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 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 for a departure on Sunday. Ryanair has one seat left for sale on the 3.40pm flight from London Stansted for £394 one way, with a Manchester-Rhodes flight available at 3.30pm for £214.
From Gatwick, the 3.55pm easyJet flight to Rhodes is on sale for £208 one way. Flights on easyJet from Bristol, Gatwick and Luton are already on the way to the island. But the airline is allowing changes for passengers booked up to 29 July for those who no longer wish to travel.
British Airways does not fly every day from London to Rhodes, and is selling its sole departure for Monday afternoon from Gatwick for £220. The first available return trip is on Wednesday.
Jet2 and Tui are dispatching empty aircraft from UK airports to Rhodes to pick up holidaymakers.
Holidaymakers were evacuated from their hotels and left their belongings behind
(AP)
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.
The Independent has approached the airlines for comment.
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.
Thousands of tourists have been evacuated
(AP)
In previous days the wildfire was confined to the island’s mountainous centre, but aided by winds, very high temperatures and dry conditions, it spread on Saturday towards the coast on the island’s central-eastern side.
The Foreign Office updated its foreign travel advice on Saturday on the heatwaves and wildfires in Europe, urging Britons affected by the wildfires in Rhodes to follow the…
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