Finding out your flight is delayed is never welcome news, but knowing exactly what you can claim from the airlinecan help ease the frustration of waiting at the airport. With many of us planning winter getaways to sunny locations to escape the dreary UK weather, or perhaps even thinking of spending Christmasabroad, airports are set to be incredibly busy over the coming weeks.

While we'd all love for every flight to leave and land perfectly on time, that is simply not practical, and some delays are inevitable. But what are your rights when your flight is delayed? One holiday expert has shared some vital tips that could help you next time you're stuck waiting for your plane.

The expert, named Chelsea, shared a video on TikTok in which she stated her flight had been delayed and she was stuck in the airport. She said that before you start worrying about whose fault the delay is, there are other things to consider.

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She said there are "a load of things" you could have a right to, no matter whose fault the delay is, but they all depend on how long your flight has been delayed.

For short-haul flights delayed by over two hours, you are entitled to food and drink, access to phone calls and emails, and accommodation for the night if needed, as well as transport to and from that accommodation.

Chelsea only needed food and drink this time, but when she went to get a voucher from airport staff, she found nobody working behind the desks. Instead, she bought her food and kept the receipt, saying she would be able to claim it back online once she finally got on her flight and headed to her destination.

Once her flight was boarding and her passport had been checked, she asked for confirmation on the reason for the delay. She was told it was due to an aircraft change, which means the delay was the airline's fault - and that means Chelsea could be entitled to compensation.

However, to receive £220 compensation for her delayed flight from Tallinn, Estonia, back to London, her plane had to be three hours late. There are also very specific restrictions on that time.

She said: "It's not about the time we land, it's about what time the first door opens."

Chelsea's plane landed on the runway 2 hours and 56 minutes after it was scheduled to, meaning she had four minutes until her compensation could be paid. It finally came to a stop, and passengers began to stand up with just one minute left on the clock, and thankfully, the doors opened just a few seconds after the three-hour mark - meaning she was able to put in a claim to get her money back.

In her caption, Chelsea claimed these rules are only relevant to flights that are departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, arriving at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.

You should always check the specific rules for the airline you're flying with before you travel, as you don't want to be caught off guard if it turns out your airline operates under different rules.

Chelsea added: "For both expenses and compensation, airlines will have a dedicated page on their website with the details on how you can claim your money back."

Commenters on the expert's post were thankful for her advice, though many shared their own stories from times their flights were delayed and they were unfortunately denied compensation.

One person said: "This is gold! Love this for you."

Another added: "This happened to us in December 2023! They opened the doors seconds after, and all three of us got the compensation. We also got food vouchers at the airport."

A third wrote: "This happened to us. My friend recorded the time the doors were opened on her phone. The airline refused. My friend found the airline CEO on LinkedIn… he authorised our compensation."