A London-based startup has created an app called "AirDates" which helps users to find passengers to date while traveling.

The app, which is currently being tested, has been described as Tinder for air travel, although it can work on all forms of public transport. To use the app, users are supposed to post their travel itinerary ahead of time so that they can find people with similar travel plans on the same journey. This is achieved by using Multipeer WiFi between smartphones, eliminating the need to rely on the plane's WiFi network or any other connection.

According to Engadget, people have voiced concern over the potentially undesirable consequences of using such an open dating app in areas like airports and airplanes. Beside the safety risks of placing oneself at the mercy of a complete stranger who knows one's travel plans, being locked in a pressurized tube with someone who desperately wants to chat may not be a very good way to spend half a day. 

However, the CEO of the startup, Michael Richard, disagrees. He said that the inside of a plane is the "safest place to have a date," if anything, due to the fact that there are lots of other people in the vicinity that will eliminate any danger one can think of. Any user feeling unsafe or afraid of being harassed or intimidated can instantly block all further communication with their partner. In addition, the company is looking at only allowing female users to initiate conversations to avoid the sort of abusive behavior that would discourage users.

Richard also intends to integrate the app with other social platforms, including Facebook, Spotify, and Pinterest.