This lesson suits intermediate learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz.
Learning notes
Language objective:
Understanding flight announcements and talking to airline staff.
Different phrases to use when talking to airline staff:
- I'd like to check in.
- Any chance for an upgrade?
- I’ll have the aisle seat, please.
- Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?
- When does boarding begin?
Different phrases you will hear when you are checking-in at the airport:
- Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready.
- Please make your way to the check-in counters.
- Can I see your passport, please?
- Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?
- Let me check and weigh that for you.
- Have you got any luggage to check-in?
- Here's your boarding pass.
- Have a great flight!
Colloquial expressions:
A bit tight means that something is already full, so there might not be enough room for anything extra.
All set means everything is ready and done.
Reckon is used as a more casual way of expressing an opinion or making a statement.
Being used to something means being familiar with it.
Vocabulary:
An airport check-in announcement is when airline staff use a loudspeaker to tell passengers it is time to check-in and prepare for their flights.
An aisle seat is a seat that is next to one of the aisles of the plane.
Bag drop is a designated area for passengers to drop off their checked luggage.
Boarding is when passengers can get onto the aircraft before it departs.
A boarding pass is a ticket you need to show when boarding that includes information such as your seat number, boarding time and gate number.
Business class is a cabin class in air travel with more comfortable seats and additional services.
A carry-on bag is a bag or luggage that a passenger is allowed to bring into the cabin of the plane.
Check-in is the process at an airport where passengers confirm their presence on a flight, receive a boarding pass, and check-in their luggage if needed.
The overhead compartment or overhead bin or locker is the cupboard above your plane seat.
Self-service check-in kiosk is where passengers can go through the check-in process by themselves using a stand-alone machine.
The window seat is the seat right by the window of the plane.
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia.
Hi, my name is TJ. I remember the first time I was in an Australian airport going on holidays. There were so many people and lots of loud announcements that were hard to understand. I was worried I was missing some really important information.
But you don't need to worry ... in this episode, we’ll practise listening to some airport announcements and learn words and phrases that you will need to know when you check-in.
And later, we will talk to a trainee pilot who will share some tips for a comfortable flight.
For now, let’s listen to our characters, Allan and Claire.
Imagine … Claire has arrived at a busy airport, ready to go on holidays. She’s holding her bags and is trying to work out where to go. Then … she hears a flight announcement …
Allan
Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to inform you that check-in for flight LE51 to Queenstown is now open. Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready. Please make your way to the check-in counters or self-service check-in kiosks.
Claire
Hi, I'd like to check-in.
Allan
Of course, can I see your passport, please?
Claire
Here it is. Flying makes me nervous. Any chance for an upgrade?
Allan
Sorry, there are no upgrades available on this flight. But you can choose your seat. Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?
Claire
I'll have the aisle seat, please. Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?
Allan
It might be a bit tight. Let me check and weigh that for you. Have you got any luggage to check-in?
Claire
Yes, just this suitcase. Um ... When does boarding begin?
Allan
At 3pm. Your gate number is A12. Now, your carry-on bag should fit and here's your boarding pass. You're all set. Have a great flight!
Hearing that conversation made me want to book a flight and go on holiday but there’s no time for that … we need to learn these useful words and phrases. Let’s hear them again …
Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to inform you that check-in for flight LE51 to Queenstown is now open. Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready. Please make your way to the check-in counters or self-service check-in kiosks.Allan
When you are travelling by air, check-in is the first step before you board a plane. This is where you present your passport or travel documents and check-in your luggage if you need to.
You can often check-in online or at a self-service kiosk at the airport. But both in person or online, you’ll need to understand some specific words and phrases.
Claire is checking-in at the airline counter, in person.
Claire
Hi, I'd like to check-in.
Allan
Of course, can I see your passport, please?
Here it is. Flying makes me nervous. Any chance for an upgrade?Claire
The first thing that airline staff ask the passenger for is their passport to confirm identity.
If you want to know if there’s a possibility of getting a higher grade of seat, you ask “Any chance for an upgrade?”
People sometimes ask for an upgrade to the seat they have already paid for when they want a more comfortable or luxurious travel experience, but these seats may not be available on their flight.
In a hotel, an upgrade could mean getting a better room, such as a suite or a room with a better view. On an aeroplane, an upgrade means moving from economy to business, first class or premium economy, about which airline staff member Allan said ...
