NationStates Jolt Archive

Link (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070905/tod-france-norway-greece-tourism-interne-7f81b96_1.html)

RODEZ, France (AFP) - A spelling mistake on the Internet led to a surprise trip to remote southern France for three Norwegian tourists who thought they were going to a Greek island, airport officials said Wednesday.

The family group from Torp-Sandefjord thought they had booked a flight to the island of Rhodes but instead the journey from Oslo took them via London to Rodez, capital of the mountainous Aveyron department.

According to airport authorities at Rodez some 10 tourists make the same mistake every year.

Well, at least 30% of the tourists have already made that mistake this year...

Eye r gud spalerz!

According to airport authorities at Rodez some 10 tourists make the same mistake every year.

Please remove this thread. As head of the Rodez Chamber of Commerce, I can say that we desperately need these ten people.

I wonder how many people wanting to go to Paris, France end up in Paris, Texas.
You don't even need to spell it wrong, just fail to check what country your going to.

I wonder how many people wanting to go to Paris, France end up in Paris, Texas.
You don't even need to spell it wrong, just fail to check what country your going to.
That one's probably easier to detect since the price in Airfares would be noticeable.

Also, there's a Paris, Ontario, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have an airport.

I bet Rodez has a huge tourist industry located between the plane offload area and the ticket counter.

That one's probably easier to detect since the price in Airfares would be noticeable.

Also, there's a Paris, Ontario, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have an airport.
For an Australian it might not be :)

There however is a Sydney in Australia and in Canada. A German TV show once had a feeature about a couple who messed that up. They said that they liked it there and probably would go there again on their next vacation, about which the speaker (from the off) said: "let's hope they do not choose the wrong Sydney again" and a picture of the Australian city was showed.

Internet booking is risky if you don't pay attention to what you're doing. I was booking some holiday money a few weeks ago and accidentally selected the pick up airport from the drop down menu as Glasgow, instead of Gatwick. I only noticed because something else on the page didn't load and I had to go back.

I bet Rodez has a huge tourist industry located between the plane offload area and the ticket counter.

The Pantless Hero wins this thread.His prize: pants! :D

I bet Rodez has a huge tourist industry located between the plane offload area and the ticket counter.

And so Starbucks makes even more money...

Not just spelling, but also correct pronounciation. A few years ago I read of a guy in the US who bordered the plane for what he thought was bound for Oakland, California. Turned out it was Auckland, New Zealand. He'd misheard the announcement.

Also correct use of grammar.
Last year I wanted to go to a travel agent here in HK. They were listed in the paper as being "Wing On, Central Building, Central, Hong Kong, floor 17."
So I went along to Central Building, up to 17th floor and found a bunch of GP's surgeries. Wandered around, went down, checked the name on the building, went back up again, still Doctors. So I called the Travel Agent who confirmed they were on the 17th floor. Went up again and down again. Asked the building guard who confirmed this was Central Building.
Called travel agent again and asked them for a full street address, not just a building name.
Turns out they were in the "Wing On Central Building" (not "Wing On, Central Building") which was on a different street and 2 blocks away.
So one little comma resulted in me wasting 40 minutes wandering around doctor's surgeries.
pesky comma.

For an Australian it might not be :)

There however is a Sydney in Australia and in Canada. A German TV show once had a feeature about a couple who messed that up. They said that they liked it there and probably would go there again on their next vacation, about which the speaker (from the off) said: "let's hope they do not choose the wrong Sydney again" and a picture of the Australian city was showed.
My family is from the Canadian Sydney. Aside from having a copy of the Australian city's bridge, I am pretty sure the two are nothing at all alike. Either one seems like a good vacation-spot though. I spent several years in Canada's Halifax, which also has a counterpart in England. In fact, all kinds of places here are named after other spots in Europe like London, Ontario (It was called Berlin before the Wars).

I think it might be fun to head off to someplace and mistakenly end up somewhere else. Vacations are great for exploring, after all. Plus, if you tell everyone you are going to place A and find yourself in place B, you will not have to worry about pesky coworkers trying to track you down.