Couples are turning holidays into relationship tests - would yours survive?

Turbulence testing is the latest travel trend, in which new couples use a romantic getaway to measure their compatibility. If a fledgling relationship can survive the twists and turns of modern travel, the cancelled flights, missed trains and lost reservations, then it must have.

And if not, you can check out faster than a hotel guest who's stolen the bathrobe. A newly minted relationship is not an Airbus A380.

What Happened

It's a delicate dream built from hope and hormones, so vulnerable that even the mildest emotional weather front can snap off its wings - so why torpedo it with a mad MAFS-on-the-move, trial by travel experiment designed to help it crash and.

• A hefty 37 per cent of travellers in the latest booking.com global survey said they would holiday purely for this purpose, and a North Carolina hotel even offers a Turbulence Test Package including cocktails.

• Bye-bye Sydney transit: Melbourne Airport's $4.5b makeover to unlock new direct flightsWhy jetsetters are about to get the ultimate airport upgrade.

• Unacceptable': dozens of flights delayed as airlines blast air traffic controlPassengers urged to check their flight status.

Key Details

The smallest disagreement can escalate to epic when trapped in a tent or confined to a cruise ship. I know a couple who spent a 10-day Japanese rail odyssey at opposite ends of the shinkansen after a hangry tiff turned titanic.

• This is the new Whitsundays experience only 15 people a day can accessA new trail reveals a side of an island visitors rarely see.

• OpinionA new chapter in travel where every destination tells a storySometimes the best holidays begin - and end - between the covers.

• I wouldn't say we're immune to turbulence, but we approached it in the safest way possible: with our seatbelts firmly fastened.

Why It Matters

Sure, travel exposes red flags that everyday dating can hide. Perhaps he's one of those alpine divorce men who'd dump you on the mountain.

• By the time we ventured overseas, we'd established enough empathy, affection and - most importantly - shared humour to overcome the urge to disembark at the first sign of trouble.

• Instead of packing a suitcase on the second date, we paused for a year before risking anything more than an overnight.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by The Canberra Times as more details emerge