If you’ve been unfortunate enough to experience a flight delay or cancellation during the Gatwick Airport travel chaos, you could be entitled to compensation.

Here we reveal the circumstances that trigger a cash pay out. 

FLIGHT DELAYS

New data from the Civil Aviation Authority shows one in three trips were delayed by at least 15 minutes last year.

Delayed passengers could be entitled to free meals and compensation of up to £520 – and this section helps you understand how.

ASSISTANCE

Airline passengers delayed by two hours or more could be entitled to assistance such as two free phone calls or emails, free meals and refreshments, free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers, according to Which?, outlining the following:

Short-haul – Passengers flying up to 932 miles (1,500km) with a delay time of at least two hours are entitled to assistance.

Medium-haul – Passengers flying between 932 miles (1,500km) and 2,175 miles (3,500km) with a delay time of at least three hours are entitled to assistance.

Long-haul – Passengers flying more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) with a delay time of at least four hours are entitled to assistance.

Delayed passengers who meet the above criteria can contact their airline or approach staff at the airport for further information.

SEVERE DELAYS

Passengers whose flight has been delayed by more than five hours are ‘entitled to choose between being rerouted on a different flight or getting a refund’, Which? says.

Passengers can also request flight delay compensation, according to the watchdog, ‘if the delay is not due to extraordinary circumstances’. These include bad weather, strikes unrelated to the airline, such as with baggage handlers, acts of terrorism or sabotage, drone disruption and long security queues.

Claims are valid for up to six years after the flight if it flew in or out of the UK, it adds.

COMPENSATION 

Passengers of delayed flights are protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation if their flight departs from the UK or Europe or is operated by a UK or European airline, Which? says.

‘If you’re travelling with a non-EU based airline flying from a non-EU destination, the airline doesn’t have the same duty to look after you,’ it adds.

‘But you can check the airline’s ‘conditions of carriage’ to see what compensation you are entitled to.’

HOW TO CLAIM COMPENSATION

‘If your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late, each affected passenger is entitled to claim flight delay compensation,’ Which? says.

The total value of compensation depends on the length and distance of the delayed flight as well as the reason for the delay, it adds.

Passengers can make a claim under the EU Denied Boarding Regulation if they meet the criteria, listed in a table by Which?, below.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

Short-haul – Passengers flying up to 932 miles (1,500km) who are delayed for more than three hours are entitled to £220, according to Which?

Medium-haul within the EU – Passengers flying more than 932 miles (1,500km) within the EU who are delayed more than three hours are entitled to £350 compensation, the watchdog says.

Medium-haul outside the EU – Passengers flying between 932 miles (1,500km) and 2,175 miles (3,500km) who are delayed more than three hours are entitled to £350 compensation, Which? explains.

Long-haul – Passengers flying more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) are entitled to £260 in compensation if they are delayed between three and four hours, or £520 if they are delayed longer than this, according to the site.

CONNECTING FLIGHTS

‘Passengers flying with a non-EU airline are entitled to compensation if a flight departing from the UK is delayed by at least three hours at the final destination,’ says Which?

The ‘final destination’ of a connecting flight refers to the last airport listed on the passenger’s ticket, it adds.

OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES

As well as compensation, some passengers are entitled to claim ‘extra out-of-pocket expenses under the Montreal Convention’, Which? says.

Examples are if you miss a night of pre-booked accommodation, miss a concert you have bought tickets to, or a day of car rental you have paid for, it adds.

FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS

COMPENSATION

Passengers travelling with a UK or EU-based airline, or flying from a UK or EU airport, should receive help from the company if their flight is cancelled, Which? says.

‘This is because your flight is protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation,’ it adds.

Depending on the circumstances, passengers could be entitled to ‘a refund or alternative flight, food, phone calls and accommodation, and flight cancellation compensation’, the watchdog further explains.

HOW TO CLAIM COMPENSATION

Which? says passengers can claim compensation for cancelled flights unless it is affected by ‘extraordinary circumstances’, as explained earlier in this article.

But even if extraordinary circumstances apply, you are ‘still entitled to meals, refreshments, accommodation and hotel transfers depending on the length of your flight and delay’, the consumer watchdog adds.

