LOST IN TRANSIT
10 Hilarious Travel Mishaps That Went Viral
Published on May 27, 2024
Image: Erik Odiin
Part of the fun of being a tourist is that everything is kind of new. And more often than not, this means that traveling abroad is filled with little moments of excitement and unpredictability. But sometimes, these unexpected twists can lead to situations so bizarre that they end up making headlines worldwide.
From misplaced pets to mistaken destinations, here are 10 travel blunders that had the world laughing along.
Bluebell of Arabia
Image: Patrick Hendry
Even pets can have unexpected adventures. Bluebell, a family's pet pup, found itself on an unintentional journey to Saudi Arabia after being mistakenly placed on a flight to Riyadh instead of San Francisco. When the worried family contacted the airline, they apologized and told them what had happened. Luckily, the furry traveler arrived unharmed and was reunited with its owners as quickly as possible.
Trapped In A Toilet
Image: Gerrie van der Walt
If the perspective of being trapped inside a normal public restroom for any length of time is already unpleasant, imagine being trapped for almost the entirety of a two-hour flight inside an airplane bathroom! That's precisely what happened to an unfortunate passenger during a trip from Mumbai to Bengaluru on a SpiceJet Airlines flight in India. Despite efforts from the flight crew and fellow travelers, he remained trapped until the plane landed at its destination and a team of engineers could unlock the stubborn door.
Never Trust The GPS
Image: Alvaro Reyes
Three tourists in Australia relied a bit too much on their GPS when attempting to drive to North Stradbroke Island. Failing to account for the fact that the island is… well, surrounded by water, the GPS traced a course that led them directly into the sea. Eventually, they found themselves stuck in mud and water, and were forced to abandon their vehicle. Lesson learned: never trust a machine blindly!
Monkey Business
Image: Andre Mouton
In 2014, during a visit to Bali, a tourist experienced an unexpected encounter with a mischievous monkey. While busy feeding other animals, his GoPro was stolen by a cunning primate who, in a matter of seconds, snatched it and ran away into the forest. Fortunately, a local woman intervened, making a "deal" with the monkey by offering fruits in exchange for the return of the expensive equipment. But when the tourist finally recovered his camera, he was delighted to find that the monkey had filmed himself during the whole ordeal, in true "selfie" fashion.
The Journey Is The Destination
Image: Jerry Zhang
A few years ago, a viral story claimed that an airport in Salzburg, Austria, had a dedicated help desk for people who mistook the tranquil alpine destination with Australia. As funny as it sounds, the story turned out to be fake - but that doesn’t mean similar occurrences are completely unheard of. Far from it, from soccer fans ending up in the wrong country for a match to travelers mistakenly flying to Grenada instead of Granada, mix-ups in destinations are more common than you'd think. Remember: always double-check your travel plans! Otherwise, you might end up far, far away from your intended destination.
Swallowed Whole
Image: Karl-Heinz Müller
In 2019, diver Rainer Schimpf had a whale of a tale to tell after being briefly swallowed whole by a huge Bryde's whale off the coast of South Africa. Confusing him for some tasty fish, the enormous creature opened its mouth and took Schimpf into its massive jaws. Luckily, the animal quickly realized he was no ordinary fish and spat him out. The man managed to escape unscathed from the strange ordeal, but his story quickly became viral, earning him the nickname of a modern-day Jonah.
Arctic Escapade
Image: James Eades
A Texan grandma's holiday photo op turned into a media sensation when she was swept out to sea while posing on an iceberg throne in Iceland. While her son was taking a picture of her, the chunk of ice she was sitting on suddenly separated from the shore, sweeping her and the block of ice into the freezing sea. Fortunately, the coast guard quickly launched a rescue operation, and she was returned safely to shore.
Left Behind
Image: JESHOOTS.COM
You might assume that once you've passed through the departure gate, missing a flight would be impossible. However, easyJet made headlines when they overlooked 29 passengers trapped between security doors and the gangway. Days later, the company found themselves in the news again, this time dealing with a drunken passenger causing chaos in the nude. It's safe to say it was a turbulent week for them.
Snake On A Plane
Image: David Clode
A Scottish woman got the surprise of her life when she found a 24-inch-long spotted python in her luggage after a trip from Australia to Scotland. Amazingly, the snake had managed to hitch a ride unnoticed during the 11,200-mile-long and had even begun to hibernate in its makeshift shelter within one of the woman's shoes. Fortunately, the clueless reptile was taken unharmed to a wildlife sanctuary. So, if you are planning a trip to the Down Under, remember to check your boots before coming home!
Destination Unknown
Image: Jan Huber
Even with careful planning, sometimes things take an unexpected turn. Such was the plight of passengers aboard a British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in 2019, only to find themselves landing in Edinburgh due to a crew error. Mid-flight, some passengers noticed something was amiss, but the plane nonetheless continued its journey, leading to their bewildered arrival in Scotland instead of Germany. Apparently, the pilots were given incorrect flight details and only found out their mistake when confronted by the angry passengers upon landing.
