At least 600 firefighters have been deployed as a serious forest fire rages out of control on the outskirts of the Greek capital, Athens. The historic Greek town of Marathon, is said to be “engulfed in flames”, with the population evacuated. This is happening in the peak summer spell, so what are your rights if you are there or have a holiday booked?
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, has some answers.
Are planes and ferries still running?
Yes. Flights are continuing normally for now at Athens airport: smoke can be seen from planes taking off and landing, but with the current landing pattern – from southwest to northeast – aircraft are approaching from exactly the opposite direction. There is no current threat to the airport as the area surrounding it is partly built up and open land has very little vegetation.
It’s a different story on the ferries. Greece’s coastguard has ordered all ferries going to and from the nearby port of Rafina to be diverted to the port of Lavrion, further south, due to the fire. Rafina was where dozens of people were killed in wildfires in 2018.
What is the effect on ferry travel?
Rafina serves mainly the Cycladic islands and Crete. Lavrion is not such a large port, and it may struggle to handle the full complement of ferries that would normally serve Rafina.
For people who are travelling in the region, what’s the advice?
Activities are continuing as normal in Athens.
There has been no update from the UK Foreign Office in response to the latest fires, but the advice to British travellers to Greece remains the same as it has been all summer: “Call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger.
“If you are in or near an area affected by wildfires, follow @112Greece for official updates.
“Follow the guidance of the emergency services.
“Contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK.”
Can travellers come back early?
Holiday companies may allow customers to opt for an earlier return at no extra charge, but are unlikely to refund any of the cost of the abandoned part of the holiday. Travel insurance is unlikely to help.
Can people booked to travel imminently to Greece cancel for a refund or move the holiday?
Under the Package Travel Regulations, holidaymakers can cancel for a refund “if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity which significantly affect the performance of the package or the carriage of passengers to the destination”. In the case of Athens, it does not look as though the current situation looks like reasonable grounds to cancel.
Are travellers staying away from Greece and elsewhere in the Mediterranean?
The number of cheap deals around at the moment – such as a week in Corfu, flying from Manchester in peak season, for £342 per person – suggest they may be.
Will other destinations benefit?
The UK as a whole may be feeling some advantage as people are reluctant to go south. The real bargains, though, are to be found in Paris – where unprecedented summer deals are available.