Avoiding the Sydney, Nova Scotia error [closed]

Mainly, you avoid these types of mistakes by just double checking the IATA codes (as mentioned by the other answers) for your destination airport... when you're paying to fly across the world, it pays to be extra careful, and make sure you've done your homework.

• Check the IATA airport codes - kind of an obvious one. Research exactly where it is you're landing. Google map it, the whole deal. I really like airportcod.es for this, and WikiVoyage which tells you about the airport, which airlines serve it, and how to get to it via different forms of transport. This is especially important when using low-cost carriers (Ryanair I'm looking at you...) because they take some "creative liberties" with the airport names. Ex: "Milan Bergamo Airport" (is not in Milan! But 1.5 hours away in the small city of Bergamo.)

Additionally though:

• Check the total flight time - I'm surprised no one's mentioned this. If I was flying from Europe to Australia and noticed the flight time was less than 12 hours, that should raise some red flags. I like to use Google Flights to get an idea of the flights times, and usual number of layovers for any particular itinerary, before even trying to buy the fare.

The best way to avoid this problem is to use a travel agent, who will be familiar with the airport codes. Of course, most people prefer to avoid the inconvenience and expense by buying the ticket ourselves, which puts the responsibility for checking the details on our own shoulders.