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Can an airplane Captain marry people?

Just as ship captains aren't universally granted the power to perform marriage ceremonies, neither are pilots. And airspace poses problems for those hoping for an official service. “Getting married in the air is not something you should leave up in the air, Greenfield says.



Despite a popular urban myth, airline captains generally do not have the legal authority to officiate a marriage mid-flight. A pilot's legal authority is strictly limited to the safety and operational aspects of the aircraft and the well-being of the passengers and crew; it does not extend to civil or religious legal ceremonies. Most jurisdictions require a wedding to be officiated by a judge, a religious official, or a state-sanctioned official with specific credentials. While ship captains on certain cruise lines (like Royal Caribbean) can perform legal ceremonies in international waters under specific laws (such as Bahamian Law), this is an exception and not the rule for aviation. If you wish to have a "wedding in the sky," you would typically need to bring a legally authorized officiant on board as a passenger and perform the ceremony, though many airlines discourage this for safety reasons. Most "airplane weddings" are purely symbolic.

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Female aircraft pilots and flight engineers are most likely to marry female registered nurses. Male aircraft pilots and flight engineers are most likely to marry female elementary- and middle-school teachers or male human-resource workers.

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Not trying to dissuade you, but dating a pilot can be hard since they are often away and can't be contacted easily. You have to be ready to deal with being alone much of the time. If you want to have a weekend getaway, it may not always be possible.

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According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year data, from 2009-2018, the divorce rate for pilots was 30.5%. Much lower than the 53% for the most divorce-prone group: casino gaming managers. Pilots don't even break the top 20 for the highest divorce rate occupations.

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This one is a surprise to many, but it's true – pilots have a lower divorce rate. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year data, from 2009-2018, the divorce rate for pilots was 30.5%. Much lower than the 53% for the most divorce-prone group: casino gaming managers.

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