Hate dating apps and not had any luck finding love in real life? You might want to be on the lookout while waiting for your next flight, as you could be "someone's airport crush," according to a viral post by one traveler, who has since become everyone's "internet crush."
The clip was posted six days ago by Finn Trigo Teixeira (@finntr on Instagram), a 25-year-old business development manager who is based in Berlin, Germany, according to his Instagram profile. It has over 3 million views at the time of writing.
Teixeira told Newsweek: "If someone catches my eye in public...I always approach that person."
The latest video was captured at Brussels Airport in Belgium while the man was waiting for a connecting flight to New York City last week on August 29. The footage shows him adjusting the camera before sitting back in a chair. He is seen with his arms crossed and legs stretched out in front.
Appearing nonchalant with earbuds in while looking to the side, he flashes a slight grin and looks back at the camera before the clip ends.
A message overlaid on the video reads: "Remember you are someone's airport crush." A caption shared with the post simply says: "Don't forget."
Teixeira told Newsweek that his latest airport crush was "actually this year, when I traveled on a solo trip to Oslo [in Norway]."
However, he's never dated anyone he's come across at an airport, nor has he ever been approached by a stranger crushing on him at an airport.
"I feel like our generation doesn't do that much anymore. I'm a big fan of it and if someone catches my eye in public where I know I'd be upset later not to have done it, I always approach that person," he said.
As enjoyable as it might be to have sparks fly with a stranger you meet at an airport, online dating apps and websites have been "instrumental in forging meaningful connections," according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey.
The study found that three in 10 Americans have used a dating app or site and 12 percent say they "have married or been in a committed relationship with someone they first met through a dating site or app," rather than via chance encounters at an airport, as noted in the popular Instagram post.
Instagram users have swooned over the poster of the latest viral clip.
User mariachiara.catania wrote: "Mamma mia," while felipersonalbh said: "U would be mine [my airport crush]."
Insta users then kept upping the ante, with maritvely writing: "Not only airport crush."
"You're already someone's internet crush," user leetlworld noted, while nd_.155 said: "You're my internet crush."
User soni.com.ar added: "You are my everywhere crush..."
And martagarvi15 took it even further, writing: "You would be [my] crush even in the worst place you can imagine."
User michaelmorganb, however, was not as impressed. He posted: "Why do extremely attractive people need this validation so bad. It's pretty clear you're gonna be someone's airport crush dude you don't need 700 people in your comments section to tell up this and I think you know that too lol [laugh out loud]," in a comment that got 1,439 likes.
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via Instagram and email. This video has not been independently verified.
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Update 9/5/23, 3:32 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Finn Trigo Teixeira, the original poster.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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