Holiday booked to Greece? Your rights amid Rhodes and Corfu fires

Wildfires connected The Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu are causing chaos for thousands of British holidaymakers.

The Greek authorities said it has evacuated 19,000 people in The "largest ever" wildfire removal in The country's history.

EasyJet repatriated 421 group backmost to The UK connected 2 flights from Rhodes connected Monday, pinch a 3rd scheduled for Tuesday.

Jet2 has 3 repatriation flights leaving The land connected Monday evening, flying 598 further customers to Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Birmingham.

But what should holidaymakers do if they person booked to recreation to either of The islands - aliases they're already there?

Largest ever removal from Greece - latest connected Rhodes wildfires

Are airlines still flying to Rhodes?

Jet2 cancelled each flights and holidays to Rhodes until adjacent Monday (31 July), saying "we will beryllium contacting affected customers pinch regards to their refund and rebooking options".

TUI besides cancelled each flights to The land until Tuesday, pinch customers looking to alert retired connected Wednesday fixed The opportunity to rebook aliases cancel free of charge.

They advised that individuals group to enactment astatine The TUI Blue Atlantica Nissaki Beach, Pantokrator, Golden Mare, La Riviera aliases Nautilusue hotels do not recreation to The airdrome connected 24 aliases 25 July.

EasyJet cancelled package holidays until Tuesday, and though it said it is presently "operating flights arsenic normal" it was offering those who had booked to recreation to aliases from Rhodes The chance to transportation to different day aliases petition a formation voucher up to adjacent Saturday.

Meanwhile, British Airways said it is offering customers connected The land who request to return location early The opportunity to alteration flights free of complaint and Ryanair said flights were "currently operating arsenic normal and unaffected by The wood fires".

Thomas Cook has cancelled each holidays to areas of Rhodes astir affected by The wildfire - specified arsenic Kiotari and Lardos - until 31 July. The recreation agency announced it had been in touch will each customers owed to recreation connected 24 July to those areas to put "swift refunds". It has besides offered afloat refunds to customers owed to depart for different parts of The land connected Sunday and Monday who wish to cancel.

Thomas Cook will beryllium in touch pinch group booked to recreation connected Tuesday to talk their options, The patient added.

Read more:
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How is Corfu being affected?

After fires collapsed retired in The northeast of Corfu connected Sunday, group owed to spell connected a TUI vacation to affected hotels connected The land connected 24 and 25 July will not beryllium capable to enactment there.

But those already evacuated from TUI hotels are "returning", a spokesperson said, to "continue their vacation arsenic planned".

People already in Corfu and owed to alert location pinch British Airways Can "change their formation to travel backmost earlier if they wish free of charge". Anyone flying pinch BA "in The adjacent week" (until Sunday 30 July) Can alteration to a later day for free.

Jet2 flights to Corfu are flying arsenic normal from 26 July and beyond. Ryanair and easyJet are besides flying arsenic normal.

What if I'm travelling in August?

Holidaymakers booked to spell to The Greek islands in August are not being advised to alteration their plans for now.

Simon Calder, recreation editor astatine The Independent, told Sky News: "At The infinitesimal The presumption is you will beryllium capable to go."

He added that pinch nary charismatic proposal in place, cancelling intends you will suffer "all aliases immoderate of your money", truthful travellers should hold until The fires person calmed and location is much clarity in The "coming days".

If I'm pinch different operator, Can I get a refund aliases a cancellation?

If it's a package, The Package Travel Regulations opportunity holidaymakers Can cancel and person a afloat refund "if unavoidable and bonzer circumstances hap astatine The spot of destination aliases its contiguous vicinity which importantly impact The capacity of The package aliases The carriage of passengers to The destination".

"If you person been notified that your vacation which is owed to depart in The adjacent fewer days has been cancelled, past your recreation institution will beryllium capable to talk your options pinch you - that could beryllium offering a afloat refund aliases they mightiness beryllium capable to talk an replacement holiday," said Emma Brennan, a spokesperson for The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

Those seeking refunds for independent recreation could person little luck.

"If you booked everything independently, if you booked a formation and that formation has now been cancelled, past they will request to supply a refund for that, past you would request to spell done and speak to each constituent of your recreation supplier to understand what The position and conditions are - what's The statement pinch The edifice aliases accommodation that you person booked, what's The refund policy, The aforesaid for immoderate transportation aliases car hire," she said.

The good people of vacation conditions will disagree pinch each operator.

What is The overseas agency saying?

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has urged British travellers affected by The wildfires to travel guidance from Greek emergency services. A situation guidance portion and telephone hotline has been group up by them to thief group in Rhodes.

It advises holidaymakers connected immoderate affected Greek land to interaction their hose aliases vacation institution who will beryllium capable to thief them get backmost to The UK.

"If you are readying to recreation to Rhodes, please cheque pinch your recreation usability aliases edifice anterior to recreation that The area you scheme to sojourn is not impacted by The existent wildfires," it said.

It has stopped short of advising against travelling to Rhodes aliases Corfu - a move that would importantly thief anyone seeking compensation.

Am I covered by my recreation insurance?

Whether holidaymakers are guaranteed compensation nether their recreation security policies hinges connected if The UK authorities advises against recreation to The area.

"The superior intent of recreation security is to screen The costs of emergency aesculapian treatments aliases repatriation should The worst happen, which Can tally into The tens aliases moreover hundreds of thousands of pounds," a spokesperson for The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said.

"It Can screen you if you request to cancel aliases trim short your holiday, but it's apt this will only beryllium nether constricted circumstances, for illustration if you aliases a adjacent family personnel autumn ill, not because of a disinclination to travel.

"Insurance Can screen you if proposal from The authorities changes since you've booked your trip, and it's nary longer considered safe to recreation to The destination."

Instead, anyone concerned astir travelling to The area should cheque pinch their recreation supplier and aerial carrier, The spokesperson added.

Some recreation security policies whitethorn screen affected holidays nether definite circumstances, truthful group are advised to cheque The scope of screen provided by their recreation insurance.