HOW MUCH COMPENSATION ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

Short-haul – Passengers travelling less than 932 miles (1,500km) whose new flight takes off more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than two hours after it are entitled to £110 in compensation, according to Which?.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than two hours after the original flight, they are entitled to £220 in compensation, it adds.

Medium-haul – Passengers travelling 932 miles (1,500km) to 2,175 miles (3,500km) whose new flight departs more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than three hours after it are entitled to £175 in compensation, Which? says.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than three hours after their original flight, they are entitled to £350 in compensation, it adds.

Long-haul – Passengers travelling more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) whose new flight departs more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than four hours after it are entitled to £260 in compensation, Which? says.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than four hours after their original flight, they are entitled to £520 in compensation, it adds.

The figures above are for flights cancelled less than seven days before departure. 

CONNECTING FLIGHTS

‘If a connecting flight during your journey is affected by a delay and you departed from the UK or an EU country, you can still claim compensation,’ Which? says.

‘For example, if you were flying from Manchester to Sydney, connecting in Singapore, but your Singapore to Sydney flight was delayed, you’d still be entitled.’

HOW TO APPEAL A DECISION

Unresolved complaints about an airline can be escalated to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme and a list of approved providers are listed on the Civil Aviation Authority website, Which? says.

Airline passengers can also gain extra peace of mind at the airport by taking out travel insurance, says Quotezone.

CEO Greg Wilson said: ‘Depending on the type of policy, some travel insurance providers will offer cover for a delayed flight of over 24 hours, or if an alternative travel option hasn’t been offered.

‘Insurance policies for missed or delayed flight departure will pay for costs incurred from delayed flights or if travellers miss the trips because of a situation out of their control – such as getting into a serious accident and being taken to hospital.’

He adds: ‘In the case of an airline going bust before passengers are able to get home, taking out the right travel insurance before jetting off will help give travellers protection.’

If you’re unfortunate enough to experience a flight delay or cancellation, you could be entitled to compensation.

Here we reveal the circumstances that trigger a cash pay out. 

FLIGHT DELAYS

New data from the Civil Aviation Authority shows one in three trips were delayed by at least 15 minutes last year.

Delayed passengers could be entitled to free meals and compensation of up to £520 – and this section helps you understand how.

ASSISTANCE

Airline passengers delayed by two hours or more could be entitled to assistance such as two free phone calls or emails, free meals and refreshments, free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers, according to Which?, outlining the following:

Short-haul – Passengers flying up to 932 miles (1,500km) with a delay time of at least two hours are entitled to assistance.

Medium-haul – Passengers flying between 932 miles (1,500km) and 2,175 miles (3,500km) with a delay time of at least three hours are entitled to assistance.

Long-haul – Passengers flying more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) with a delay time of at least four hours are entitled to assistance.

Delayed passengers who meet the above criteria can contact their airline or approach staff at the airport for further information.

SEVERE DELAYS

Passengers whose flight has been delayed by more than five hours are ‘entitled to choose between being rerouted on a different flight or getting a refund’, Which? says.

Passengers can also request flight delay compensation, according to the watchdog, ‘if the delay is not due to extraordinary circumstances’. These include bad weather, strikes unrelated to the airline, such as with baggage handlers, acts of terrorism or sabotage, drone disruption and long security queues.

Claims are valid for up to six years after the flight if it flew in or out of the UK, it adds.

COMPENSATION 

Passengers of delayed flights are protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation if their flight departs from the UK or Europe or is operated by a UK or European airline, Which? says.

‘If you’re travelling with a non-EU based airline flying from a non-EU destination, the airline doesn’t have the same duty to look after you,’ it adds.

‘But you can check the airline’s ‘conditions of carriage’ to see what compensation you are entitled to.’

HOW TO CLAIM COMPENSATION

‘If your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late, each affected passenger is entitled to claim flight delay compensation,’ Which? says.

The total value of compensation depends on the length and distance of the delayed flight as well as the reason for the delay, it adds.

