Learning English > Business English > English For Work > Airline Staff

English for Airline Staff

Getting airline passengers safely and happily from one destination to another requires teamwork. The airline industry employs many different people, from pilots and flight crew to caterers and grounds crew. Many of these jobs require communication in English, whether it be among co-workers or with passengers. Most airline companies require that the flight crew be fluent in at least two languages. English is the most common second language that crew members need to learn. Whether your job is to book passengers on their flights, assist passengers with luggage, or fly the airplane itself, these pages can help you learn important words and expressions to use on the job in the airline industry. Read through the vocabulary, listen to the spoken English, and take the quizzes to test your comprehension.

Airline Vocabulary

Word part of speech	Meaning	Example sentence
airfare noun	cost of a plane ticket	The cost of your meal is covered in your airfare.
aisle noun	the long empty space that you walk down	Please keep your bags out of theaisle so that nobody trips.
aisle seat noun	the seat that is next to the aisle	I'll give you an aisle seat in case you need to walk around with the baby.
assist verb	help	Please wait until everyone is off the plane so that we can assistyou.
baggage noun	the bags and suitcases that travellers put their belongings in	I'm afraid your baggage got on the wrong airplane.
baggage, luggage claim noun	place where you pick up your baggage after arrival	The announcement will direct you to the correct baggage claim.
blanket noun	warm covering	If you feel cold I can get you ablanket.
boarding pass noun	part of the ticket that you give to the crew as you step onto the plane	Your must present your boarding pass at the gate.
bumpy, rough adj	up and down movement of the aircraft	It might be a bumpy ride because we are flying through a storm.
cabin noun	interior of the aircraft	There is no smoking allowed inside the cabin.
call light noun	a button passengers can press to get a crew member's attention	If you need anything, just press the call light.
captain noun	the person who is in charge of the plane	Would the kids like to go and meet the captain?
charter noun	discount airline	If you take a charter it will cost you half as much.
cockpit noun	the part of the plane where the captain and his co-pilots sit	We aren't doing any more tours of the cockpit because it's almost time to land.
comfortable adjective	feel good physically, able to relax	Because you have long legs you might be more comfortable in an aisle seat.
complimentary adjective	free of charge	We offer complimentary coffee or tea, but you have to pay for alcohol.
co-pilot noun	person who helps the captain fly the plane	If the captain gets sick the co-pilot can take over.
domestic adjective	within the same country	You should be at the airport two hours ahead of time for domesticflights.
emergency exit noun	section of the plane that opens in the case of an accident	Are you comfortable sitting next to the emergency exit?
e-ticket noun	airfare purchased on the internet	You will need to present your identification along with your e-ticket.
excess baggage noun	heavier/more bags than you are allowed	You can either pay for yourexcess baggage or leave one of your bags behind.
first-class noun/adj	more expensive seating, with better services	When you sit in first-class you get a better meal to eat.
gate noun	place where passengers go to wait to board a plane	Gate 3B is down this hall and to your right.
headset, earphones noun	device that allows passengers to listen to music or a movie	We will be coming around to sellheadsets for five dollars.
international adj	worldwide	For international departures, go up one level.
jet lag noun	tiredness due to travelling through different time zones	I'm used to travelling now. My body doesn't suffer from jet laganymore.
land verb	returning to the ground after being in the air	We will be landing in Tokyo in approximately ten minutes.
life vest, life jacket noun	a blow-up device that you put on in an emergency over water	Please take a moment to locate the life vest under your seat.
motion sickness noun	a bad feeling in the stomach that passengers get during a rough ride	There is a paper bag in front of you in case you experiencemotion sickness.
overbooked adj	more passengers than available seats	The flight is overbooked. Four of our passengers will have to wait for the next flight.
overhead bin/compartment noun	place above the seats for storing luggage	You'll have to put your bag under your seat because all of theoverhead bins are full.
over-sized baggage adj	items that do not fit in suitcases	Infant car seats and sporting equipment can be picked up at theover-sized baggage counter.
oxygen mask noun	a device that goes over a person's face, provides air in case of cabin air pressure loss	Put your oxygen mask on first before putting one on your child.
passport noun	document that proves a person's identification and nationality	Please have your passport out when you go through security.
pilot noun	the person who drives the plane	The pilot is circling over the airport until it is safe to land.
refreshments noun	drinks and snacks	It's a short flight, so we will be serving refreshments but not a meal.
row noun	a number of seats beside each other	You are in seat B of row nine.
runway noun	the strip of land that an airplane takes-off and lands on	The plane almost missed therunway because it was such a bad storm.
seatbelt noun	device that holds passengers in their seats	Please remain in your seats while the seatbelt light is on.
steward (male), stewardess (female), flight attendant, air host noun	man or woman who provides service for passengers during a flight	Ask one of the stewardesses for a pillow if you're tired.
stopover noun	touching down at more than one airport during a flight	It's not a direct flight. We're making one stopover in Toronto.
take off noun/verb	when the plane leaves the ground	We are next in line to take off on this runway.
taxi in, out verb	driving an airplane to the correct place for taking off or deboarding	Please remain in your seats until we taxi in to the gate.
touch down verb, noun	when the aircraft wheels land on the ground	That was a very smooth touch down.
turbulence noun	rough flight	This turbulence should only last a few minutes.
wheelchair noun	a seat for pushing elderly, disabled, or injured people	A steward will take you to the gate with a wheelchair.
window seat noun	seat next to the window where passengers can look out	If your child wants a window seat I can move you back a row.