Sorry, there are no upgrades available on this flight. But you can choose your seat. Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?Allan
An aisle seat is a seat that is next to one of the aisles of the plane so that you can easily get up and move around if you need to, and the window seat is – you guessed it well, right by the window of the plane.
Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?Claire
The word “reckon” can be used in different ways. You can use “I reckon ...” when you want to say, “I think ...” or “I believe ...” like “I reckon it’s going to be sunny!” It’s a way of giving your opinion about something without sounding too strong or direct.
You can also use it to ask someone what they think or believe, just like Claire, who wanted to know if her bag would fit in the overhead compartment.
An overhead compartment, or sometimes called the overhead bin, is the cupboard right above your seat on the plane. That's where you put your carry-on bags, also called hand luggage.
"Do you reckon" can also be used to ask for help informally but politely. So, for example, you could ask a friend to help you carry your luggage by saying, "Do you reckon you could help me with this bag?"
Anyway, Allan replied with ...
It might be a bit tight. Let me check and weigh that for you. Have you got any luggage to check in?Allan
When something's "a bit tight," it means that something is already full and so there might not be enough room for anything extra. If your budget's a bit tight, it means that it may not be enough to cover something extra.
In this case, Allan's saying the overhead compartment is a bit tight, which means there may not be enough space for the bag. So, he weighed it on the scales and other luggage to make sure it met the weight restrictions according to the airline's rules.
Claire
When does boarding begin?
Allan
At 3pm. Your gate number is A12. Now, your carry-on bag should fit and here's your boarding pass.
Boarding is when the passengers are allowed to get onto the aircraft before it departs. If you want to know the time you can get on the plane, you can ask, "When does boarding begin?"
You will also receive a boarding pass after checking-in. Your boarding pass is a ticket you need to show when boarding. It includes information such as your seat number, boarding time and gate number.
You're all set. Have a great flight!Allan
When someone says, "You're all set," it means everything you need is ready and done. It’s a casual way of saying there's nothing left for you to do or worry about in that situation.
Now, that’s a lot of useful words and phrases to use when checking in!
Are you all set to listen again the conversation of Allan and Claire? Let’s listen!
(Repeat dialogue)
And now, we will talk to trainee pilot, David Sina, who will share the importance of listening to airport announcements.
TJ
Hi David. How are you?
David
Hi, I'm good. Thank you, TJ, for having me today.
TJ
Is it really your dream to become a pilot?
David
Yes. My dream is to become a pilot. I have always been fascinated by flying and then curious about how like really big things like aeroplanes can fly up to the sky. Since then, I have always been searching about like how the pilots fly the planes. How do aircraft fly? It’s just always been my dream to see different places around the world, and the sky up there's really beautiful.
TJ
You are in your final years of studying as a pilot. How do you feel about it?
David
Yes, I’m really excited, and I'm looking forward to work. It's coming next year. It's really intense. So, I will probably be flying three to four days per week. Hoping to finish it soon.
TJ
Well, I have to confess as a passenger, I don't always listen to announcements. What makes these announcements important to pay attention to?
David
It's really vital to understand these announcements because it serves a critical purpose as it provides really important information to the passengers, safety and not just like that ... sometimes they change the gates and also the details of the flight and especially events of an emergency landing and the procedure outlined and (that's) significant (for) everyone's well-being. It's really, really crucial that we should pay attention to the announcement.
TJ
So, from a pilot's perspective, any tips for passengers during the check-in process because it is the first step usually before boarding a plane. Are there any common mistakes that passengers make during check-in that can be easily avoided?
David
Passengers can avoid the common mistakes by checking, (and) double-checking their flight details and also ensuring that they have their identification ready and especially confirming the baggage allowances. It's really important to avoid that mistake as well, and being organised will help speed up the process.
TJ
David. Can you also give some basic tips for a comfortable flight?
David
To enjoy a comfortable flight, it's really good that you can bring headrests to the flight, stay hydrated during the flight and do some movement because if you are sitting in the plane and don't move around, you’re going to experience back pains and (feel) sore on your back and shoulder. So, it's really good to walk around the aircraft.
TJ
Thank you so much for all the tips, David. Thank you for joining us today.
David
Thank you so much for having me. It's been my pleasure.
A big thank you to our educational consultant, Professor Lynda Yates.
Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire.
Sound effects credit: Pixabay/Olenchic/Universifield
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