Rocky start: Flight attendant, pilot find love after meeting on the same flight
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Nguyen and Alessio, who work for Emirates and Flydubai respectively, met on a flight in 2018 and immediately disliked each other
- They both thought the other person wasn't their type because one would not stop talking while the other looked cold
- Nguyen fell pregnant with her colleague a few months later, and they are now happily married
A Vietnamese flight attendant and an Italian pilot who once found each other irritating have built a life together across three continents, held together by patience, shared profession, and genuine love.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ha, born in 1991 and originally from Hung Yen, grew up in Ho Chi Minh City and works as a flight attendant for Emirates.
Her husband, Alessio Mitelli, known as Ale, is an Italian pilot with Flydubai who was born in 1994. The couple currently lives in Dubai.
Rocky Start at 30,000 Feet
Their story traces back to 2018, when both were working as Emirates flight attendants and found themselves on the same crew for the first time.
Ale thought Ha was cold and hard to get close to. Ha, for her part, found her new Italian colleague a bit much, mostly because he would not stop talking.
"When we first met, we both thought the other person wasn't our type," Ha recalled with a laugh.
Time softened those first impressions. Ale was reportedly struck hard during a dinner at a layover stop and spent the next three months making his intentions clear. Ha eventually relented.
"I could see how determined he was, so I decided to give him a chance. After about six months of talking, we officially started dating," she said.
COVID, Crisis and Commitment
The relationship faced its most serious test when the pandemic brought global aviation to its knees. With flights grounded, Ha's work stalled and Ale's pilot training was put on hold.
Financial pressure combined with the sudden reality of spending prolonged time together exposed cultural differences that had previously been easy to overlook. At one point, breaking up felt like the only option.
"What made me stay was Ale's calmness. He taught me to accept our differences instead of trying to change each other," Ha said.
Far from their families, the two gradually became each other's primary support system. They registered their marriage in early 2021 following Ale's proposal, though the pandemic forced them to postpone any celebration.
Life Between Departures
When Ha fell pregnant in 2022, Ale again shelved the wedding plans so she could focus on the pregnancy. Their child was born in Dubai in late 2022.
After Ha underwent a C-section, Ale stayed close throughout her recovery, helping her take her first steps after surgery and handling their baby's first nappy change.
"Since having our baby, I have never had to go through anything alone," Ha said.
Sharing a profession has given the couple an unusual degree of mutual understanding. Long-haul flights, disrupted sleep patterns and missed holidays are familiar to both, which means neither has to explain the fatigue or the irregular hours to the other.
Still, the lifestyle brings its own complications. Sometimes both are away simultaneously, leaving their child in someone else's care. Birthdays and anniversaries get rescheduled around rosters.
"Our most familiar messages to each other are, 'Have you landed yet?' and 'Have you boarded yet?'" Ha said. "We dream of traveling the world together, but there have been times when we have both been in the same city and still couldn't be together."
After two postponements, the couple is now preparing for a three-part celebration spanning Ho Chi Minh City, Hung Yen and Italy.
For Ha, though, the greatest reward from years of flying has not been the destinations. It has been finding someone who feels like home.
Meru Man Weds Wife He Met at Hotel
Elsewhere, Dennis Kithinji Muthomi and Joy Kathambi recently became husband and wife after tying the knot in a colourful ceremony in Meru.
The couple, who first met at a Makutano restaurant in 2023, exchanged vows at Nkoune Methodist Church.
Dennis told TUKO.co.ke that he already knew Joy would become his wife the first few minutes he saw her.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.