You could receive £220 if your flight is delayed over 3 hours or cancelled and it was the airline's fault. 

In some instances up to £520. With this much money on offer, it can be worthwhile putting in a claim. Claiming is quick and easy, so let's explore when you're eligible, how much you could get and how to claim.

When can I claim compensation?

There are many rules that determine if you're eligible for compensation, but in simple terms if...

- you're flying to or from a UK or EU airport,

- your plane arrives over 3 hours late,

- and it's the airline's fault

... then you're likely to be eligible.

How much compensation can I receive?

The table below outlines the compensation due under UK law.

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

Note: Similar amounts (in Euros) apply for flights outside of the UK but landing or taking off within the EU.

If your flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure then you may be entitled to compensation - if it was the airline's fault and the replacement flight arrives 2 hours later than your original booking.

How to claim

There are two ways you could claim - either by yourself using a template letter or using a claims management firm. Both methods have pros and cons, so let's explore them in turn, so you can choose the right route to claim.

Claiming to the airline yourself

You can use an online claim tool that drafts a letter for you that you can send to your airline. Money Saving Expert has an excellent page that outlines all the intricacies of the UK/EU rules and a link to their claim tool you can use. The page is incredibly detailed and thorough.

If you have time and you're happy to manage the claim process, including escalating to adjudicators/regulators, then this is a great route to go. You also keep all the compensation that is due.

You will be in control but you will need to be active and more involved than if you use a claims management firm.

Using a claims management firm

An alternative is to use a claims management firm to do this all for you, such as Airhelp.

They will take a cut of any compensation you are due for their services - up to 35%. So what do you get in return for this? 

In short, if you want to save time, hassle, stress and are fine knowing you'll receive around 2/3s of any money due, then go for it - use Airhelp.

It is easy to claim. Using their online claim tool, it tells you if you're eligible and after uploading a few travel documents (e.g. boarding pass), they will do everything from then. That's it.

For frequent flyers, it may be worth considering Airhelp Plus. For €19.99 a year, you will receive Airhelp's service for free and can claim an unlimited number of flights. So if you fly regularly, check out Airhelp Plus.

But, what about the ethics?

Ever since the flight delay compensation rules came in to force, back in 2004, there's been critics of the amount of compensation on offer.

It's been argued that the compensation due in many instances is disproportionate to the amount paid for the plane ticket. In some cases receiving £220 for a delayed flight that can cost under £10.

Another argument is that this could fuel a compensation claim culture and add costs to the airlines which is passed on to consumers through higher ticket prices.

However, on the other side, flight delays can cause travel disruption, missed connection flights, missed events, stress and discomfort - especially for families and people with mobility issues. The argument being that the amount of compensation currently on offer helps alleviate and compensate for these, not just the initial ticket price.

The debate surrounding this continues.

The UK government this year conducted a public consultation seeking views on changes to domestic UK flight compensation (outcome still pending). Just this week, the Czech Presidency of the EU has hinted at a possible review of the compensation on offer for EU flight delays, as reported by The Independent.