Passengers can make a claim under the EU Denied Boarding Regulation if they meet the criteria, listed in a table by Which?, below.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

Short-haul – Passengers flying up to 932 miles (1,500km) who are delayed for more than three hours are entitled to £220, according to Which?

Medium-haul within the EU – Passengers flying more than 932 miles (1,500km) within the EU who are delayed more than three hours are entitled to £350 compensation, the watchdog says.

Medium-haul outside the EU – Passengers flying between 932 miles (1,500km) and 2,175 miles (3,500km) who are delayed more than three hours are entitled to £350 compensation, Which? explains.

Long-haul – Passengers flying more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) are entitled to £260 in compensation if they are delayed between three and four hours, or £520 if they are delayed longer than this, according to the site.

CONNECTING FLIGHTS

‘Passengers flying with a non-EU airline are entitled to compensation if a flight departing from the UK is delayed by at least three hours at the final destination,’ says Which?

The ‘final destination’ of a connecting flight refers to the last airport listed on the passenger’s ticket, it adds.

OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES

As well as compensation, some passengers are entitled to claim ‘extra out-of-pocket expenses under the Montreal Convention’, Which? says.

Examples are if you miss a night of pre-booked accommodation, miss a concert you have bought tickets to, or a day of car rental you have paid for, it adds.

FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS

COMPENSATION

Passengers travelling with a UK or EU-based airline, or flying from a UK or EU airport, should receive help from the company if their flight is cancelled, Which? says.

‘This is because your flight is protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation,’ it adds.

Depending on the circumstances, passengers could be entitled to ‘a refund or alternative flight, food, phone calls and accommodation, and flight cancellation compensation’, the watchdog further explains.

HOW TO CLAIM COMPENSATION

Which? says passengers can claim compensation for cancelled flights unless it is affected by ‘extraordinary circumstances’, as explained earlier in this article.

But even if extraordinary circumstances apply, you are ‘still entitled to meals, refreshments, accommodation and hotel transfers depending on the length of your flight and delay’, the consumer watchdog adds.

HOW MUCH COMPENSATION ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

Short-haul – Passengers travelling less than 932 miles (1,500km) whose new flight takes off more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than two hours after it are entitled to £110 in compensation, according to Which?.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than two hours after the original flight, they are entitled to £220 in compensation, it adds.

Medium-haul – Passengers travelling 932 miles (1,500km) to 2,175 miles (3,500km) whose new flight departs more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than three hours after it are entitled to £175 in compensation, Which? says.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than three hours after their original flight, they are entitled to £350 in compensation, it adds.

Long-haul – Passengers travelling more than 2,175 miles (3,500km) whose new flight departs more than one hour before their original flight and arrives less than four hours after it are entitled to £260 in compensation, Which? says.

If the passengers’ flight arrives more than four hours after their original flight, they are entitled to £520 in compensation, it adds.

The figures above are for flights cancelled less than seven days before departure. 

CONNECTING FLIGHTS

‘If a connecting flight during your journey is affected by a delay and you departed from the UK or an EU country, you can still claim compensation,’ Which? says.

‘For example, if you were flying from Manchester to Sydney, connecting in Singapore, but your Singapore to Sydney flight was delayed, you’d still be entitled.’

HOW TO APPEAL A DECISION

Unresolved complaints about an airline can be escalated to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme and a list of approved providers are listed on the Civil Aviation Authority website, Which? says.

Airline passengers can also gain extra peace of mind at the airport by taking out travel insurance, says Quotezone.

CEO Greg Wilson said: ‘Depending on the type of policy, some travel insurance providers will offer cover for a delayed flight of over 24 hours, or if an alternative travel option hasn’t been offered.

‘Insurance policies for missed or delayed flight departure will pay for costs incurred from delayed flights or if travellers miss the trips because of a situation out of their control – such as getting into a serious accident and being taken to hospital.’

He adds: ‘In the case of an airline going bust before passengers are able to get home, taking out the right travel insurance before jetting off will help give travellers protection.’

