Rhodes wildfires "just mental" - reaction from East Midlands airport

19 thousand people have evacuated off Greek Island

Some tourists are being set up in temporary shelters in places like sports halls
Author: Ella BicknellPublished 24th Jul 2023
Last updated 24th Jul 2023

Holidaymakers have started arriving at East Midlands Airport, as thousands are being told to escape wildfires on the Greek Island of Rhodes.

Greek authorities said 19,000 people have been evacuated so far, with the Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection adding it was "the largest evacuation from a wildfire in the country".

“The airport was hectic- just mental- just crazy - with people everywhere!”

The fire started in the mountainous centre of the island, but with strong winds and bone dry conditions has spread rapidly east towards villages and seaside resorts.

Tourists have been forced to leave their hotels and sent to temporary shelters in places like sports halls and schools.

On the island of Corfu, a few dozen tourists had to be evacuated by sea, because of wildfires there as well.

Reaction from East Midlands Airport

Two Ryanair flights landed yesterday at East Midlands airport with one passenger describing the situation as “hectic”.

Ashley from Nottingham said: “The airport was hectic- just mental- just crazy with people everywhere”.

Aaron, from Leicester said: “It was impossible to get a taxi because all the taxis were ordered to fetch the people from the hills, so we only just made the airport.”

“There was no electricity, no power and we were in darkness with no internet, so it was difficult to know what was going off."

What’s happening with flights?

Airline easyJet will operate two rescue flights with more than 400 seats on Monday and a third on Tuesday, in addition to its nine scheduled flights to the Greek island.

It comes after authorities began evacuating large swathes of the island of Corfu, which is also popular with British holidaymakers, after fires spread there on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a British Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a Rapid Deployment Team had arrived on Rhodes to support travel operators in bringing Britons home.

Will travellers be able to get refunds?

Holiday firms are cancelling flights to Rhodes as a blaze continues to ravage the Greek island.

Jet2 Holidays cancelled all flights to the island until July 30 and said it would send empty planes to bring stranded Britons home, while Tui said it would cancel all flights and holidays until Tuesday.

Thomas Cook later announced it had cancelled all holidays to Kiotari and Lardos - the areas of the island most at risk - until July 31 and would be in touch with customers to arrange "swift refunds".

It has also offered full refunds to customers due to depart for other parts of the island on Sunday and Monday who wish to cancel their trip.

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