The 2.45pm easyJet flight from London Luton to Rhodes was only a quarter full on Monday – unusually quiet for the busy school summer holiday period, and a reflection of how many travellers have been deterred by the wildfires that have ravaged the south of the island.
The conflagration, after a period of extreme heat, has led to thousands of holidaymakers being forced to evacuate their hotels. Nearly 1,500 holidaymakers are understood to have flown home on Monday alone, while others were relocated by travel firms or paid for new rooms elsewhere. Some have slept on mattresses in evacuation centres set up in schools, or stayed with local families.
