Martin Lewis' team at MoneySavingExpert have urged Brits to make sure they are aware of their rights when it comes to flight delays, whether you are stuck at the airport now or weeks later. According to the rules, if a journey is delayed more than three hours, travellers may be entitled to up to £520 in compensation.

What's more, thanks to a landmark court ruling, it is not much easier for Brits to claim if their flight was delayed due to airline staff sickness. According to Mr Lewis, four criteria must be met to receive the £520 in compensation. Firstly, your flight must have been on a UK/EU flight or airline, and the delay must have been the airline's fault, such as crew shortages or tech failures. This does not apply to incidents involving bad weather or air traffic strikes. Additionally, the flight must have been in the last six years (five in Scotland) and it itself must have arrived more than three hours later than scheduled.

The MoneySavingExpert also notes that if a passenger is bumped from a flight or denied boarding due to overbooking - and you didn't volunteer - you are owed compensation. Meanwhile, an airline is expected to provide food and drink after two hours if your flight is delayed. If a delay extends into the overnight, the airline must also arrange accommodation for you.

There are a number of caveats that Brits should be aware of, however. To be covered, the flight must be regulated by either UK or European Union rules. This means that if you are taking a flight from outside the EU and returning to the UK or another EU airport, the airline matters.

For example, a flight from Manchester to New York is covered by the rules regardless of the airline, but a flight from New York to Manchester would be covered on British Airways, but would not be on American Airlines - meaning it is the operator of the flight that matters.

According to Solicitors Bott & Co, it is always the passenger - not the ticket buyer - who is entitled to compensation. For example, if you took a flight as part of a work trip paid for by your employer, and compensation was owed, you would be entitled, not your employer.

Under UK and EU rules, compensation is designed to make up for the inconvenience of a delay, not refund the flight ticket cost. The amount you will receive is fixed by the length of your delay and the distance you were travelling. If you're on a flight that takes off four hours late but lands only two hours and 55 minutes late, you would not be eligible for compensation.

For example, a person on a flight travelling 1,500km (930 miles) with an over three-hour delay would expect to receive £220 per person (in euros if covered by EU law), while an over 3,500km (2,170 miles) flight with an over four-hour delay would expect to get the full £50 per person.