THE LAW SAYS...

EU law states that compensation must be paid to travellers for delayed or cancelled flights.

If a flight is cancelled you should get a full refund and help with costs if the cancellation delays you for two hours or more.

There is a sliding scale of compensation that can be claimed, depending on the distance of the flight, ranging from E125 for flight of less than 1500km (932 miles) to E600 for a flight of more than 3500km (2174 miles) that gets in more than four hours late.

If you are put on a replacement flight the airline must help you with the cost of food and drink while delayed, access to phone calls or emails and accommodation if you are delayed overnight.

The airlines pay “reasonable costs” so you won’t be given the full cost of alcohol, very expensive meals or luxury hotels.

The airline will not be obliged to pay you if the flight was delayed or cancelled due to adverse weather or a strike.