived at your destination more than three hours late, you could be entitled to £210. If the flight distance is over 1,500km and less than 3,500km and your arrival was over three hours late, you could be entitled to £340.

If your flight distance was even longer and your arrival was delayed by three to four hours, you could get £250. And if the delay to your longer flight was over four hours, you could be entitled to £520.

Passengers have other rights if they're stuck at the airport due to flight delays. Firstly, your airline should inform you about the status of your flight.

You can ask at the check-in desk, check the email you used when booking for updates, or enter your flight number on FlightRadar24. .

You're also entitled to food and drink (or a voucher to buy them), regardless of the reason for the delay, if you're held up for more than two hours on a short-haul flight, or for three hours on a medium haul flight, or for four hours on a long haul one. .

If your airline isn't able to provide you with food and drink or vouchers, you can buy your own food and drink and claim it back - but make sure you keep your receipts. However, it's unlikely you'll be able to claim money back for alcohol.

If you find yourself delayed overnight, the airline should provide accommodation and transport to and from the hotel. Ideally, the carrier will arrange this for you, but if they can't, secure a reasonably-priced hotel, keep your receipts and claim the cost back.

If the delay exceeds three hours and is deemed within the airline's control, you could be entitled to compensation. Delays of more than five hours give you the option of a refund, regardless of the cause.

If the delay is so long that you no longer wish to travel, you can request a refund. If your flight is cancelled, you're entitled to a new flight or a refund - and possibly also compensation.

These rules apply only to UK or EU-regulated flights.

When do airlines pay out?

You can technically apply for compensation for any past flight delays dating back to 2005, but it's unlikely an airline will pay out if it was longer than six years ago. Compensation is only due if the delay was something within the airline's control - not for 'extraordinary circumstances' like weather, technical problems caused by an 'out of the ordinary' event and air traffic decisions.

Causes usually classed as within the airline's control include the crew or pilot being late, airline staff sickness and technical problems caused by routine events.

If your flight was delayed due to the plane arriving late from its previous destination, the rules are a bit murky. The CAA states that these types of claims are evaluated on an individual basis.

To be eligible for a claim, delays must exceed three hours. This is based on your arrival time, not your departure time.

Your arrival time is considered to be when at least one of the plane's doors is opened. If your flight was cancelled, the rules change.

It's unlikely you'll receive compensation for a flight cancelled prior to 2017. If your flight is cancelled (regardless of how far in advance of the scheduled take-off), you have the right to choose either a refund for the flight or an alternative flight to your destination.

In cases of cancellation, the airline must be at fault for you to receive compensation - and the airline must have cancelled your flight within two weeks of departure. If this is the case, you can claim additional compensation ranging from £110 to £520, depending on the arrival time of your rescheduled flight.

Even if you choose a refund on your original flight and don't travel, you can still claim compensation based on the timings of the new flight that was offered to you. Even if you opt for a refund of your original ticket, rather than being re-routed, meaning you don't travel, you can claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight offered.

The amount you'll be paid depends on the flight delay and the distance of the flight.