Being delayed is never the best start to a holiday - especially if you end up stuck for over 18 hours.
This is what happened to my partner and I after we travelled from London to Peru to celebrate my birthday in July.
As there are no direct flights from London to the capital of Peru, Lima, we had to change over in Houston, Texas.
Our United Airlines flight from Texas to Peru should have left at 4.30pm but we didn’t end up departing until 11am the following morning.
Not ideal after we'd already travelled 10 hours to get from London to Houston.
Have you successfully claimed travel delay compensation? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
We were put up in a hotel in Texas, and food was provided - this is a standard that must be provided if your flight is delayed overnight.
But if you find yourself in a similar situation, you should also check if you’re due compensation on top of this.
It took just five minutes to draft out an email to United Airlines’ complaint department - and 31 days later, we received a reply confirming we were entitled to roughly £1,000 compensation.
For full disclosure, this was a holiday - not a work trip, and my complaint was sent through my personal email address - not my work account.
We were entitled to compensation thanks to EU flight regulation rules - meaning anyone can put in a claim.
Consumer rights expert Martyn James said: "Always push back if you don't think you're being treated fairly by an airline.
"Despite the rules about flight delays and cancelations being enshrined in law and very clear (thanks to lots of failed airline legal challenges), sometimes airlines 'forget' what the rules are.
"If you get turned down for a claim, then get informed and push back.
"Why not share the Mirror's guide to the flight delays and ask why the airline isn't following the rules? That'll get their attention!"
Flight compensation - how it works
What you’re entitled to depends on how long the delay was, your length of journey, and if the disruption was in the control of the airline.
You could claim between £220 and £520 - and this is per person.
We were entitled to just over £1,000 as there was two of us on the journey and we were delayed for more than four hours, for a journey that was over 3,500km.
Our flight was delayed due to a technical glitch. You're due compensation in this case if the fault was caused by something routine, such as component failure and general wear and tear.
Here is a rough breakdown to help you see if you could be eligible to money back:
- The flight must be delayed by more than three hours and the delay is counted from the time the flight is meant to arrive - not when it takes off.
- The flight must take off from the UK or European Union or be from an airline based in these areas. Connected flights count, even if you switch to a non-EU airline half way through your trip.
- The issue must be within the control of the airline - which means things like storms and bad weather or air-traffic control disputes won't count.
If you fit the above criteria, here is how much you might be able to claim back in compensation:
- Flight length - Under 1,500km ; Arrival delay - 3+ hours ; Compensation due - £220
Flight length - 1,500km – 3,500km ; Arrival delay - 3+ hours ; Compensation due - £350
Flight length - 3,500km+ ; Arrival delay - 3-4 hours ; Compensation due - £260
Flight length - 3,500km+ ; Arrival delay - 4+ hours ; Compensation due - £520
If you have been delayed for more than five hours and no longer wish to travel then you are entitled to a refund.
To claim compensation, you normally need to contact the complaints department of the airline you travelled with.
You should provide your booking details and outline what happened while you were delayed, and state you want compensation.
Some airlines may choose to offer you vouchers instead of cash, but you don't have to accept this - you can ask for the compensation.
You can make a claim up to six years after the delayed or cancelled flight if your flight flew in or out of a UK airport.
If you're not happy with the outcome of your complaint, then you can contact the relevant alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme linked to your airline.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has a list of ADR schemes and the airlines they cover.
If your airline isn't covered by an ADR scheme, you might be able to complain to the CAA.