Checking In Passengers

Check-in Assistant

Can I see your ticket, please?
Do you have your passport with you?
I'm afraid your passport has expired.
Do you have a second piece of identification?
I'll need to see your child's birth certificate.
How many bags are you checking?
Will you be bringing a carry-on bag?
I'm afraid that bag exceeds the size restrictions.
Did you pack your bags yourself?
Would you like an aisle or a window seat?
Would you like a wheelchair?
You'll board at Gate 7.
Please be at the gate thirty minutes before your scheduled flight.
Did you need any tags for your luggage?
Your flight is expected to take off on time.
Your flight has been delayed by one hour.
Flight 87B to Toronto has been canceled.
I'm afraid you're too late to check-in.
Your flight is overbooked. Would you be interested in giving up your seat?
Enjoy your flight.

Passenger

I'm not sure which of these papers is my ticket.
Is it possible to get an aisle seat?
I requested a vegetarian meal. Can you check to confirm?
Can I take my child through security?
Is the flight on time?
Will they be serving a meal today?
Will they be showing an inflight movie?
Where can I get a luggage cart?
Can I use my laptop on board?

Sample Conversation

Check-in Assistant:	Hello. Are you flying to St. Martin today?
Passenger:	Yes, I have my ticket here.
Check-in Assistant:	Great. I'll need to see your passport as well.
Passenger:	I have an e-ticket. Uh...is this the part you need?
Check-in Assistant:	Actually I just need your name and I can find you on the computer.
Passenger:	Oh OK. It's Bates. Frank Bates.
Check-in Assistant:	Great. Here we are. Oh, you're traveling with an infant today.
Passenger:	Yes, my daughter Mia. She's 14 months.
Check-in Assistant:	Okay. I'll need to see your daughter's birth certificate to prove that she is under two years of age.
Passenger:	Here you are. Say, would we be able to get an aisle seat? I may have to walk her around if she gets fussy.
Check-in Assistant:	Sure. I'll put you near the washroom too.
Passenger:	Thanks. Can I take my stroller to the gate?
Check-in Assistant:	Yes, we'll check it in the over-sized luggage after you board. Are you just checking these two bags today?
Passenger:	Yes, I'll take my knapsack as my carry-on.
Check-in Assistant:	Did you pack these bags yourself?
Passenger:	Yes.
Check-in Assistant:	Okay. Here is your boarding pass. Be at the gate one hour prior to boarding time. You will be able to preboard because you are traveling with an infant. Our flight crew will have some special instructions for take-off and landing.