An Adelaide Woman was furious to discover that an advertised $399 package to the Gold Coast wasn’t available during school holidays.
Sheila Swanston (36), from North Plympton in Adelaide said she was “absolutely shocked and disgusted” to find out that a $399 package she had seen advertised “somewhere, a while ago” to the Gold Coast wasn’t available for the forthcoming School Holidays.
Unfortunately for Ms. Swanston and her local Travel Agent Barry Summerbooker (28), after much searching it was discovered the deal was not to valid.
“I thought I was doing the right thing by booking two weeks in advance” Said Ms. Swanston.
Booking two weeks out from School holidays is never a good idea
Ms Swanston had reportedly spent six months walking past store window displays and scanning the back pages of a variety of local and national newspaper travel sections.
When she had finally found a deal that would suit her budget to the Gold Coast for $399 and gone to the store to book it, she had been told by Mr. Summerbooker that the deal wasn’t available during the July school holidays.
“Why was it bloody advertised then? Look, it’s still right there” she had exclaimed to Mr. Summerbooker whilst pointing towards the shopfront window.
Travel Agent Summerbooker had tried in vain to apologetically explain that the $399 deal is a “from” price only and subject to availability and seasonality as stated in the conditions.
Ms Swanson was then heard to shoot back;
“That’s total bullish*t. Who would want to go to the bloody Gold Coast outside of school holidays?”
Witnesses in the store said it was at this point that Swanston’s son Hugo (3) escaped from his pram and started to take brochures off the shelves and remove three APT stress balls, a Qantas cap, A Scenic water bottle and two Covermore Mouse mats.
Ms. Swanston however had been oblivious to this as she was on the phone to her husband, George Swanston who had apparently gone to school with a Travel Agent in Ballarat who had said he could get them “a sick deal.”
When Mr Swanston couldn’t get an instant quote from his contact, Ms Swanston had then produced a handful of newspaper clippings and screenshots of Scoopon deals she’d collected over the past six months.
Travel Agent Summerbooker then reportedly (and literally) hit a wall saying he “couldn’t bear to explain the way travel bookings work for the eighth time” so had called his Manager, Ms Trudy Tempest (37) to step in and assist.
A graphic depiction of Travel Agent Summerbooker’s reaction. NOTE: not real
“I’m very sorry that we can’t get availability during the school holidays for you” Ms. Tempest had said, following on with;
“Perhaps you can travel in August? We have some…”
At this point Ms Swanston interrupted,
“We can’t pull the kids out of school. Lily and Lucy are already behind in their maths!”
Ms Swanston, knowing the Travel Agents weren’t grasping her needs then packed up the pram, before asking for brochures on every Australian State and leaving the shop and her empty coffee cup behind.
Ms Swanston was last seen heading into the travel agency next door.
Have you experienced travel agent nightmares like this one? Share your thoughts below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a KarryOn Comedy article and is obviously satire. It should in no way be taken seriously, unless you want to that is.