What happens when an aviator and an influencer meet? Sparks fly!

Words by Anna Marie Galea

Here’s how Sarah and David Vella Zerafa’s romance took off, grew in mid-air, and had a soft landing in marriage, with some jet- and trendsetting in-between. A truly modern-day love story, Sarah and David Vella Zerafa didn’t meet up in the air but very much on the ground… or rather via social media. Sarah, a hugely successful local content creator, who currently has 3.1 million followers on Instagram, spotted David in the wild when he used to like her photos.

“I had never met David before in person, but he used to like my photos, and I used to like his back to signal my interest. When he didn’t directly message me, I decided to try another way to get his attention. Because I knew he was a pilot, I created an answer box on one of my Instagram stories with the question: ‘Can someone take me to Santorini?’ Happily, he finally got the message and wrote back: ‘I’ll take you to Santorini!’”

Their first date was at Nine Lives in St Paul’s Bay, and they spent four hours chatting non-stop. But their second date had to be delayed by a bit because David, a First Officer, was flying to Amsterdam the next day to see his sister: “Our second date started with me picking him up from the airport after his trip. He brought me back a gift a thermos,” Sarah laughs playfully, reminiscing.

“It was the first thing I saw, and I didn’t have time to get anything else,” David replies, laughing even louder.

Even though their relationship didn’t start on a plane, they seem to have spent a lot of their early days up in the air. A week after their second date, Sarah was going to Athens for a job and David decided to join her.

“All my friends thought I was going mad, but the thing is that I knew David was the one from the very beginning because I always felt so safe and comfortable with him. He’s been nothing but supportive since day one.”

So, with two demanding jobs and very different schedules, how do they find time for each other?

“Sarah works around the clock,” David starts. “Her job is immensely fast paced and varied, and if she’s not filming content or coming up with ideas, she’s in meetings or replying to e-mails and messages. My roster for the next month comes out mid-month, so we try to plan around each other as much as possible.​​​​​​​

“For us, the important thing is that we manage to make time for each other. One of the advantages that Sarah has is that, because she’s self-employed, she’s more flexible when it comes to planning holidays.”

Asked where they love to travel to, the answer is unanimous:

“We are huge fans of Paris, and it holds many very happy memories for us. We got engaged in Paris and had a joint bachelor and bachelorette party in the City of Lights. Everyone can’t believe we keep returning, but it’s such a magical city. The lights, Disneyland, the shopping, the food… It’s a dream! We love going to Maxim’s de Paris for dinner and Buddha-Bar for drinks. Honestly, though, just doing nothing together makes us happy.”

Although Sarah is full of excitement talking about her travels now, it’s important to note that she was once a very nervous flyer. When asked if travelling with a pilot makes things easier for her, her answer is emphatically positive.

“Oh, yes! Flying with a pilot offers a different experience because they’re obviously very knowledgeable about what’s happening. Before, every sound and bump would bother me, but David always goes out of his way to explain what things mean, so I’m far more relaxed these days.“It also helps that he’s constantly studying, so I can see firsthand the amount of time and effort that goes into being an aviator. I’m so, so proud of him. I even got to experience him at work once; I got onto the plane to attend London Fashion Week and was amazed to see him in the cockpit it was a lovely surprise.”

So, what have they learnt from each other through their journey together so far?

“I feel like we really complement each other,” David begins. “Sarah is so inspirational to me because she’s so creative and such a hard worker. Some days, she works from 7 in the morning till 9 at night, and I look at her and think that I definitely couldn’t do everything she does. She never gives up, and I can’t help but be immensely proud of her.”

A beaming Sarah adds to his sentiment:

“For me, what he does is extraordinary, and he is living proof that anything is possible if you study and put your mind to it. David has been my absolute rock from day one and always pushes me to be better. I couldn’t ask for more.”