Can you spot the glaring mistake with the Aussie flag at this European airport? This traveller did!
- Replies 3
Mistakes and confusion between Australia and New Zealand are hardly new phenomena on the global stage.
Whether it's the almost indistinguishable accents to many foreigners, similar culinary preferences, or parallel clothing styles, distinguishing between the two nations can sometimes pose a challenge to foreign eyes.
Speaking of tricky differences, one thing the two countries nearly share recently caught the attention of an eagle-eyed traveller: their national flags.
The traveller encountered an embarrassing error concerning the Australian flag at a notable European location.
The traveller took to social media, posting a photograph of digital screens at Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands.
In a blunder, the airport had swapped the flags of Australia and New Zealand.
The two flags both bear a Union Jack in the top-left corner against a blue backdrop—an indelible mark of their shared roots from the British.
But it’s safe to say the two are similar, they also have unique elements.
As any Aussie knows, their star patterns and colours are distinct.
The Australian flag has the Southern Cross alongside a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, on the other hand, the New Zealand flag features four red stars in a stylised Southern Cross pattern.
This mix-up at the airport led to Australia being represented with New Zealand's emblematic stars, eliciting various online responses.
Some found the mistake amusing, while others were more than a little miffed by the diplomatic oversight.
One online commenter joked, ‘That's because, in the northern hemisphere, everything is the other way round.’
Another humorously suggested an airport employee was ‘goofing off’ during their shift.
Such flag mistakes aren't new. Past incidents involving the flags of adversarial nations have made news.
In 2020, Sydney's ANZAC bridge inadvertently hoisted an improperly designed New Zealand flag.
Many perceived this as a mark of disrespect. Transport NSW quickly extended their apologies, attributing the oversight to a vendor's manufacturing mistake, and swiftly replaced the flag.
And who could forget the 2012 London Olympics fiasco?
The South Korean flag was mistakenly displayed next to the North Korean women’s soccer team, causing such a stir that the players temporarily left the field in protest.
Fortunately, this error was corrected swiftly, avoiding graver repercussions.
At the 2012 London Olympics, organisers mistakenly displayed a rival's flag during North Korea's first event and later apologised. Video source: GOAL
Such blunders stress the paramount importance of accurately representing nations, considering the deep respect and identity flags hold.
Members, have you ever noticed a similar mix-up? Flags aside, how can we help non-Australians differentiate Aussies from our beloved neighbours?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Whether it's the almost indistinguishable accents to many foreigners, similar culinary preferences, or parallel clothing styles, distinguishing between the two nations can sometimes pose a challenge to foreign eyes.
Speaking of tricky differences, one thing the two countries nearly share recently caught the attention of an eagle-eyed traveller: their national flags.
The traveller encountered an embarrassing error concerning the Australian flag at a notable European location.
The traveller took to social media, posting a photograph of digital screens at Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands.
In a blunder, the airport had swapped the flags of Australia and New Zealand.
At Amsterdam Airport, a flag mix-up led to workers mistakenly interchanging the Australian and New Zealand flags. Image source: Reddit
The two flags both bear a Union Jack in the top-left corner against a blue backdrop—an indelible mark of their shared roots from the British.
But it’s safe to say the two are similar, they also have unique elements.
As any Aussie knows, their star patterns and colours are distinct.
The Australian flag has the Southern Cross alongside a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star, on the other hand, the New Zealand flag features four red stars in a stylised Southern Cross pattern.
Australia's flag (left) and New Zealand's flag (right).
Image source: Pixabay
Image source: Pixabay
This mix-up at the airport led to Australia being represented with New Zealand's emblematic stars, eliciting various online responses.
Some found the mistake amusing, while others were more than a little miffed by the diplomatic oversight.
One online commenter joked, ‘That's because, in the northern hemisphere, everything is the other way round.’
Another humorously suggested an airport employee was ‘goofing off’ during their shift.
Such flag mistakes aren't new. Past incidents involving the flags of adversarial nations have made news.
In 2020, Sydney's ANZAC bridge inadvertently hoisted an improperly designed New Zealand flag.
Many perceived this as a mark of disrespect. Transport NSW quickly extended their apologies, attributing the oversight to a vendor's manufacturing mistake, and swiftly replaced the flag.
And who could forget the 2012 London Olympics fiasco?
The South Korean flag was mistakenly displayed next to the North Korean women’s soccer team, causing such a stir that the players temporarily left the field in protest.
Fortunately, this error was corrected swiftly, avoiding graver repercussions.
At the 2012 London Olympics, organisers mistakenly displayed a rival's flag during North Korea's first event and later apologised. Video source: GOAL
Such blunders stress the paramount importance of accurately representing nations, considering the deep respect and identity flags hold.
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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