I received £1,040 compensation through Martin Lewis' advice. Otherwise we would never have gotten our money back.

A savvy holidaymaker has told how he recovered more than £1,000 after his flight was cancelled thanks to advice from Martin Lewis.

Passenger Steve was due to fly from Miami to London but received the devastating news via text message on his way to the airport.

Savvy passenger saves hundreds of pounds with Martin Lewis's tips — Savvy passenger saves hundreds of pounds with Martin Lewis’s tipsCredits: virojt

Steve's flight from Miami to London was cancelled — Steve’s flight from Miami to London was cancelledCredits: japatino

Steve’s claims were twice refused by the airline, but he managed to get his £1,040 back thanks to a tip he saw on MSE.

The jet-setter told MoneySavingExpert readers how he managed to get his money back.

Steve wrote: “We were supposed to fly from Miami to London but got a text on the way to the airport canceling the flight.

“We filed a claim, but it was denied twice because of ‘damage to the aircraft.’

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“After some research, we found a test legal case that contradicted the airline’s position.

“After seeing this he had no choice and paid the full amount, £1,040. Thank you.”

Money Saving Expert’s latest newsletter explains that many travellers may not be aware of their legal right to claim between £110 and £520 each in compensation if the airline is at fault.

And that’s on top of any refunds, alternative flights or food reimbursements.

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Can I request a refund?

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

The amount you can get usually depends on the distance of your flight.

For example, on a 1,500km flight delayed by three hours, you could get up to £220.

It’s the equivalent of a flight from East Midlands to Marrakech.

On flights between 1,500km and 3,500km you could get up to £350.

Longer journeys, over this distance, which are delayed by more than four hours could result in a fine of up to £540.

Before making a claim, you must ensure that your flight is EU or UK regulated and took place within the last six years or within the last five years in Scotland.

This means any flight departing from a UK or EU airport and any UK or EU airline arriving in these regions.

Steve received the terrible news of his flight cancellation via text message while on his way to the airport.

The amount of reimbursement you can get usually depends on the distance of your flight.Credits: sebastian-julian

You can still get compensation if the flight took place outside of these areas, but it may require more work.

It is always useful to check the claims procedure of the airline you travelled with for more information.

If you are claiming compensation for a delayed flight, your flight must have been delayed by at least three hours.

A note in the MoneySavingExpert newsletter read: “The flight must have arrived more than three hours late.

“It doesn’t matter what time you take off – what matters is what time the gates open for arrival.”

If your flight has been cancelled, you can also get a refund.

The blog states that you will always have the right to choose between a refund or an alternative flight.

It said: “Additional compensation may be due if the cancellation occurred within two weeks of your departure and the alternative flight offered departs earlier or later than the original.

“Even if you chose a refund and not an alternative flight, the compensation is still based on the time of the alternative flight offered.”

However, it is important to remember that you are only entitled to compensation if the problem is the airline’s fault.

So, for example, a staff shortage would be the fault of the airlines, but not extreme weather conditions.

Flight compensation rules

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

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

If you are flying to or from the UK, your airline must allow you to choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you have not yet used.

So, if you have booked a return flight and the outbound flight is cancelled, you can get a full refund of the return ticket price.

But if the trip is essential, your airline must find you a replacement flight. It may even be another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline is not required to refund you if the flight was cancelled for reasons beyond its control, such as extreme weather conditions.

Disruptions caused by factors such as extreme weather, strikes by airport or air traffic control workers or other “extraordinary circumstances” are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may extend the definition of ‘extraordinary circumstances’, but you can challenge this with the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly from the airline, your travel insurance may reimburse you.

Policies vary, so you need to check the small print, but a delay of eight to twelve hours will normally mean you’ll be entitled to some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is completely cancelled, it is unlikely that you will be covered by your insurance.