- Repatriation Flights Bring Hundreds of Tourists Back from Fire-Ravaged Rhodes
- Wildfires Continue to Cause Chaos and Evacuations on the Greek Island
- Tour Operators and Airlines Conducting Repatriation Operations, Some Flights Still Operating
As wildfires scorch Rhodes, hundreds of visitors are returning to the UK aboard repatriation flights.
It is estimated that up to 10,000 Britons are lingering on the island, with flights home continuing throughout the week.
EasyJet and Tui have canceled package departures to Rhodes until Saturday and Friday, respectively.
As eastern coast resorts came under fire, tourists were forced to abandon their hotels and slumber outside.
In some areas, the fires have destroyed residences and businesses.
In recent weeks, Greece has experienced temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), and in some regions, flames have burned for nearly a week.
At least 19,000 individuals have been evacuated from Rhodes thus far.
A fire department spokeswoman told AFP that 2,500 people were evacuated from Corfu, 1,027 kilometres (670 miles) away.
There have been indications that some fires in Greece may have been started by arsonists. But high temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds have aided in their spread.
Overnight conflagrations on Rhodes have caused the fire to spread to new regions.
Lt. Col. Yannis Artopios, a fire service spokesperson, told that thousands of people were evacuated overnight from Platanistos, Evia.
Throughout the day, Evia and Corfu, both of which have issued evacuation orders, have experienced intense winds, he said, adding, “It is not entirely under control.”
He stated, “We continue to hunt fires daily.”
Jenny Hill reported from Rhodes that firefighting aircraft again dropped water on the fire on Tuesday morning.
Up until now, this has been fruitless. Extremely strong winds are fueling the flames, and high temperatures are expected to persist through the middle of this week.
There are also sections of the island where it appears as if nothing is wrong. Tourists are happily playing in the water, while nearby firefighters battle the fires.
Also of concern is the island’s essential tourism industry.
Sarah George, the proprietor of a pub in Lindos, a town in the southeastern region of Rhodes, stated that it is uncertain what will occur in the coming weeks, but that things are “pretty concerning for business owners here in Lindos.
“Locals and tourists alike” are worried, but people are “doing everything they can” to fight the fires, she said.
Over the past few days, tour operators and airlines have sent repatriation flights to bring people back to the United Kingdom, as vacationers were forced to evacuate their accommodations and sleep in schools, airports, and sports centers.
Airports in the United Kingdom, including Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham, and Bristol, have witnessed the return of tourists.
Tui flew three Rhodes-to-UK repatriation flights on Sunday, a fourth on Monday, and a fifth on Tuesday morning.
EasyJet reported operating two flights with a total of 421 seats on Monday and a third flight with 421 seats on Tuesday, in addition to nine regularly scheduled flights to the Greek island.
After one repatriation flight landed at Leeds Bradford Airport on Sunday evening, Jet2 added four flights for Monday night.
The coach company National Express has also announced that it will provide complimentary transportation to vacationers who are repatriated from Greece to a different UK airport than the one from which they departed.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recommended travellers to contact tour operators and hotels before visiting wildfire-ravaged areas.
The official spokesman for the prime minister stated, “British nationals in Rhodes should contact their travel operator for any questions regarding flight rescheduling and continue to check our updated gov. uk travel advice for more information.
The Foreign Office has not issued a travel warning against Rhodes, but it has dispatched six Foreign Office employees and four British Red Cross responders to Rhodes International Airport to consult with Greek authorities and travel operators.
Emma Brennan, from the Association of British Travel Agents – a trade association for the travel industry – advised anyone planning a trip to Rhodes in the coming days to contact their travel provider to confirm that flights are still operating.
“Some airlines are still operating flights. So if you’re booked on one of those flights, your vacation may still be possible,” she told.
Rhodes is a large island, and certain parts are “still fully functional and people can still travel there and enjoy a vacation.”
Additionally, Ms. Brennan urged anyone still in an evacuation center to contact their travel provider.
Next week, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove still intends to take a vacation in Greece. He informed me that he was traveling to Evia, one of the islands with an evacuation order.
He stated that Greece is a “safe” and “wonderful place for those fortunate enough to spend the summer abroad.”
In addition, he advised vacationers to consult the Foreign Office’s most recent travel advice before departure.
Claire and Paul Jones, 36, from Leicestershire, left the Village Rhodes Beach Resort in Lardos via coach on Saturday.
Mrs. Jones told the PA news agency that it was extremely traumatic to drive to our destination because everyone was fleeing their hotels and people were walking along the beaches and roadways with infants and young children.
The weekend honeymoon of Daniel and Luna Rolfe was cut short when they were transported directly from the airport to an evacuation center upon learning that their accommodation in the Lindos region of Rhodes had been evacuated due to thick smoke.
Mr. Rolfe, 25 years old, reported: “It was crowded. I could not tell you how many individuals were present. We passed several apartments that were all occupied.”
The Glaswegian couple rented an Airbnb on Sunday, but it was full on Monday.
