Jet2holidays / Jet2.com

UPDATE: Jet2 confirms additional four Rhodes repatriation flights

The situation in Rhodes continues to evolve quickly, and our absolute priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of customers and colleagues in the affected areas. We can confirm:

• Our in-resort teams are working hard to comply with the guidance of local authorities, and we are continuing to bring more customer helpers and colleagues into the area to provide further assistance. We are also flying an additional team of experienced colleagues to Rhodes to provide further support;
• We continue to ask customers in affected areas to follow the advice of both the local authorities, as well as staff in their hotels, who are acting under the advice of the authorities;
• We are contacting all customers in affected areas as quickly as possible by telephone so that we can support them with what they need. We are sending direct communications to affected customers to let them know this, and to remind them of our 24/7 customer helpline number;
• Due to these extraordinary circumstances, we have cancelled all flights and holidays that are due to depart to Rhodes up to and on Sunday 30 July. We believe this is the right thing to do for everyone, and we will be contacting affected customers with regards to their refund and rebooking options. We will fly those aircraft to Rhodes with no customers onboard, so that we can continue to bring customers back to the UK on their scheduled flights.

We are keeping the situation under constant review, and we will continue to make decisions in the best interests of our customers.

A Jet2holidays spokesperson said its decision to cancel holidays departing up to and on 30 July had been well received by agents with nervous customers. Passengers who choose to cancel will be refunded.

Jet2.com flights to the island will continue to bring home those scheduled to depart, but also those who want to get back to the UK. A Leeds flight on Sunday brought home 95 Jet2 holidaymakers seeking to return, in addition to those who were booked on that particular flight.

The airline expects to operate further repatriation flights on Monday. A dedicated senior support team flew out to the island last night to coordinate Jet2's on the ground response, with additional support laid on in resorts, rescue centres and in Rhodes' airport.

In addition, Jet2 has drafted in colleagues from across the business to staff its call centre to up call capacity.

EasyJet holidays / easyJet

We know the situation for many currently in Rhodes is very difficult. The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our highest priority and we are doing all we can to assist  customers in affected areas.

We will be operating two repatriation flights tomorrow (Monday 24 July) from Rhodes to Gatwick, in addition to our scheduled flights. We will also operate a further repatriation flight on Tuesday (25 July).

Our tour operator, easyJet holidays, is currently working to comply with requests of the local authorities and is in contact with customers in resort to support them.

We have sadly had to cancel easyJet holidays packages departing up to and on Tuesday 25 July. Customers will receive a full refund. We are proactively contacting easyJet holidays customers due to travel up to and including Saturday 29 July to confirm their options.

Any easyJet flight-only customers who have been evacuated from their hotel and are currently at the airport should contact easyJet’s airport staff. Any customers from affected areas wishing to travel back early can contact easyJet’s customer services team.

Other flight-only customers due to travel to and from Rhodes over the coming days have been advised to continue checking the status of their flights. Flights to and from Rhodes will continue operating.

However, anyone with bookings for travel up to and on 29 July can transfer their bookings to another date for free, or request a flight voucher for the value of their unused flights.

Tui

Tui said its teams on the island of Rhodes were working hard to provide alternative accommodation, shelter, and food and drink to all Tui guests in Rhodes.

As of Sunday, the airline and operator had 39,000 guests on the island, almost 8,000 of whom have been directly affected by the wildfires. "They have been relocated to safe places including hotels or shelters designated by the local authorities," said Thomas Ellerbeck, a member of Tui's group executive committee.

"Many holidaymakers are affected by the forest fires and we are trying to do everything possible to support our guests in the affected area, and elsewhere on the island. But it is of course a special and challenging situation."

Tui said more than 300 Tui representatives – drivers, service colleagues and others – were currently on the island to support its holidaymakers.

It is recommending those due to travel to Rhodes in the coming days amend their bookings to travel to other destinations instead owing to the scale of the situation in Rhodes.

Ellerbeck continued: "Due to the volatile and challenging situation, and considering the impact on local communities being affected by evacuations, Tui will continue flight operations to/from Rhodes to bring customers home, but has decided to cancel booked holidays to Rhodes for departures up to and on Tuesday 25 July.

"We’d also urge guests with bookings for Wednesday 26 July to make use of fee free amendment options to enjoy a holiday in another destination, to help to relieve the situation further and will guarantee a smooth holiday experience.

"The safety of our customers is our number one priority. We are currently bringing in more additional support staff on empty incoming flights, and continue flying guests safely back home from their holidays.

"We are asking those impacted by the fires to follow the advice of local authorities and to approach our Tui representatives on the ground. In addition, we’re asking them to regularly check the Tui app for updates."

Ryanair

In a statement, Ryanair said: "Ryanair flights to/from Rhodes and Corfu are currently operating as normal and unaffected by the forest fires. Passengers departing from Rhodes should be advised that we will accept temporary travel documentation issued by the Greek Police. 

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also set up a helpdesk at Rhodes airport to assist visitors who have lost their travel documents. Please check your Ryanair app where you will be notified of any changes to your Ryanair flight."