A father whose family was stranded abroad for six days after the Icelanding vocanic ash eruption is threatening legal action against Jet2.

Martin Bairstow, from Pudsey, said the low cost airline owes him more than £1,800 caused by flight cancellation after the Government closed UK airspace earlier this year.

Mr Bairstow had to pay for rooms in a hotel, food for five days and new flights back to Leeds Bradford for him, his wife Phillipa and 12-year-old son Adrian – at a total cost of £1,330.

That is on top of the £482 he paid to book the new flights to get home from Venice, Italy, following their holiday aboard a cruise ship.

He has now written to Jet2 chief executive Philip Meeson threatening legal action for the refund he claims he is owed.

Mr Bairstow, 57, of Kirklees Drive, Farsley, said: “If the airlines feel that the Government was over-cautious in shutting the airports down the legal position is one for the airports and the Government but Jet2 should honour their commitments.

“They need to deal with this immediately. If not, I will either issue my own county court claim or join with others in a class action.”

The family had been due to return home following a cruise on April 19. Jet2 said they could not transfer the cost of a cancelled flight and stranded passengers had to pay for new flights, for which they would be refunded.

Under European Union regulations, the airline has to pay “reasonable costs” to cover expenses such as hotel accommodation and food, said Mr Bairstow.

After making an initial claim within ten days of returning home and not receiving any money, Mr Bairstow sent another detailed claim on June 18, with receipts. He said he had still not heard anything from the airline operator. He said: “I’m sure there must be a lot of people in Bradford in a similar situation. It doesn’t really inspire confidence in Jet2.”

A Jet2 spokesman said: “It appears we are missing some correspondence from Mr Bairstow, which is a necessary part of our claims process. Jet2.com’s Head of Customer Services is addressing this problem today and will be in touch with Mr Bairstow as a matter of urgency so that we can resolve this matter.”

Since the Telegraph & Argus contacted Jet2 to highlight the refund owed to Mr Bairstow, he has received £423.94 towards the cost of his flights. Mr Bairstow has been sent a claim form for the remainder of the money he says he is owed.

However, he said he had already sent a full claim, with invoices, to the airline.