Airlines are forcing thousands passengers to go to court to claim back millions in flight delay compensation payouts.
Lawyers have reported that the number of claims involving litigation has more than doubled - with the number of cases up by 126 per cent.
They claim airlines are dragging their heels over refunds despite passengers being eligible for compensation for delays or cancellations.
In some cases, passengers have threatened to call in their own bailiffs to win payouts.
Budget airline easyJet and travel giant TUI have been named as the main offenders.
Last year specialist law firm Bott and Co issued court proceedings on 15,212 occasions compared to just over 12,000 in 2017 and only 6,710 times in 2016.
With more than 13,700 going to court already, claims this year are on course to exceed the 2018 total.
EasyJet faced 3,997 claims for flight delay compensation through the courts last year while 3,442 Tui passenger turned to litigation to settle refund disputes.
British Airways was next with 857 claims, followed by Wizz Air with 783.
Spanish budget carrier Vueling Airlines - ranked the least punctual airline flying from the UK earlier this year - had 744, Norweigan 536 and Jet2 322.
Passengers are eligible under EU law for refunds of between £210 and £510 per person for delays of between two and four hours plus.
Coby Benson, flight delay compensation solicitor at Bott and Co, said: “Tens of thousands of passengers are kept waiting every year for compensation they’re entitled to because airlines refuse to pay.
“If adhered to, the regulation could dispel the need for solicitor intervention but airline behaviours are forcing passengers to seek legal help.
“The latest figures show that even when solicitors are involved it’s not plain sailing and that there is a need for proceedings to be issued and in some instances, bailiff involvement.”
A total of 27.8 million passengers endured disrupted or delayed flights in the UK this year.
Research by the law firm revealed a range of excuses used by airlines to fob off passengers owed payouts.
The most common excuse given by airlines trying to dodge compensation payouts was bad weather followed by technical problems.
Others included staff sickness, delays on a previous flight and crew being unable to work more than their allocated working hours.
The survey also found 38 per cent of airlines didn’t respond to passengers within a month of being contacted when they are legally obliged to do so.
Of 1,949 people who took part, 80 per cent had to contact the airline more than once about a refund before giving up and asking solicitors to intervene.
Last month it emerged British Airways is facing a multi-million pound compensation claim from passengers after an IT glitch caused delays of up to 22 hours for thousands.
EasyJet said: “We take our responsibilities very seriously and we will always pay compensation when it is due.”
TUI did not respond to requests for comment.
