Man sues British Airways for flying him to Grenada, not Granada

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When Edward Gamson and his partner boarded a plane at London's Gatwick Airport, the couple expected to arrive two hours later in Moorish-influenced Granada, Spain. But mid-flight, they realized they were actually bound for Grenada, the Caribbean island... and that it would take them nine more hours to get there.

Gamson planned the Granada visit as a side trip to see Islamic art after booking a conference in Lisbon, Portugal. But one small letter made a 4,000mi detour.

“I made it absolutely clear to the booking agent I wanted to go to Granada in Spain", Gamson told The Independent. "Why on earth would I want to go to Grenada in the Caribbean if I was flying back to America from Lisbon"?

While there's no clear answer to that question, cabin crew on the flight assured the couple of their return to London, and then on to Granada, but they never reached the Spanish city. And the airline reportedly denied Gamson a refund of the $4,496 (£2650) spent on first-class tickets. 

Talk about a pricey typo.

Flickr/Phillip Capper

Of course, getting stuck on a gorgeous island in the Caribbean doesn't sound like the worst way to spend three days, but the American dentist wasn't just looking for any old beach -- and now he's suing British Airways for $34,000 in damages he said he spent on hotels, transportation and other costs involved with the trip.

“It’s just so sad. A trip we had been really looking forward to was ruined", he said. "BA won’t do the decent thing".

When asked about the incident by CNN, British Airways declined to comment. It also sought to have the case moved to a US federal court on grounds the case dealt with international travel, but the American judge denied the motion, saying it was a matter of booking, not travel.

According to NBC News, the judge even cited Mark Twain in the court ruling, saying the "difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug".

It just goes to show: You need to mind your Ps and Qs when you travel. Or maybe just your As and Es.

Chloe Pantazi is an editorial assistant on Thrillist's travel team. Yes, that's a British accent. No, she doesn't watch Doctor Who. Follow her on Twitter at @ChloePantazi.