Greece wildfires: holiday compensation rights for cancelled flights as thousands flee Rhodes and Corfu

Wildfires on the Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu are causing chaos for thousands of UK holidaymakers who face having their flights cancelled.

Up to 10,000 Britons are estimated to be on fire-ravaged Rhodes, with a week-long wildfire forcing people to flee the country. Evacuations were ordered in south Rhodes on Monday (24 July) after 19,000 people, mostly tourists, were moved in buses and boats over the weekend out of the path of the fire that reached several coastal areas from nearby mountains.

Overnight, evacuations were also ordered on the western island of Corfu, where more than 2,000 people including tourists were moved to safety, on the island of Evia and in the mountainous area in the southern Peloponnese region.

Jet2 said a repatriation flight, carrying 95 passengers, landed at Leeds Bradford Airport on Sunday evening, and another four are due to leave the island later on Monday carrying 598 customers to Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

Meanwhile, easyJet has repatriated 421 people back to the UK on two flights from Rhodes on Monday, with a third scheduled for Tuesday. Some airlines have cancelled flights to or from Rhodes due to the fires, leaving holidaymakers forced to make other arrangements.

If you have a flight booked to Rhodes or Corfu, or are already on the islands, here’s what you need to know about flight cancellations and your rights to compensation.

Are airlines still flying to Rhodes?

Jet2

Jet2 has cancelled all flights and holidays operating from the UK to Rhodes up to and including 30 July. The airline said it will be contacting affected customers with regards to their refund and rebooking options, adding that if passengers wish to receive a refund it will process this quickly.

It will operate the following four repatriation flights from Rhodes to bring customers back to the UK on Monday:

• Rhodes to Manchester, departing tonight with 220 seats
• Two Rhodes to Leeds Bradford flights, departing tonight with 189 seats
• Rhodes to Birmingham, departing tonight with 189 seats

This is in addition to more than 50 scheduled flights operating between Rhodes and the UK from 23 to 30 July.

A spokesperson for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We have a significantly expanded presence in Rhodes, with a huge team of experienced colleagues providing all the support we can for our customers, whether that is in affected areas or at Rhodes Airport.

“We have also put on four repatriation flights to bring our customers home, which is on top of our scheduled programme of flights that will continue to operate from Rhodes to the UK this week. We are continuing to make decisions in the best interests of our customers, and we are keeping everything under constant review.”

easyJet

easyJet is operating two rescue flights to bring 421 holidaymakers from Rhodes to Gatwick on Monday, and a third flight will operate on Tuesday. Nine flights already operating between Rhodes and the UK will also continue alongside them.

Flights are still operating for customers booked to travel to or from Rhodes before 29 July, but if passengers wish to change their plans they can change the date of their flight or request a flight voucher.

TUI

Three TUI repatriation flights landed in the UK overnight and the airline has announced further plans to bring more people home “as soon as possible”.

All TUI flights and holidays to Rhodes have been cancelled up to and including 25 July, with passengers receiving full refunds. Those due to travel on 26 July can change to another holiday or cancel free of charge.

The airline added that customers currently in Rhodes will return on their intended flights home, and more than 300 members of staff are at the affected part of the island, urging customers to keep in touch with them.

British Airways

British Airways is still operating flights to Rhodes as normal, but said customers currently on the island needing to come home early can change their return flight free of charge. Anyone travelling out to Rhodes from the UK in the next week can also postpone their flight to a later date.

The airline has put a larger aircraft on the next flight from the island to accommodate customers who need to return earlier than planned.

Ryanair

Ryanair has confirmed it is still operating flights to Greece despite the wildfires, including flights to the island of Rhodes where evacuation flights are currently underway.

The airline’s chief financial officer Neil Sorahan said, while revealing the airline’s first quarter results, the group was still operating a “full schedule” of flights to the fire-ravaged island, but is not yet putting on additional flights.

An update to passengers on Sunday (23 July) said: “Ryanair flights to/from Rhodes and Corfu are currently operating as normal and unaffected by the forest fires. Passengers departing from Rhodes should be advised that we will accept temporary travel documentation issued by the Greek Police.

“The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also set up a helpdesk at Rhodes airport to assist visitors who have lost their travel documents. Please check your Ryanair app where you will be notified of any changes to your Ryanair flight.”

Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook is offering to cancel and issue a full and swift refund to those due to travel to Rhodes on Tuesday (25 July), should customers no longer wish to travel.

It earlier announced it had cancelled all holidays to Kiotari and Lardos – the areas most at risk – up to and including 31 July, and would be in touch to offer full refunds. Holidays in popular resorts including Faliraki, Kallithea, Ixia, Ialysos are continuing.

Are flights to Corfu affected?

Holidaymakers already in Corfu that are due to fly back to the UK with British Airways can change their flight to come back earlier if they wish, free of charge, the airline has said. Passengers flying with the airline “in the next week” (until Sunday 30 July) can also change to a later date for free.

Jet2 flights to Corfu are flying as normal from 26 July and beyond, as are Ryanair and easyJet flights.

What are my rights regarding cancelling or postponing flights?

Holidaymakers with a package holiday booked can cancel and receive a full refund “if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity which significantly affect the performance of the package or the carriage of passengers to the destination”.

A spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said: “If you have been notified that your holiday which is due to depart in the next few days has been cancelled, then your travel company will be able to discuss your options with you - that could be offering a full refund or they might be able to discuss an alternative holiday.”

If the area you are due to travel to is under an evacuation order, your rights in terms of cancelling or postponing your trip depend on how you booked it.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, explains: “If you’ve booked a package holiday you’re in a better position – you’ve got better protections, and generally the tour operators look after their customers a little bit better.

“In most cases you will have the opportunity to rebook or perhaps claim a voucher to book a holiday somewhere else. Some of the better holiday companies are allowing people to do that a week or two weeks in advance.”

He added: “There are some protections in the package travel regulations that specify if extraordinary circumstances at a destination significantly affect the performance of the package then you have the right to cancel.

“But if the tour operator is saying no, the way to enforce that right is likely going to be through the courts – that won’t be for everybody.”

If you arranged your holiday independently by booking flights and accommodation separately, you don’t have the same protections as with tour operators and your rights will depend on what the airline or hotel is doing.

What has the UK Foreign Office said?

The UK Foreign Office is urging British holidaymakers affected by the wildfires to follow guidance from Greek emergency services, adding that a crisis management unit and phone hotline has been set up by them to help people in Rhodes.

It advises anyone on a Greek island affected by wildfires to contact their airline or holiday company to help them get back to the UK.

It said: “In the first instance, contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK.

“If you are planning to travel to any areas affected by wildfires, please check with your travel operator or hotel prior to travel to the area you plan to visit. For 24/7 British consular assistance, call +44 20 7008 5000.”