Two travel tickets, one happy ending

One cold autumn, having recently moved back to London and having a nasty and long commute, I desperately need a break. No friends were available so I started investigating a cheap, single holiday to Morocco. Last minute my flatmate, who worked for British Airways said she could come but suggested the Caribbean as she could get us a deal – not a place I ever thought of visiting but it was cheap and guaranteed decent weather. She booked my economy flight through her staff travel but in her haste used my abbreviated name, not the one on the passport. As it was a ‘staff flight’ BA was totally inflexible about changing the name and told us the only way I would be allowed to fly was if I bought a new ticket – so much for a cheap holiday!!

The way the flights worked I had to travel the day before my friend, and so a little bit fed up, set off to Gatwick. At check in, the staff realised I had ‘two’ tickets and so kindly upgraded me to business. BA’s business cabin has seats facing backwards as well as forwards and through the flight I noticed a man further down the cabin watching me, when the opportunity arose he came and introduced himself and, establishing I was alone that evening, invited me to dinner. I wasn’t thinking romance at all (he was quite a bit older than me) and thought he was just being kind as i was on my own, so in a unprecedented moment of madness accepted. I then spent the rest of the flight thinking how I could get out of it but somehow failed, so soon after landing and freshing up went to dinner.

Three months later we got engaged and I moved to the Caribbean. Now almost nine years later I am enjoying an extraordinary life with a remarkable man with our own business back in Europe.

P.S. He also almost wasn’t on that flight, changing it at the last minute and then almost missing it. Fate was on our side and now we always fly British Airways when we can.