Satirical Aussie news website The Betoota Advocate had a bit of a crack at travel agencies recently, poking fun at the fictional Betoota Heights Flight Centre store.
The tongue-in-cheek story quotes a slightly creepy Betoota local who is baffled by the fact that Betoota Heights Flight Centre store appears to remain afloat, despite the fact he never sees customers inside.
“Do people still go to travel agents? Do people still think it’s 1994 and Michael Jackson is still throwing shamonas around like they’re run-of-the-mill tee-hees?,” the prepackaged lasagne and Debussy loving nerd told the paper.
Flight Centre came back with a golden response.
“We can confirm the Betoota Heights Flight Centre does indeed have a strong customer base of corporate and leisure customers,” they said.
“So rest assured Kane, our learned friend, people aren’t that strange, as – unlike MJ’s glory years of the early ’90s – a lot of people are happy to make contact with their local consultant via phone, text, chat or email.”
“The store certainly isn’t as busy as our site in the upmarket Betoota Grove, but those cashed-up Baby Boomers at the Country Club do love a luxury river cruise.”
Jodie from Flight Centre Betoota Heights did, however, confirm that the store sees a drop off in foot traffic whenever Kane is present in the centre – she notes: “But we’re sure that it is purely coincidental.”
Jodie also commented that “rather than have people all cooped up in a call centre somewhere in the world, we are proud to support the local economy and jobs in Betoota.”
“We’d love for Kane to put down his lasagne and come for a visit, call us or email,” she said.
“We have some great deals to Paris and Rome if he would like to experience where Debussy learnt his trade, plus a bit of vitamin D to break up that James Bond binge session wouldn’t hurt either.”
Touché Flight Centre, touché.
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