That’s Just Strait Up Wrong

I’m on a flight from Sydney, Australia, to Santiago, Chile. The flight is usually about thirteen and a half hours, but we’ve diverted quite significantly to avoid a big storm just north of us, so we’re diverting south for a little bit, adding an hour to our journey.

Passenger: *Calling a flight attendant.* “I’m looking at the map on my screen! Why are we going so far south?”

Flight Attendant: “We had to divert south to avoid a big storm out in the South Pacific. We’ll be pushing north again very soon.” *Then, trying to lighten the mood.* “Don’t worry, it’s not like we’re doing the Strait of Magellan in reverse or anything!”

The flight attendant moves on to help someone else, and I hear the passenger turn to their companion and say:

Passenger: “What’s she talking about Magellan for? Didn’t he take the Panama Canal?”