Tourists Sleep at Airport during Massive Wildfire in Rhodes, Greece
- pixabay
Rhodes – A week-long wildfire on the Greek resort island of Rhodes has torn past defenses, forcing more evacuations, as three major fires raged elsewhere in the country fuelled by strong winds and successive heatwaves that left scrubland and forests tinder-dry.
Around 19,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and local hotels after wildfires broke out last week.
The situation has been exacerbated by delays and cancellations of flights from Rhodes Island, forcing thousands of tourists to spend the night in shelters and even at the local airport in poor conditions.
Some travelers expressed their frustration about the lack of communication regarding the hours-long flight delays on social media. In addition, some travelers were forced to sleep on the airport floor without a mat.
Ilustrasi - Kebakaran hutan di kawasan Gunung Ile Mandiri, Kota Larantuk, NTT.
- ANTARA/HO-Dok. Roland Tuanaen.
Several tour operators such as Jet2, TUI, and Correndon canceled flights to Rhodes Island, which lies across the southeast of mainland Greece and is famous for its beaches and historical sites.
British airline EasyJet also delayed a number of their flights, leaving hundreds of British tourists stranded at the airport. Rhodes Island is one of the main tourist destinations in the United Kingdom (UK).
EasyJet passengers complained that the airline left planes full of passengers stranded at Rhodes Airport last weekend, as wildfires continued to rage.
They also complained that they were left for hours at the airport with no hotel accommodation, and forced to sleep on the floor.
More than 200 people, including children and the elderly, were reportedly stranded at the airport with no communication from the airline.
EasyJet passengers are not suffering alone, as Britons flying with other airlines have also reported similar problems.
"There are over 200 passengers stranded at Rhodes Airport. We have been here for over 14 hours waiting for our flight," one passenger wrote on Twitter.
"What are you doing to get us out of Rhodes, it's sickening. Children and old people lying on the floor," a passenger added, describing the situation at the airport filled with stranded tourists.
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