Is it safe to travel to Greece amid new wildfires?
Is it safe to travel to Greece amid new wildfires? Are there travel restrictions for Athens?
- Everything you need to know about the latest travel advice for Greece amid fires
Beaches around Athens have been evacuated as Greek firefighters and water bombing planes attempted to tackle a brutal wildfire that threatens much of southern Greece.
The latest inferno broke out in the central region of Boeotia, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Athens, rescue services said, as several countries in southern Europe continue to battle wildfires amid searing temperatures this summer.
That blaze has already claimed one life – a shepherd who attempted to save his livestock but was unable to escape, according to firefighters.
But is it safe to travel to Greece amid the new wildfires? Are any travel restrictions in place for Athens?
Read on below for everything you need to know about the latest travel advice for Greece.
A firefighter operates during a wildfire near the northeastern town of Alexandroupolis, Greece on Sunday, August 20, 2023
Is it safe to travel to Greece?
The UK government has not updated its travel advice for Greece in light of the wildfires currently raging through the country, with no international restrictions in place regarding travel.
READ MORE: Is it safe to travel to Tenerife amid wildfires? Are there any foreign travel restrictions for the Spanish island?
As a result, you can still travel to Greece – which is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe for British tourists.
Currently, there have been no reported disruptions at Greek airports, which have not seen any arrival or departure flights delayed due to the wildfires.
If you are in or near an area affected by wildfires, you should follow the guidance of the emergency services.
If you are in immediate danger, call the Greek emergency services on 112.
Civil protection authorities have warned of an ‘extreme’ fire risk in the region around Athens and other parts of southern Greece, all while fires continued to burn out of control for a third day in northeastern Greece near the port city of Alexandroupolis.
In July 2023, around 20,000 people, mostly tourists, had to be evacuated from Rhodes island after a fire broke out and was fanned by strong winds.
Almost 17,770 hectares (more than 43,000 acres) were ravaged in 10 days in the south of the holiday island in the southeastern Aegean Sea.
At the end of July, Greece experienced its worst heatwave ever for a month of July, with temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius (more than 104 Fahrenheit) in many places, according to the National Observatory in Athens.
It comes as Tenerife continues to fight wildfires of their own that police believe were started deliberately.
A firefighting helicopter operates during a wildfire near the city of Alexandroupolis, Thrace, northern Greece on Sunday, August 20, 2023
What should I do if my flight gets cancelled?
If your flight is cancelled, you have a number of different options.
You are legally entitled to a full refund, which includes other flights from the airline that you won’t use in the same booking, such as onward or return flights.
You are also entitled to a replacement flight to get you to your destination.
If your cancelled flight delays you by two hours or more, you have the legal right to be helped with costs.
If the replacement flight offered to you has delayed you by two hours or more, and you were given less than two weeks’ notice, you are legally entitled to compensation.
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