Tui Cancels All Flights to Wildfire-Ravaged Rhodes, Evacuations in Progress

As the devastating wildfires continue to sweep across the picturesque Greek island of Rhodes, Tui has taken the difficult decision to cancel all flights to the destination until Friday. The situation on the island remains dire, and it is estimated that around 10,000 British nationals are currently present on Rhodes, which is renowned as one of Greece's most beloved holiday spots.

In response to the unfolding emergency, several airlines, including easyJet and package operator Tui, have mobilized planes to Rhodes to facilitate the evacuation of tourists who have been compelled to leave their hotels due to the rapidly spreading wildfire.

The week-long inferno has overcome existing defences, necessitating further evacuations, while three other major fires are also blazing in different parts of the country, fueled by strong winds and relentless heatwaves that have rendered the land dry and highly susceptible to fire outbreaks.

Recent evacuations have been ordered in the southern region of Rhodes, with approximately 19,000 individuals, primarily tourists, safely transported via buses and boats over the weekend, away from the fire's path that has advanced from nearby mountains to several coastal areas. This significant evacuation effort is one of the largest in Greece's recent history.

Tui has announced cancelling all flights to Rhodes until Friday, including all flights for customers travelling to affected hotels up to and including Sunday. Nevertheless, the company continues to operate outbound flights without passengers to bring holidaymakers back home from other areas of Rhodes as scheduled.

For customers scheduled to travel to unaffected regions on Saturday and Sunday, Tui offers the flexibility to change to another holiday destination without incurring any fees or to cancel and receive a full refund.

Amid the crisis, Tui's teams in Rhodes are tirelessly assisting impacted customers, and those booked on the cancelled flights will receive full refunds for their flight-only reservations. Package holiday customers can amend their bookings or opt for a full refund.

Tui has initiated repatriation flights to bring customers back home, with four flights already underway and a fifth flight planned for tomorrow morning. The company is making every effort to utilize all available scheduled return flights to ensure safe travel arrangements for customers during this challenging period.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Our advice is focused on the safety of British nationals and enabling people to make an informed decision about the situation on the ground.

'The current situation is impacting on a limited area in Rhodes and while it's right to keep it under review and it's possible that the advice may change, we do not want to act out of proportion to the situation on the ground.'

Meanwhile, a Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a team has arrived on Rhodes to support travel operators in bringing Britons home.