• Scientists ested 39 brands of straws for the group of chemicals known as PFAS
• PFAS were most common in straws made from paper and bamboo

By Xantha Leatham Deputy Science Editor For The Daily Mail

Updated: 19:03 EDT, 24 August 2023

Clutching his Emmy Award in his hand, Father Ted and The IT Crowd creator Graham Linehan must have felt on top of the world at 2008’s New York Hilton gala ceremony.

He was responsible for two of Britain’s most popular sitcoms – and even enjoyed a hilarious cameo as an Irish TV executive in one of the best-loved episodes of Alan Partridge.

But 15 years later he cannot even take to the stage at 200-people capacity Leigh Arches in Edinburgh without the appearance being cancelled.

His views on gender – in his own words, that include women deserving single sex spaces and the opinion children should not be ‘mutilated’ – have made him trans activists’ public enemy Number One.

Speaking to MailOnline this morning he warned of a change in the entertainment industry which has led to his pariah status.

He declared: ‘There’s been an ideological coup within the theatre, TV, publishing – a view of the world based about a complete non-belief In biological fact.

‘These cultists are going to keep pulling the strings. None of this is based on evidence, it’s completely irrational. 

‘Unfortunately they have been allowed to have too much power.

‘When we wrote Father Ted we were making fun of people who believed in people things that were not rational having power over society.

‘Now we have these people controlling comedians. Once again we have a completely irrational belief system.

‘The Catholic Church never tried to stop us telling jokes about them.

‘I have been fighting this for five years.

‘All I have been doing is arguing that women need single-sex spaces, children don’t need medical intervention to be happy and that women deserve fair sports and not be inundated with death threats for standing up against it.’

That Linehan can trace his current difficulties back with such accuracy paints a chilling picture.

He began to share his views with his 800,000 Twitter followers in 2018 and the fury of the Left rained down on him.

His marriage collapsed and he is frequently attacked online over his opinions, which many agree with.

Speaking to the Mail in 2022 he said: ‘Politicians can’t answer simple questions because these people [trans activists] have persuaded them it’s complicated and difficult. It’s not. All you have to do is stick to the principles we all know: the birds and the bees.

‘People are terrified of getting into the debate, terrified of saying something wrong. If you disagree with them — if you say it denies biology or that it [the right to self-identify] is a gift to sex offenders and conmen who are able to completely erase any mention of who they previously were — they will try to destroy you.

‘I’m not talking about trans people. I’m talking about trans rights activists. They tried to destroy me. They have taken everything from me.

‘They took my family, my ability to earn a living. I haven’t considered suicide but that’s what I believe they want me to do.

‘You know, I’m so cancelled that there were two shows called Cancelled and I wasn’t asked to appear on either of them.’

Linehan has been condemned as a bigot, accused of harassment and Twitter has shut down his account. He has been reported to the police on three occasions.

He says that his then wife of 18 years, Helen, with whom he created the hugely popular comedy series Motherland, was threatened and her address released online. They separated during lockdown.

Earlier this year it was revealed he was considering taking legal action against Apple TV after he was branded ‘anti-transgender’.

The streaming service made the claim in a short biography provided in the cast and crew section of the parent-themed series.

Information is ordinarily limited to their other shows, the Apple TV entry for Linehan describes him as not only ‘an Irish television writer’ but also an ‘anti-transgender activist’.

It states he became involved in ‘anti-transgender activism’ after an episode of another sitcom he wrote, The IT Crowd, was criticised as ‘transphobic’.

But whatever happens, the show will still go on.

While Leith Arches may have banned him, a secret new venue will instead host the night tomorrow.

Sister Wives is set to return for another season later this month – but fans have slammed its renewal and claimed that there is little point in continuing the show now that Kody Brown has split from three of his four wives.

The hit TLC show, which first aired in 2010, centers on the 54-year-old and his polyamorous family.

But, in recent years, Meri, Janelle and Christine have all parted ways from Kody – leaving Robyn as his only wife.

As a result, many feel that the series has lost its initial premise as calls grow for TLC to ‘put the show out of its misery.’

TLC took to Instagram to announce the premiere date for Season 18 with a moody image of Kody and his four wives all scowling toward the camera under an overlay of broken glass.

