Scots wedding party in drone travel chaos

A Glasgow couple due to marry on Saturday are facing a second night of uncertainty at Gatwick Airport amid travel chaos caused by drones.

Bride-to-be Tayo Abraham and her partner Ope Odedine were due to fly to Marrakesh in Morocco on Wednesday alongside nine family and friends.

The group boarded the Air Arabia flight, due to depart at 20:40, but it never left the runway.

It has been shut since Wednesday night due to drones flying over the airfield.

Gatwick's chief executive officer Stewart Wingate said the devices have been designed to "close the airport and bring maximum disruption".

Miss Abraham, 31, a contractor from Glasgow, said: "It's been a year that we've been planning this, we can't start rearranging the wedding.

"It's sad because it's Christmas time and people are trying to get to loved ones.

"Everything has been disrupted but aside from the cost it's the emotional side, the trauma."

The group, including a four-year-old and a one-year-old, booked a hotel for the night after passengers were told to return to the airport at 11:00 on Thursday.

Following another day of disruption, Ms Abraham and her fiancé are booking an alternative flight from Manchester Airport for 06:00 on Friday at a cost of more than £1,000.

She said they may have to "trim" back on guests as the additional cost of rebooking flights was too high for everyone to pay.

She said: "Most of the guests are there already. We have to be there.

"I just want to get there and get this over with, but it will be disappointing for everyone that isn't able to travel."

The couple are due to fly back on 26 December, with other members due to return to the UK on Sunday.

Ms Abraham's uncle Baba Sanwo, from San Diego, flew into Heathrow from the US on Tuesday in anticipation of Wednesday's flight, hoping to travel as a family.

The 63-year-old said he had been sitting on the floor of Gatwick for over five hours.

He said: "I'm uncomfortable, cold and hungry.

"What if there are people on medication, what if there was a wedding today?"

Stella Phillips, the bride-to-be's aunt, from London, said she may be unable to attend the wedding if the flight does not take off on Thursday night.

She said: "There's no information. Gatwick have been fine but they don't have any information for you, they say go to your airline."

The 41-year-old said the group paid £300 for the hotel on Wednesday and they are unsure whether they can recover the costs.