How a travel mix-up reignited an old Austria/ Australia fake news story

The unfortunate travel mix-up by two besties that saw them land in Tunis in Tunisia, instead of Nice in France, has led to an old fake story taking off again on social media.

By now, we should all know that not everything we read on these platforms is factual, but they are sometimes so delightful that we fall for them hook, line and sinker.

Earlier this week, "IOL Lifestyle" reported on two American besties whose travel plans went awry when they boarded a Tunisair flight in Rome, believing they were bound for a holiday in Nice in France, but realised too late that a mix-up had them bound for Tunis in Tunisia, North Africa.

Not so Nice

Of course, their TikTok story went viral, and although Brittney Dzialo and her friend Hannah Kraft laughed their way through the linguistic mix-up, eventually having a nice holiday in Nice, it gave flight to a story so old that it pre-dates the term "Fake News".

And, oh the irony, the fake story on Facebook this week comes courtesy of "The Investigative", which falsely reported that Vienna International Airport has an "Australia Help Desk" for confused travellers who land in the landlocked European city instead of Australia.

So buckle up for this safety precaution when it comes to fake news on faraway places.

The post reads: "Each year, dozens of passengers expecting beaches and kangaroos in Sydney or Melbourne end up in Vienna, Austria’s capital. Shocked and sometimes panicked, they need help rebooking tickets, changing flights, or simply making the most of their unexpected European stop.

"To handle this recurring confusion, the airport created a special desk. Staff there guide passengers through travel changes and even recommend Austrian highlights, from savouring schnitzel to exploring grand castles."

Not true

A quick internet search immediately debunks the story as false and as old as the hills, revealing that it resurfaces every couple of years, and that the Tunis / Nice story probably gave it wings again.

A YouTube video explains that a 2009 advertising campaign by a tech company exploited confusion between Austria and Australia, was behind the myth.

A sign at arrivals read: "Sorry, this is Austria, not Australia", is what set off the hoax.

In the video, the narrator documents how the fake story keeps doing the rounds, lamenting, "But as the saying goes, 'a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes'."

Although the "Australia Desk" story is just that - a story - the reaction to it has highlighted real mix-ups that travellers have put themselves through.

Frequent flyer mix-ups

One YouTuber wrote: "I was on a flight to Springfield, Illinois. The people in the seat in front of me meant to go to Springfield, Missouri, to see Willy Nelson in Branson."

Another posted: "I remember when the World Cup happened in Brazil, Australia's first match happened in the city of Salvador 🇧🇷. A group of Australians 🇦🇺 wrongly booked a flight to the country of El Salvador."

Oops!

And closer to home, @palthewolf wrote: "I found out recently that Swaziland (a country in Southern Africa) recently changed its name to eSwatini because too many people were confusing it with Switzerland!"

In fact, this was done in 2018 to celebrate 50 years of independence, although its King Mswati III and others had long complained about confusion between the two countries.

It would seem that Austrians have cottoned on to the humour over the mix-up, with @NigelDMarvin posting: "I remember when I visited Vienna a few years ago, and saw a shirt that said, 'We Don’t Have Kangaroos!”

This is backed up by @lours6993, who posted: "When I arrived at Salzburg railway station from Munich some years ago, at the end of the platform was a sign: "Austria. No kangaroos."

With a circle and a line through a silhouette of the animal.

So, remember to check the duration of your flight, the city or province you're heading to and brush up on your geography, for Pete's sake.

And don't believe everything you read on social media.