The caption read: ‘#SisterWives returns with a new season you can’t miss on Sunday, August 20th at 10/9c.’ 

But fans were quick to rush to the comments to express their dismay over the show’s return. 

‘There are no Sister Wives left…. Just cancel the show,’ one wrote.

‘For the love of God. PUT THE SHOW OUTTA IT’S MISERY!’ another exclaimed.

A third added: ‘Why Is This Show Still Airing? There’s No More SisterWives! I Don’t Want To See The Kody/Robyn Show!’

Alongside the promo image, TLC posted a mini trailer on Twitter which also revealed the premiere date.

‘The end was just the beginning. A can’t miss season of #SisterWives premieres Sunday Aug 20 at 10/9c,’ the tweet read.

But this post too was swamped with fans slamming the show’s return. 

‘Oh god, how much more can they squeeze out of this lemon. Let it go already. These people deserve what they got. I’m embarrassed I wasted time watching their train wreck,’ one tweeted.

Another pitched the idea of having a spinoff with Kody’s ex-wives, Meri, Janelle and Christine. 

They wrote: ‘Giving Kody and Robyn, two huge narcissists, a platform to continue to spew their hatred is not a good look anymore. Dump those two and do a spin-off of the other three women living their best lives without Kotex and Goblyn.’ 

Backlash aside, the trailer did deliver on the drama promised in the tweet.

It kicks off with Christine – who was the first sister wife to walk away – declaring, ‘I left Kody because I could see he had favorites.’

Meri struggled last season after Kody had claimed he didn’t feel like they were married and echoes the sentiment in the trailer, stating, ‘I’ve heard him refer to us as friends.’ 

The most explosive part of the clip comes when Kody and Janelle sit down for a very heated discussion. 

‘You have cheated me out of my family,’ Kody says pointedly to Janelle.

‘You are now pushing me out the door,’ she responds, which sends Kody into a rage as he shouts: ‘That’s an exaggeration and a lie.’ 

‘I think you’re manipulating,’ Janelle then states, which sends Kody out the door.

‘You stay and talk,’ Janelle yells as he walks away, adding, ‘f**k you.’

TLC teased the drama for this upcoming season a few weeks ago with its first full-length trailer.

It begins with Kody having a chat with Janelle who asks, ‘Do you really want to have a plural family? Sometimes I can’t tell.’

Kody adds in confession, ‘I’m in this bad place with Janelle and Christine’s gone, don’t even know what to do with Meri.’

Meri tells Kody, ‘I don’t want you to think that I’m walking away, because, sorry, I still have hope.’ 

Kody reveals in confession, ‘In my head, I’m wondering why she still lives in Flagstaff,’ while Janelle tells Christine, ‘I’m growing, and I need something different. Like I don’t want to be married anymore,’ which stuns Christine.

Meanwhile, Meri tells Robyn, ‘There’s no question, Robyn, he’s done with me,’ while Robyn adds in confession, ‘Kody’s gonna do what Kody’s gonna do.’

Garrison Brown, one of Kody’s sons with Janelle, tells Robyn, ‘You know what, Robyn, have him. We’re all grown adults that don’t need a father figure anymore.’

Christine is catching up with Kody over dinner, as she jokes, ‘If you can’t look back with a sense of humor, what a waste.’

Kody says in confession, ‘Well, I’m not laughing. I’m not laughing here. I haven’t been laughing with her leaving.’

Janelle adds in confession, ‘This is not the happy-go-lucky Kody Brown that I used to know,’ while we see one of their fights go down.

‘What partnership do we have?’ Kody angrily asks, as Janelle responds, ‘This is not only me, Kody. Don’t you dare point your finger at me.’ 

Later, Meri tells Kody outside at a picnic table, ‘I just want to let you know I’m not gonna be around. It’s not what I want.’ 

While Kody seems stoic about the news, Robyn looks like she’s about to burst into tears.

‘I wanted to sit on a porch with my Sister Wives, with our kids and our grandkids,’ Robyn tearfully says before putting her head into her hands.

Kody even seems on the verge of breaking down in tears, stating, ‘Everything is changing,’ while Meri adds, ‘There has been a lot of, dare I say, drama.’

