A long flight delay is a common cause of anger among tourists, and it seems there is uncertainty about when you can expect action from your airline.

With millions of people expected to fly abroad this Bank Holiday, the UK Civil Aviation Authority is urging passengers to ‘Know what you need to know before you go’ and understand their consumer rights before they fly.

The regulator’s warning comes after data showed 160,000 flights were delayed and 8,000 cancelled at all UK airports in July and August last summer.

Passengers are now reminded of what they are entitled to if their flight is delayed or cancelled.

To help passengers, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has released a series of new videos on its social media channels, explaining passenger rights and providing essential advice for anyone booking a holiday.

Anna Bowles, head of consumer affairs at the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We hope that as many people as possible can travel abroad without problems this holiday, but sometimes disruption is inevitable.

“People need to know exactly what they are entitled to if their flight is delayed or cancelled before they fly. We have created a number of new videos that help passengers understand their rights in a bite-sized format.

“It is also incredibly important that airports and airlines meet their legal obligations to passengers when things go wrong. We expect them to provide their customers with a first-class service at all times.”

Advice from a money-saving expert will provide insight into when you are entitled to compensation for a delayed flight.

It said: “Certain flights regulated by the EU/UK are eligible for flat-rate compensation under the UK/EU Delay Compensation Scheme.

To qualify, your flight must meet all of the following conditions: You arrived at your destination more than three hours later than scheduled.

“The flight would take place in the past six years (five of which were in Scotland).

“The reason for the delay was the airline’s fault. So for example, there would be a shortage of staff, but not bad weather.”

However, the UK Civil Aviation Authority states that you also have other rights if your flight is disrupted.

It said: “If your flight is delayed, your airline must look after you. This may mean providing you with food and drink, but also accommodation if you are delayed overnight.

“If the airline does not do this, you can take action yourself and claim your costs back from the airline. Make sure you keep the receipts and do not spend more than necessary.

“If your flight is cancelled, you should be given the choice of a refund or alternative travel arrangements, or an alternative date that suits you, as soon as possible. This is known as ‘rerouting’ and may include flights on other airlines, or a new flight at a later date to suit you.”