‘We’re on honeymoon in a warzone’: Newlywed Brits face anxious wait for spot on UK’s first repatriation flight

Darren Osbourn and Nicola Smith were returning from their Thailand wedding when they were stranded in Oman after the Middle East crisis broke out NewsUKHome News‘We’re on honeymoon in a warzone’: Newlywed Brits face anxious wait for spot on UK’s first repatriation flightDarren Osbourn and Nicola Smith were returning from their Thailand wedding when they were stranded in Oman after the Middle East crisis broke outHarriette Boucher Wednesday 04 March 2026 15:10 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverStarmer confirms more than 1,000 UK nationals returned on commercial flights amid Gulf chaosYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSurrounded by friends and family on the island of Phuket, Thailand, Darren Osbourn and Nicola Smith had what can only be described as a dream wedding. But, five days after trying to return home to London, they are still stranded in Oman, experiencing - as they describe it - an “extended honeymoon in a war zone”. The newlyweds, along with their two young children, are now among scores of Britons trapped in the Middle East anxiously waiting to find out if they will get a space on the government’s first rescue flight. The couple paid £1,400 to apply for four seats on the repatriation flight, which will travel from Oman’s capital, Muscat, to Heathrow on Wednesday evening. But there is no certainty that they will be chosen for a seat.open image in galleryDarren Osbourn and Nicola Smith with their children (Darren Osbourn)They are now sitting in their hotel, hoping for good news. “My priority is just to get the family home,” he said.The government is set to fly 180 British nationals home on the flight. The move was announced early on Wednesday as the Middle East crisis deepened following the US and Israel’s attack on Iran on the weekend. A further two government charter flights are planned for the coming days. For Mr Osbourn, 45, there is an extra worry of being left behind in Muscat, without his family. Women and children are given priority seating on the flight, meaning he may be separated from his partner, 6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter.The family had stopped over in Doha on their way home from Thailand. But their flight was diverted to Muscat on Saturday morning after Iran came under attack. Mr Osbourn did not know at that point what had happened but, as they touched down in Muscat, he saw large ships in a “formation” and suspected something major had happened.open image in galleryMr Osbourn is hoping to get his three year old daughter and six year old son back to London (Darren Osbourn)He told The Independent: “The captain came over, and said ‘there's been a bit of trouble in Iran’”.His family sat on the plane for four hours before they were deboarded and bussed to hotels. Iran later retaliated with strikes on Oman. Military planes have since been flying over Muscat which he said has been “quite scary”. He said: “They started attacking Oman, and it didn’t feel real, and then the jets were flying over and it felt like ‘okay, this is serious’.” As his family waits, in the hotel funded by Qatar Airways, Ms Osbourn said he has been worried for their safety. They have not wanted to stray too far from the airport and have been told not to go near government buildings or US embassies. He heard about the repatriation flight from his family on Wednesday morning and phoned the consulate, which sent him a link to register for seats on the flight. open image in galleryDarren Osbourn and Nicola Smith were travelling home after getting married in Thailand (Darren Osbourn)The cost to register was £350 per seat. Mr Osbourn has not been told whether he will receive a refund if he doesn’t get a ticket.“Once you have paid your money, then you go into some sort of ballot to get allocated a seat,” he added.Some 130,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East since the war broke out. If you are trying to return to the UK from the Middle East, please contact [email protected] their bags packed, the family is now waiting at their hotel 20 minutes away from the airport. They do not know if, and when, they will be told they have been given seats. Mr Osb