Janelle adds, ‘Everybody is angry,’ while Christine adds, ‘Everybody is angry, right?’

Kody claims in confession, ‘I worked so hard to do what was right, and when you lose that, well, I should just be the devil I think I am now.’

The trailer cuts to yet another fight between Kody and Janelle, who tells Kody to ‘shut your f***ing mouth and let me talk to you for a minute,’ which prompts him to get up and leave the house, and appears to be the last straw for Janelle as he storms out of the house, as the trailer comes to an end.

The dramatic season comes not long after Kody’s split from his three wives.

Christine revealed she had ‘made the difficult decision to leave’ in a statement posted to her Instagram account in November 2021.

‘After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave. We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family. 

A little over a year later, Janelle revealed she and Kody had separated during a supertease clip for the special Sister Wives: One on One. 

‘I think if we both really sat down, we’d look at each other say, ‘Really?” said Janelle in the clip. ‘We’ve been separated for several months.’

Kody told host Sukanya Krishnan, ‘Yes, we are separated.’ 

He added: ‘Janelle has made it pretty clear to me that she’s enjoying her life without me.’ 

A few days later, Meri confirmed that she and Kody were also no longer together in another teaser for the One on One special. 

They released an official statement in January.

‘After more than a decade of working on our relationship in our own unique ways, we have made the decision to permanently terminate our marriage relationship,’ a statement posted to their Instagram accounts read. 

Meri and Kody divorced in 2014 so he could legally marry his fourth wife, Robyn, and the couple are still together.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘I’m not easily offended but come on!’ Furious parents call for Roy Chubby Brown gig to be cancelled after the controversial comedian was booked to perform at family hotel hosting young children

By Elizabeth Haigh

Published: 06:04 EDT, 28 June 2023 | Updated: 09:59 EDT, 28 June 2023

When Jacqueline Morgan arrived at Birmingham Airport two hours before her flight to Greece, she never thought she would be watching it take off from the departure lounge.

But huge delays at security meant that the office administrator, from Dudley in the West Midlands, and her friend, Shirley Halliday, were stuck in queues for two hours and did not make it to their gate until it was too late.

Jacqueline was one of more than 20 Ryanair passengers due to fly to Rhodes at 7am on May 6 who were left stranded because of disarray at the airport.

She says: ‘The crowds were massive — there were thousands of people in the queue at security. Staff told us no one would miss their flight while blocking us from joining the fast queue.’

After missing her flight, the 62-year-old was assured by airport staff that she would be reimbursed if she booked a new flight.

But a month later, she is still waiting for a refund of more than £800 for the new flight, train tickets to transfer to another airport and a hotel room.

A Ryanair spokesman said: ‘Due to security delays at Birmingham Airport a small number of passengers missed their flight to Rhodes on May 6. It is a passengers responsibility to ensure they are at the gate before it closes.’

An airport spokesman admitted that it is was the source of the delay, but denied compensation, telling customers to claim on their insurance.

Jacqueline is just one of thousands of passengers caught up in travel turmoil at Britain’s airports. On Monday, around 15,000 passengers were stranded after easyJet cancelled more than 100 flights due to thunderstorms.

As Britain braces for another summer of travel chaos, Money Mail explains your rights if you get caught up in it…

Can I claim due to queues at security?

If you miss your flight because of long queues at security, then it is unlikely you will be able to claim compensation from your airline. 

These checks are carried out by the airport, which means your airline is not liable to pay compensation or refund you on this basis.

If you miss your flight because you do not get to the gate in time, then it is deemed to be your fault, according to Gary Rycroft, of law firm Joseph A. Jones & Co.

The airline is not obligated to provide you with a replacement flight and you will have to pay if you still want to travel to your final destination.

Get in touch with your airline if you think you might miss your flight because of a long queue. If enough passengers are caught up in this chaos, then there is a chance the flight will be delayed.

Some airlines will rebook you on to the next available flight for a fee. Ryanair charges customers who arrive at the check-in desk any time between 40 minutes before their flight’s scheduled departure time, to one hour after, a £100 fee per passenger to move to the next available flight.

