Austria To Australia: Counter Confusion At The Airport?

A viral meme has been doing the rounds on social media, claiming that Salzburg Airport in Austria has a help desk for people who mistakenly booked a flight to Austria instead of Australia. The meme includes a picture of a billboard at a luggage carousel with an SOS button and the text: Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button. However, this is not true. The billboard was an advertisement for Commend Intercom Systems, which was removed in 2022. While the two countries' similar names cause frequent confusion, there is no special counter at Salzburg Airport for travellers who have booked flights to the wrong destination.

The claim that there is a counter in an Austrian airport for travellers mistaking Austria for Australia is false

Salzburg Airport and Commend have both confirmed that the SOS button was fictional and there are no instances of travellers confusing the two countries in such a way. Susanne Buchebner, deputy head of public relations for the Salzburg Airport, stated that there has never been a help desk for travellers mistaking Austria for Australia. She also mentioned that she has never heard of anyone travelling to Salzburg by mistake when they actually wanted to go to Australia.

The mix-up between Austria and Australia is a common joke among travellers and locals due to the similarity of the countries' names in English. However, the idea that there is a dedicated counter or help desk at an Austrian airport for travellers who made this mistake is not true. While it is possible for travellers to confuse destinations, the claim that there is a specific counter for those who mistook Austria for Australia is unfounded and has been debunked by multiple sources.

It is important for travellers to be vigilant and double-check their plane tickets and destinations before embarking on their journeys. While the mix-up between Austria and Australia may be amusing, it is crucial to recognise that such a mistake is highly unlikely and there is no dedicated counter or help desk to address it.

The confusion between the two countries stems from an advertisement for a technology company

The confusion between Austria and Australia is an amusing mix-up that has captured the attention of social media users and the internet at large. The idea that Salzburg Airport in Austria has a dedicated counter for travellers who mistakenly flew there instead of Australia has been circulating online for years, with many people finding the notion highly entertaining. However, this viral claim is false and the story behind it stems from an advertisement for a technology company.

Commend International, an Austrian communication and security technology company, ran an advertisement on a baggage carousel at Salzburg Airport. The ad, which has since been discontinued, featured a witty play on the frequent confusion between the two countries due to their similar names. It displayed a large sign that read, "Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button." The sign also included Commend's website address and emphasised their expertise in handling unusual situations.

The advertisement first appeared in 2009 and was updated in 2018 to showcase an updated design of their SOS button. It was eventually removed in 2022 when the airport switched to digital displays. However, by that time, the image of the ad had already been shared on the internet, particularly on meme websites and social media platforms. The billboard's playful message captured the imagination of people, who found the idea of a help desk for mixed-up travellers highly amusing and worth sharing.

The viral posts and memes often included variations of the message, "If you're having a bad day, just remember that the airport in Salzburg, Austria, has a counter for people who flew to Austria instead of Australia." This catchy phrase, along with the image of the billboard, spread across different social media platforms, including Twitter (later known as X), Instagram, and TikTok, garnering thousands of likes and views.

Despite the entertaining nature of these posts, the claim is entirely false. Salzburg Airport has confirmed that there is no such counter or button for travellers confused between Austria and Australia. Susanne Buchebner, the deputy head of public relations for Salzburg Airport, stated that she had never heard of anyone mistakenly travelling to Salzburg instead of Australia. The confusion, therefore, stems from the advertisement's playful message, which was designed to be witty and capture the attention of passengers waiting for their baggage.

The ad was for an intercom system and was installed by Commend International/Commend Intercom Systems and Solutions

The viral meme about an Austrian airport having a counter for travellers who mistakenly thought they were going to Australia is false. The idea for the meme came from an advertisement for Commend International/Commend Intercom Systems and Solutions, a technology company based in Austria. The ad in question was for an intercom system and was installed by Commend International in 2009. It featured a picture of an SOS button against a blue background, with the text: "Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button." The ad played on the frequent confusion between the names of the two countries and was intended to initiate a direct dialogue between the brand and its intercom products.

Commend International was founded in 1971 in Salzburg and is still 100% owned by the Austrian founder's family. The company employs 400 staff, 150 of whom work at its Salzburg headquarters, which also houses the Research & Development department and production facilities. Commend's intercoms are security and communication systems used to protect people, buildings, and property. They are not the typical door buzzer terminals found in residential buildings. Their products have a wide range of applications, from emergency call terminals at train stations or road tunnels to communication terminals in hospitals or car parks.

The ad in question was designed to be witty and engaging, and it certainly captured the attention of travellers. It was first displayed above the luggage carousel at Salzburg Airport in 2009 and was updated in 2018. Despite being removed in 2022, the idea that the airport had an SOS button for travellers who mixed up Austria and Australia persisted and spread on social media. The airport and Commend have both confirmed that the SOS button was fictional and that there are no instances of travellers confusing the two destinations in this way.

The billboard was first put up in 2009 and removed in 2022

The billboard, which was put up in 2009, featured a picture of an SOS button against a blue background. The advertisement displayed an eye-catching phrase:

> “Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button.”

The billboard also included the name and URL of the company behind it, Commend Intercom Systems and Solutions, an Austrian-based company that produces intercoms. The sign was meant to advertise Commend’s intercoms and played on the frequent confusion caused by the similar names of the two countries.

Commend spokesperson Wolfgang Peer explained that the billboard stemmed from the fact that Austrians often have to clarify their country of origin with English speakers, saying:

> “[I’m] from Austria, but there are no kangaroos in Austria.”

The billboard was updated in 2018 to show an updated design of the SOS button. However, it was eventually removed in 2022 when the airport replaced its billboard-style ad displays with digital displays. Despite the billboard's removal, the myth that the airport had a counter for people who mistakenly flew to Austria instead of Australia persisted, leading to numerous social media posts and views across the internet.

The ad featured a large sign that read: Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button

The ad, which featured a large sign with the message: "Sorry, this is Austria not Australia! Need help? Please press the button", was created by Commend, an Austrian communication and security technology company. The billboard-style ad was installed in 2009 and updated in 2018 to showcase an updated design of the SOS button. It was placed above a luggage carousel at Salzburg Airport, Austria, to attract the attention of passengers waiting for their baggage.

The ad played on the frequent confusion caused by the similar names of the two countries. Wolfgang Peer, a spokesperson for Commend, explained that Austrians often have to clarify their country of origin when speaking to English speakers, saying: "I'm from Austria, but there are no kangaroos in Austria". The ad was designed to initiate a direct dialogue between Commend and passengers who saw the board, with the aim of promoting the brand and its intercom products.

Despite the billboard being removed in 2022, the myth that Salzburg Airport has a counter for people who mistakenly fly to Austria instead of Australia has persisted and spread on social media. The airport has confirmed that the SOS button was fictional and there are no instances of travellers confusing the two destinations in this way. Susanne Buchebner, deputy head of public relations for the airport, stated that she had never heard of anyone mistakenly travelling to Salzburg when they intended to go to Australia.

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