It wasn’t until 03:00 on the night of Sunday that Ståle Johansen and his girlfriend Victoria got on board a boat off a beach on the holiday island of Rhodes. For twelve hours they have been on the run from the flames that are ravaging the vegetation on the Greek holiday island. – While we were sitting eating lunch, we saw the smoke quickly coming towards us. We were stressed. Shortly afterwards we received a notice that we had to evacuate as fast as possible, says Johansen to news. Until they boarded the boat in the middle of the night, the 25-year-old couple both walked and waited for many hours in the heat. They have not yet heard anything from Tui, the travel company they have booked a week’s holiday to Rhodes through. Critical of communication news has spoken to several Norwegians over the weekend who are affected by the forest fires on Rhodes. They are consistently critical of Tui’s handling of the situation. – They have been absent. We get little information. At the last hotel we are in now, there are no Tui employees, says Jeanette Kjustad from Fetsund. – The only thing we have seen of them is that they were here and wrote down our names, says Hilde Lehmann Valde from Ålesund. – We haven’t received any help, they haven’t arranged a hotel or anything for us. We were sent to a football stadium, but it was the wrong address, so it was closed there, says Leif Morten Laugen from Stjørdal. The Kjustad family from Fetsund on Rhodes experienced chaos during the evacuation from the fires. Photo: Privat Living with locals While Ståle Johansen and Victoria escape, they see the flames getting closer behind them. They eventually end up on a beach. – There were a lot of us on the beach, and eventually we get word that boats are coming. Eventually some boats, small boats and ferries arrived. The small boats were to take us out to the ferries. There is panic, people are scared and fight for space on the small boats, says Johansen. The suitcases they had with them had to be left on the beach. Together with several others, Ståle Johansen and his girlfriend Victoria had to evacuate the hotel they were staying at. Photo: Privat In the early morning they arrive in Rhodes town, and are accommodated in a school. – Finally some representatives from Tui came here, but they had no information for us. They brought mattresses for people to sleep on, but not enough for everyone. I have spoken to people who stayed overnight in the hotel, who had to sleep directly on the floor. Johansen says it was not relevant for them to sleep at school. – In the end, the locals came to help, including a Brit with a very nice house, where we can stay for a while. According to Johansen, they were finally contacted by Tui at 3pm local time on Sunday. The couple still do not feel that they are left with any more concrete information after the conversation. Tui: – Just to apologize news has presented the criticism from customers to Tui’s communications manager Anne Mørk-Løwengreen. She understands that the situation is unclear. – Of course, I understand that this is a difficult situation for those affected. The fact that they have had such an experience is only to be regretted on our part. Mørk-Løwengreen says that Tui has made use of the information channels at their disposal: employees at hotels, SMS and the Tui app. – Otherwise, we just have to recommend that guests contact the local authorities, and follow the instructions given there. And for the guests who are in evacuation centres, we would like them to contact our representatives there so that we get a full overview of where everyone is and can provide the best possible solution either for the return journey or accommodation. She understands that there is a great need for information and a desire for things to happen quickly in such a situation. – But then there have been problems with the telephone network, challenges with electricity that have fallen in and out. Then the customers may not have had their phones charged, and then they will feel that they have not received any information. A burned down hotel on Rhodes on July 22, 2023. Photo: Argiris Mantikos/Eurokinissi / Reuters Back in Norway At Stavanger Airport, Joachim Fahlen is waiting for his luggage. He has just landed on Norwegian soil after a holiday trip to Rhodes. Although he says that they were very close to the fire, he found the whole thing to be perfectly fine. – We have acquaintances here and got a place to sleep. We are relieved to have come home, but I think a lot about the acquaintances I have on the island, says Fahlen to news. Although everything went well for Fahlen and his traveling companions, he too is unhappy with his travel company, Apollo. – We were evacuated to a hotel and were to receive further information there. The travel company was not present at all and we received no information from Apollo. People were only told to find a place to sleep, he says. Joachim Fahlen and Anita Roth Goodson also believe that the information from the travel agency could have been better. Photo: Willem Leendertse Beatriz Rivera, communications manager at Apollo, has previously told news that they have had difficulties communicating with their customers on the island. – Both electricity, internet and mobile phone coverage come and go. Not all messages get through. Therefore, there are some who have not received information from us, she told news on Saturday. Evacuated without epilepsy medication: – Starts to rush Foreign Ministry: – Listen to local authorities The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Norway is in constant contact with its Greek colleagues, press officer Mariken Harbitz tells news. – Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ operational center and the embassy in Athens are in dialogue with affected Norwegians. We assist them from Oslo with advice and guidance on what they can do. According to TUI, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now set up a customer service point at Terminal 1 at Rhodes Airport. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry’s best advice to Norwegians on Rhodes is to listen to the local authorities and to follow their advice. – Our 24-hour center can provide advice to Norwegians who may need help. Travel register so that we can reach you with updated information. And not least, make sure you have valid travel insurance, says Harbitz.
ttn-69
Norwegian tourists on Rhodes criticize the travel companies Apollo and Tui – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
