There’s nothing like airport like to preserve you grounded.
John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport has been snubbed in a brand new survey of the nation’s “most romantic airports”– however a number of New Yorkers who’ve met the love of their life on the transit hub are dashing to its protection.
“JFK is a romantic airport!” Diana Tyson, 64, of Massapequa, who met her husband, Chris, on the airport instructed The Submit. “Whereas ready on the gate, you strike up a dialog with the individual sitting subsequent to you — I’ve seen it loads of instances.”
The Jamaica Bay airfield solely got here in No. 22 out of 100 rivals, beating out each LaGuardia and Newark airports by miles, however handily shedding to the winner Palm Seaside Worldwide and runner up Orlando Worldwide, DatingAdvice.com revealed this week.
The survey someway discovered locations comparable to Southwest Florida Worldwide in Fort Meyers and Charlotte’s Douglas Worldwide to be extra romantic than JFK — regardless of it being a capturing location for greater than 50 films, together with rom coms and even a James Bond flick.
The low rating, although, fails to account for folks like Diana and her husband Chris.
The pair’s high-flying meet cute got here whereas they have been each working for KLM Dutch Airways at JFK in 1983.
Chris’ place on the Particular Providers Division, which concerned transporting VIP passengers to their terminal, took him all throughout JFK, however he all the time discovered an excuse to cease on the ticketing workplace and go to Diana.
It took two years and three tries earlier than Diana accepted Chris’ invitation to dinner.
“Probably the most I ever did [to woo a lady] by the way in which!” Chris recalled.
Diana initially wished to maintain their romance under the radar.
“I all the time wished to work on the airport. My dad labored on the airport additionally and we watched the planes take off. The outdated JFK had these stunning fountains and exquisite chapels and we simply spent the Sunday strolling round. So I mentioned, ‘I don’t need to jeopardize my job for some man!’” she mentioned.
The early days of their romance noticed the younger couple conspire a secret code — 225 — which they might use on their work radios so they may meet in personal.
They stole secret lunches collectively on the TWA Lodge earlier than it was reworked into the Instagram-worthy hotspot it’s at this time.
After seven months, Chris and Diana turned engaged. They tied the knot in Could 1986 and welcomed their daughter, Alyssa, two years later.
KLM remained a focus of the Tyson’s relationship for many years. Each stayed employed with the airline till their retirements, although Chris’ profession took him by way of a number of sectors, together with as a pc specialist.
In addition they cast lifelong relationships with different {couples} who met on the airport, estimating they knew not less than ten pairs who owed their romances to JFK.
What makes JFK extra particular than different airports is how many individuals from all walks of life go by way of the worldwide hub, the couple mentioned.
For David Sussman and Elyse Erlich, nevertheless, JFK is the No. 1 spot for love.
It was nothing wanting destiny when the couple met on the identical Aeromexico gate in 1993 to take their very own solo holidays to Cancún.
Erlich made the primary transfer by asking him to look at over her tennis rackets whereas she made a name on the payphone.
“He was sitting there very comfortably and counting his pesos out within the public on this airport on the gate. I feel I can belief this man. He seemed like he was trustworthy,” Elrich laughed.
“I additionally occurred to note he had massive blue eyes. My dad had blue eyes and I’m a sucker for blue eyes.”
The brief introduction become hours of dialog — Erlich invited Sussman to sit down subsequent to her on the airplane when she realized the seat was open, and the 2 made plans to proceed their date all through what was purported to be their solo holidays.
Over the following few days, the pair went fishing, loved dinners and lounged on the seashore collectively. Erlich even helped sneak Sussman into her unique Membership Med resort because of the assistance of a form member who was keen to briefly half along with his go.
On their fairytale journey, the brand new couple realized they lived inside spitting distance, with solely Central Park separating their properties — Erlich lived on East 91st and Sussman on West 86th.
Earlier than they even returned to New York Metropolis, Sussman had already instructed his mom that he had “met his spouse.”
“Half two romantic story: we truly acquired engaged at JFK,” Sussman mentioned.
Sussman proposed 9 months later as they waited for his or her airplane to Puerto Rico. Erlich knew the proposal was coming, however was nervous the ring would go overboard if he carried out his preliminary plan of popping the query on a cruise, they laughed.
They tied the know in April 1995 and moved to Westchester not lengthy after, the place they raised their two kids.
Within the entrance room of their residence, nestled with Erlich’s forest of crops, lies a memento of their Mexico journey — a miniature lizard coming out of an egg that they have been pressured to purchase after they by accident broke it within the store.
As little as JFK was rated, it nonetheless didn’t get snubbed as had because the New York space’s different two airports, as LaGuardia got here in a lowly 72nd and Newark got here in 85.
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