Brits have been advised about what to do if their flight is cancelled or delayed. Thousands of passengers are missing out on compensation, simply because they don't know what to do when disruption strikes.

New research reveals that airline complaints are rising sharply, and while millions of pounds in compensation are being paid out, many travellers walk away empty-handed. Airline passenger complaints have increased by an average of 33% each year between 2021 and 2024. Since 2021, airlines have paid out more than £5.3million in compensation through the CAA process alone. Yet despite these figures, experts warn most people still don't realise how easy it can be to protect their rights if they act quickly. Confused.com has launched an airline delay compensation tool, allowing passengers to understand their rights by calculating if and how much they could be entitled to in compensation. By entering flight details, travellers can see whether they're eligible and how much they could claim. The comparison site has shared the six key things every UK passenger should do the moment their flight is delayed or cancelled.

The first thing passengers should do is gather evidence. This includes screenshots of departure boards, delay notifications, booking confirmations and messages from the airline. Without evidence, claims are harder to prove and more likely to be rejected.

Many passengers give up after an airline initially says they're not entitled to anything. But data shows that airlines are often wrong. Passengers are almost three times more likely to win than lose when cases are reviewed properly.

The most common complaint category is flight disruptions, with 75% of claims related to delays or cancellations. This means that if your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled, there is a strong chance that compensation applies.

Nearly 33% gave up on their claim or chose not to pursue one at all because they didn't know they had the right to claim. Experts warn this is exactly what airlines rely on - hoping customers won't persist.

Even when passengers do claim, many are still left out of pocket. Almost 40% reported incurring additional costs of more than £700. Yet passengers only received an average of £365 in compensation.

Passengers are rarely informed about compensation unless they actively ask. Less than half said they were informed by the airline that they might be eligible. This means most people only find out after they've already missed their chance.