Greece wildfires: Holiday and travel advice as Jet2 and Tui flights cancelled amid extreme fires

UK airlines are continuing to sell flights for immediate departure from the UK to Rhodes despite the wildfires that have seen thousands of tourists evacuated from the island.

Holiday firms Jet2, the UK’s biggest tour operator, and Tui both announced on Sunday they would be cancelling all imminent flights and holidays to Rhodes and offering refunds because of the fires, which have been raging on the Greek island for six days.

But other airlines are continuing to offer seats on flights to Rhodes, and the travel firm Thomas Cook says most of its customers booked to travel ion Sunday and Monday are travelling as normal.

From London Gatwick, Monday’s 7pm easyJet flight to Rhodes is on sale for £144 one way. But for those who no longer wish to travel, the airline is allowing changes for passengers booked up to 29 July.

Two easyJet aircraft are also flying out empty to pick up UK holidaymakers wanting to come home early.

British Airways is selling its sole departure for Monday afternoon from Gatwick for £496, though also offering flexibility to travellers with existing bookings to the island.

But Ryanair says its operations to and from Rhodes are normal and that usual conditions apply.

Jet2 and Tui are dispatching aircraft with no passengers from UK airports to Rhodes to pick up holidaymakers. Both have dispatched teams to help customers.

Tui customers on the island are being told: “We are aware that many of our guests are now located at evacuation centres or found temporary shelter at other hotels. We are relentlessly working on improving the situation for our guests and our teams are working closely with the local authorities.

“Customers currently in Rhodes will return on their intended flight home.”

Rhodes airport is on the northwestern shore of the Greek island, close to the capital, Rhodes Town. With no imminent danger in that area, airlines are entitled to operate a “business as usual” policy, with normal terms applying.

But most are expected to provide some options to customers, with package holidaymakers benefiting from extra protection.

It comes after holidaymakers were forced to flee resorts on Saturday, with some British tourists describing “terrifying” scenes of turmoil as power cuts caused “chaos” on the island.