Activity 2. Travelling by air

Step 1. Discuss in pairs whether you like travelling by air or not and why? Give your reasons.Use the prompts given in the previous activity as well as objections given below.

ВВВВВВВВ 1. The risk is too great — one always hears of air crashes.

ВВВВВВВВ 2. Modern airplanes are often hijacked.

ВВВВВВВВ 3. Flying is too expensive.

ВВВВВВВВ 4. Planes are too fast and you don’t have time enough to acclimatize yourself to new surroundings and climate.

ВВВВВВВВ 5. You can’t see anything but clouds while travelling.

ВВВВВВВВ 6. You get airsick.

ВВВВВВВВ 7. It is difficult to get air tickets at the height of the summer season.

Step 2. How to book a flight online. Work in pairs. Your partner’s acquaintance wants to book a flight online, however, this will be his first experience, so he doesn’t know how to do it. Read the hints (App. 1) together and decide on which of them to give him as a piece of advice. Use your own experience as well.

Step 3. When you are at an airport you have to be prepared to answer certain questions and go through various checks. There are also several new words you might hear, such as: check-in, security check, boarding pass and so on. Here are some words and phrases that you may hear, or have to say, while you are at the airport.

Identity proof - This is your identification. It could be your passport, your social security card, your driver’s license etc.

Boarding pass - This is the pass that allows you to board the aircraft. You usually get it from the check-in counter, but sometimes you might also get it online by checking in online.

Security check - It’s the process when you and your baggage are checked to make sure you are not carrying any prohibited items onto the airplane.

Frisking - When a security officer searches a person by passing his/her hands quickly over clothes or through pockets.

Check-in - During check-in, you register at the airline counter, submit your luggage and get your boarding pass which allows you to board or get onto the aircraft.

Check-in counter - The counters or tables where the airline staff are available to process your check-in request.

Check-in baggage - This is the baggage you give to the airline staff. This baggage is carried into the cargo hold.

Cabin baggage or Carry-on baggage - This is the baggage you are allowed to carry onto the aircraft.

Cargo hold - This is the place where all the check-in baggage is stored.

Security tag - To identify that the baggage has been checked at the security check, a tag is added to the hand-baggage. This is the security tag.

Window seat - This is the seat next to the window and you can look outside the aircraft from it.

Aisle seat - This is the seat next to the gallery inside the aircraft. It makes it easier to move around.

Overhead bin - This is an area above the seats where you can store your cabin baggage.

Flight attendants - Also called air attendants or sometimes air hostesses. They are airline employees whose job is to take care of the passengers during the flight.

Step 4. Listen to the dialogues and say where the people are, then name the stages of the procedures they are going through. Discuss in pairs the procedure of the registration of passengers and their luggage at the airport.