Sky high blind date on offer

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Air New Zealand plans to take blind dating to new heights with a Valentine's Day match-making competition flying four strangers to Los Angeles for a long weekend.

In a twist on a classic dating show, Blind Gate will select two London couples - one gay and one straight - moments before a flight takes off with them on their first official date.

Air New Zealand head of global brand Jodi Williams said 10 single people would meet at London's Heathrow Airport to play a compatibility game hosted by a well-known British media identity.

The group of lonesome singles hoping to find love in the skies by answering a personality test would then be whittled down to two winning couples.

The four would immediately board a flight to California seated in two-person skycouches where the blind inflight double date would commence.

"It gives them the ability to cuddle up and get to know each other or have a little bit of space if they need it,"said Williams.

Williams said the competition, running in conjunction with the Guardian newspaper, sought to highlight awareness of the carrier's daily transatlantic route.

The couples would experience an action-packed weekend showcasing the best of Californian culture and would be filmed continuously during their three-day stay in Los Angeles.