But beware, this may exceed the cost of booking a new ticket.

At easyJet, you can pay a £110 ‘rescue fee’ to move to the next available flight if you arrive at the airport less than two hours after yours departed. 

Virgin Atlantic customers who miss their flight will be booked on to the next available plane with the airline for free. You may be able to make a claim for missing your flight on your travel insurance.

Most policies will pay out if you arrive late to the airport because you were stuck in heavy traffic or your car broke down. Policies will list specific reasons you are covered for, so read the terms and conditions carefully.

Missed flight insurance is not usually included in standard travel policies, and only on offer as an add-on, says Rebecca Goodman, of price comparison site Comparethemarket.

As for the airport, your chances of claiming compensation are very slim, says Jo Rhodes, of consumer group Which?.

She says: ‘No large UK airport currently has a policy to compensate passengers in these circumstances. If you are in a long queue and worried you are in danger of missing your flight, it’s essential you speak up and make a fuss. Most airports will bring you to the front of the queue if your flight is departing imminently.’

What if the flight is late?

Under UK law, airlines must provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

But there are exceptions to this rule. If the delay was caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances’, such as extreme weather or strike action, then don’t expect to receive any compensation, says the Civil Aviation Authority.

How much compensation you qualify for depends on the distance you were travelling.

For short-haul flights of less than 1,500km (for example, London to Split in Croatia) you are entitled to £220 if you are delayed by more than three hours. For distances of 3,500km, such as Greece, it’s £350. Compensation for any further than this is £520.

During your delay your airline must provide food and drink, and accommodation if you are delayed overnight. If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, then you are entitled to a full refund.

But once you accept a refund, or do not move to the first available flight, then your airline is not required to provide you with food, drink or accommodation.

and if i miss my connection?

If you miss your connecting flight because of a delay during the first leg of your journey, then you may be entitled to compensation, but usually only if you booked both flights as a single booking, according to Citizens Advice.

You should contact the airline as soon as possible to reschedule your second flight. If you booked the two flights separately, then you may have to pay for another flight if you miss your connection.

This is because you failed to arrive for your flight within the recommended time, so will not be entitled to compensation from the second airline.

If you were delayed by less than three hours, then you also may not be entitled to compensation from your original airline, even if you missed your connection.

Some insurance providers will cover missed connections if the airline is not obliged to pay compensation, according to Ms Goodman. Check your policy to see if connections are included.

Sean Tipton, of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), says: ‘The best way to protect yourself when booking two flights is to do it through a travel agent. The two flights are then treated legally as one contract, so you can claim directly from the airline.’

a.cooke@dailymail.co.uk

At least five people have died and thousands have been evacuated from popular holiday regions across northern Italy and Croatia today as ‘apocalyptic’ floods triggered by torrential rain tore through dozens of towns.

Desperate families – including young children and the elderly – were forced to climb on to their roofs in the hardest-hit Italian region of Emilia-Romagna as they waited anxiously for rescuers to reach them on helicopters.

The deadly floods in the popular tourist hotspot has meant this weekend’s Italian Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola has been cancelled. F1 chiefs said that because of the sheer scale of the flooding across the regions, they could not guarantee the safety of their fans, teams and staff, while adding it would ‘not be fair to put further pressure’ on local authorities. 

In the city of Cesena, in the Emilia-Romagna region, locals were forced to swim through the submerged streets, past sunken cars and floating furniture, to reach higher ground, as the mayor said the situation there is ‘critical’. 

A video shows one desperate mother clinging to her young daughter while frantically waving for help as the water rose up to her chest outside her home. Two men were seen racing to swim to reach the pair, with one placing the young girl above his head to stop her getting swept away in the fast-moving waters.

The girl was passed into the arms of other rescuers standing on a bank, while other neighbours helped her mother to safety after the Savio river burst its banks. 

In Bosnia and Croatia, residents have watched in horror as their homes were quickly submerged by the floods. ‘We have an apocalypse,’ Amin Halitovic, the mayor of the Bosnian town of Bosanska Krupa said. ‘We can no longer count the flooded buildings. It’s never been like this.’

