EasyJet pilot tells Brits flying to Rhodes for a holiday is a ‘terrible idea’

An easyJet pilot had a stark warning to holidaymakers preparing to jet off to the Island of Rhodes.

The Greek holiday destination has seen hotels evacuated and holidaymakers stranded as a series of wildfires have engulfed parts of the resort. Similar scenes have also been seen in Corfu over the weekend.

Thousands of exhausted travellers have now landed safely back on homesoil after a “chaotic” evacuation from the island. It was the country’s biggest evacuation effort.

But according to the Daily Mail, a flight from Gatwick on Monday had some 37 passengers, including a young boy, attempting to fly to the resort.

In the final moments before the plane took off, the pilot reportedly had a message to those travelling. He said: “Travelling to Rhodes for a holiday at the moment is a terrible idea.”

Journalist Gwyn Loader, who was on the flight to Rhodes to report for BBC Wales’ Welsh-language news programme Newyddion, says eight would-be passengers took the warning on-board and left the flight, including the young boy.

And it’s not just Brits who still appear to be travelling towards Greece. Pictures from the Netherlands showed scores of passengers in Amsterdam waiting to embark on planes to Rhodes on Monday.

As many as 10,000 Britons were thought to be on Rhodes when the wildfires first broke out almost a week ago. Tour operators and airlines have been sending repatriation flights to bring people back to the UK and companies have more scheduled.

Tour operators and airlines have been sending repatriation flights to bring people back to the UK and companies have more scheduled.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said on Monday evening he had spoken with airline companies and welcomed the additional flights put on to repatriate holidaymakers.

Tui said on Monday that a fourth repatriation flight has started to bring people to the UK from Rhodes, with another scheduled for Tuesday morning, following the arrival of three flights on Sunday night.

Jet2 announced four repatriation flights had been scheduled for Monday night, following one which landed at Leeds Bradford Airport on Sunday evening.

Airline easyJet said it would operate two flights totalling 421 seats on Monday and a third on Tuesday, in addition to its nine scheduled flights to the Greek island.

Travel firms have also increased the number of its staff based on the island.

However, people have not been discouraged from going to Rhodes, a decision Downing Street has defended.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Our advice is focused on the safety of British nationals and enabling people to make an informed decision about the situation on the ground.

“The current situation is impacting on a limited area in Rhodes and while it’s right to keep it under review and it’s possible that the advice may change, we do not want to act out of proportion to the situation on the ground.”

Meanwhile, a Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a team has arrived on Rhodes to support travel operators in bringing Britons home.

Sir David King, one of the UK’s leading climate scientists, said tourists should see the Greek wildfires as a “big, big warning”. He told PA: “If you are in one of these very warm areas and you haven’t got air conditioning indoors you could suffer terribly – many people will die from heat stress.”

Airline easyJet said it would operate two flights totalling 421 seats on Monday and a third on Tuesday, in addition to its nine scheduled flights to the Greek island.

Travel firms have also increased the number of its staff based on the island.

However, people have not been discouraged from going to Rhodes, a decision Downing Street has defended.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Our advice is focused on the safety of British nationals and enabling people to make an informed decision about the situation on the ground.

“The current situation is impacting on a limited area in Rhodes and while it’s right to keep it under review and it’s possible that the advice may change, we do not want to act out of proportion to the situation on the ground.”

Meanwhile, a Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a team has arrived on Rhodes to support travel operators in bringing Britons home.

Sir David King, one of the UK’s leading climate scientists, said tourists should see the Greek wildfires as a “big, big warning”.

He told PA: “If you are in one of these very warm areas and you haven’t got air conditioning indoors you could suffer terribly – many people will die from heat stress.”