Heraklion Airport departures: Flights delayed and cancelled including journeys back to London airports - as wildfires erupt in Crete

Currently a flight back to Nantes is cancelled, and a flight back to Bologna and London Gatwick are delayed. Arrival flights to Heraklion Airport are also delayed.

Flights from Bologna, London Stansted, London Gatwick, Berlin, Liverpool and Manchester to Heraklion are all delayed. It comes as wildfires have erupted in Crete.

The fire started in rugged forested terrain near the municipality of Lerapetra on Wednesday afternoon, but the flames have now spread rapidly southward, threatening homes, tourist accommodation, and critical infrastructure.

Around 3,000 residents have been evacuated and put up in temporary shelters after at least four settlements were ordered to flee. Authorities have issued evacuation orders for multiple settlements, including Achlia, Agia Fotia, Galini, Ferma, and Koutsounari. In these affected areas, emergency responders have worked tirelessly to move residents and visitors to safety.

Heraklion is located on the north coast of Crete and is about 100km from Lerapetra where the wildfires are raging. On the map, that’s approximately a 1.5 to 2‑hour drive across the central plains and mountains of Crete.

However, if strong winds shift from south to north this can cause smoke to drift over to Heraklion - a popular holiday hotspot and where the main airport is. There are no active evacuations in Heraklion but the fire risk level remains very high.