Lovers fly around the world to meet each other

Whenever he has free time, the pilot flies to meet his flight attendant lover at any place she is scheduled to fly to, even though they only have a maximum of 36 hours to date.

Christine Tin Miguel and Matt Mandino live halfway around the world, and the only thing they have in common is a fear of flying. As a child in the Philippines, Christine would hold her sister’s hand tightly whenever they flew somewhere. Matt Mandino lives in the US, and his parents often have to drag him into the airport because of his fear of heights.

Growing up, both became avid travelers. Their desire to explore the outside world overcame their childhood fears, and they became flight attendants and pilots - people in a profession known as "traveling the clouds, returning the wind".

Christine said she was willing to go to the ends of the earth with Matt, even if it meant being in a cardboard box. Photo: BBC.

They also did not expect that it was the urgent flights that took them to strange corners of the world that helped them find their other half.

In June 2012, Matt worked for Jet Airways in India, and Christine worked for an Arab airline. During a stopover in Chennai, India, Christine and her friend went to eat at Santana restaurant. Matt also went there to eat and they saw each other - like fate.

"When Matt walked in, there was only one table occupied - us. I thought he looked really cute and felt like I had known him for a long time," the young waitress said.

Matt was also attracted to Christine: "Her smile was beautiful and pleasant. I walked up to her and asked what Christine was eating. When she answered, I picked up a bit of food from her plate and put it in my mouth. I had had a few beers earlier so I was bold, but normally I'm not like that."

They took advantage of flying around the world to date each other. Photo: BBC.

"We (Matt and his friend) asked what she did and when they said they were flight attendants, we were like: We are too, we are pilots," Matt said about the first time he met his love.

Matt then gave Christine his business card and said he would be happy to show her around if she ever came to India again. The flight attendant emailed the pilot a few days later, and they began to correspond. Christine returned to India in September of that year.

On their first date, Matt drove to pick her up at the hotel. He was late because he had been running around town looking for flowers. "He asked if he could fly to the next stop to see me, and then he confessed his love," Christine recalls.

They got to know each other while traveling, meeting at various airports and traveling around India. In 2013, Matt moved to Hawaii. Christine thought the relationship might be over, as Hawaii was too far away, a 48-hour flight from where she lived and expensive to get there.

Matt surprised Christine with a sapphire engagement ring and asked her if she wanted to go to Hawaii on a fiancé visa. "His father had given his mother a similar ring. His mother and I were both born in September, and sapphire is our birthstone. From that moment, I knew he was ready to take the relationship further," Christine recalls.

While Matt was working in Hawaii, Christine was still living in Saudi Arabia. Matt came up with a game called "Follow Christine," which meant that whenever he had free time, he would fly to see his girlfriend, wherever she was scheduled to fly.

That way, they went on dates in cities like Geneva, Milan, Barcelona... Their stops were only 36 hours, so this date was really special for both of them. "We spent the short time we had together."

The couple are now living happily by the beach in Bali, Indonesia. Photo: BBC.

In July 2014, they got married in Hawaii. "I wanted to marry him, not have a wedding. We wanted to save money for other things," Christine happily smiled as she talked about her simple wedding.

Now, they are in a long-distance relationship and fly around the world to meet each other, living happily together, on the beach in Bali (Indonesia).

According to VNE