TUI issues Rhodes flights update as hundreds of British tourists rescued from wildfire-hit island

TUI has issued an update to customers regarding flights and holidays to Rhodes this week as wildfires continue to engulf the Greek island.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell estimated on Monday (24 July) there were as many as 10,000 Britons estimated to be on the island as evacuation flights began to bring holidaymakers back to the UK.

Hundreds of people have already landed at UK airports after airlines, including Jet2 and easyJet, scheduled return flights home, but the Foreign Office has said it will not be providing updates on the number of people repatriated.

The rescue efforts come after parts of the popular Greek island went up in flames, forcing many to sleep in schools, airports and sports centres. The wildfire had been confined to the island’s mountainous centre but later spread towards the coast on the island’s central-eastern side thanks to winds, very high temperatures and dry conditions.

TUI has now confirmed that all outbound flights to Rhodes up to and including Friday 28 July have now been cancelled. It has also cancelled holidays for customers travelling to impacted hotels up to and including Sunday 30 July.

In an update to passengers on Monday, the travel company said: “We’re continuing to closely monitor the wildfires in Rhodes which have led to the evacuation of a number of hotels in the South of the island and have made some changes to our holiday programme in the coming days.

“We have cancelled all outbound flights to Rhodes up to and including Friday 28th July, and have also cancelled holidays for customers travelling to impacted hotels up to and including Sunday 30th July. We’ll be in touch with customers directly if their hotels in the South of the island have been impacted.

“All flight only customers due to travel on these flights will receive full refunds. Package holiday customers will have the option to amend their booking or cancel with a full refund.

“Passengers due to travel up to and including 30th July for all areas of Rhodes will be offered a fee free amend to another holiday or the option to cancel for a full refund.  We are still operating flights from Rhodes back to UK & Ireland as scheduled.”

The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice in response to the wildfires in Greece, with tourists urged to check with their hotels or tour operators prior to travelling.

It said: “Extreme temperatures are affecting many areas of Greece and there are a number of active wildfires. If you are a British national affected by wildfires, please follow the guidance from the emergency services.

“Call the Greek Emergency Services on 112 if you are in immediate danger. The Greek government has established a Crisis Management Unit to respond to the situation in Rhodes. They can be contacted on:

• +30 210 368 1730
• +30 210 368 1259
• +30 210 368 1350

“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.”

The latest evacuations from Greece were ordered in south Rhodes 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.

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

It was the country’s biggest evacuation effort in recent years. Speaking during a debate in parliament, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “We are at war – completely focused on the fires. Over the coming days and weeks, we must remain on constant alert.”

Mr Mitsotakis also highlighted the threat from climate change, which he said “will make its presence ever more felt with greater natural disasters throughout the Mediterranean region”.

The fire service was investigating the causes of the blazes, which raged as 50 new wildfires on average have been breaking out daily for the past 12 days, according to government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis. On Sunday alone, 64 new blazes were recorded.