The devastating floods have seen four people killed so far and 5,000 evacuated from 24 towns across the Emilia-Romagna region as the water ripped through their homes and turned streets into rivers. 

A 70-year-old man died in his flooded home in the countryside outside Cesena. His wife was rescued.

Another man was found dead in his home in Forli after the Montone river burst its banks. The town’s mayor said the floods are the ‘worst situation’ the town has ever experienced.

Four people are missing from the region as rescuers search for those trapped in their homes after rivers swollen by days of downpours wreaked havoc across the north.

The mayor of Cesana today warned continued downpours in the Emilia-Romagna region could flood the Savio river and smaller tributaries for a second day as he urged residents to move to upper floors of their homes. 

‘The situation could again become critical,’ Enzo Lattuca said. ‘We cannot in any way lower our guard.’ 

Italian Civil Protection Minister Nello Museumeci said some 5,000 people had been evacuated, 50,000 were without electricity, and more than 100,000 without cell phone or landline use. 

But the deputy chief of the Civil Protection agency, Titti Postiglione, said rescue operations for those needing emergency evacuations were particularly difficult given so many roads and routes were flooded and phone service interrupted. 

Speaking on Sky TG24, she noted that the affected flood zone covered a broad swath of four provinces which, until the heavy rains, had been parched by a prolonged drought. 

Elsewhere in Italy, firefighters rescued a family with a four-month-old baby and a disabled man in the northern province of Pesaro and Urbino. 

Some families were rescued from their rooftops and taken to safety, including a couple and their two young daughters.

The nearly 100,000 residents of Cesena were told to stay away from the raging waters and avoid ground floors if they live near the river. 

‘Use prudence, don’t be curious, so disaster doesn’t turn into tragedy,’ Cesena mayor Enzo Lattuca said on television. 

Some 900 people in flooded areas of northern Italy were evacuated by late last night, with some taking shelter in gyms or schools. 

In the tourist town of Ravenna in north-east Italy, authorities urged residents to move to upper storeys of buildings to ride out the storm. One person died there after their car became submerged in the water. 

In Riccione, a beach town on the Adriatic Sea, the mayor warned people to stay home as some took to rubber dinghies to navigate submerged streets.

In the area between Ancona, a major Adriatic port, and Pesaro and Urbino, two towns popular with tourists, firefighters attended to 80 incidents related to the flooding including fallen trees, mudslides and trapped motorists.

Meteorologists have said Italy can expect several more days of heavy rain, pummelling the north which had for weeks been suffering a shortfall of rain.

Train travel was halted on the Bologna-Ancona and the Ravenna-Faenza routes, Italian media reported.

In the Balkans, the Una river burst its banks and submerged parts of northern Croatia and northwestern Bosia, where authorities announced a state of emergency. 

The mayor of the town of Bosanska Krupa in Bosnia said hundreds of homes had been flooded.

‘We have an apocalypse,’ Amin Halitovic told regional N1 network. ‘We can no longer count the flooded buildings. It’s never been like this.’

In Croatia, hundreds of soldiers and rescue teams continued bringing food and other necessities to people in flood-hit areas who have been isolated in their homes. No casualties have been reported so far. 

Elsewhere in the north of Italy, authorities in Venice are preparing to activate a mobile barrier in the lagoon the hopes of sparing the city from the rare May high-tide flooding. 

The barrier system, known by its acronym Moses, and recalling the Biblical account of the Red Sea parting, will be lifted tonight for the first time in May. 

It is nearly 20 years since construction began on the project, which is still not completed.

This month, a day and a half of non-stop rain caused flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region, leaving at least two people dead as riverbeds left dry by drought overflowed.

The rainfall came as Italy had been bracing for a second year of drought, which has depleted its largest river, the Po. The river supports agriculture in the vast Po River Valley before emptying into the Adriatic Sea east of Bologna.

While north-east Italy was hardest hit by the downpours, flooding also caused damage in the south.

On the island of Sicily, rescuers responded to flooding, fallen trees and other problems in the countryside between Palermo and Trapani. By yesterday morning, the weather there was improving, firefighters said.