1. What is the process for checking in at the airport?

  If you’ve never been to

an airport before and this is your first flight there are a number of steps you
need to take. You will be required to check in, get your boarding pass ,
check your luggage and then proceed to the security gate and eventually to
your designated departure gate. Airport check-in  is when you let the
airline know that you are there. The airline will have someone check
your I.D. usually your driver’s license or your passport, they will check to see
if you have any luggage with you and, if you’re going to be checking that
luggage, they will then give you your boarding pass with your gate
number (номер выхода на посадку) on it so you may proceed to
the gate through security.
2. What other types of check-in are available at the airport?  Curbside
check-in is that little desk right on the sidewalk where the skycap is there
ready to check you in, take your baggage, and give you your boarding pass.
Sometimes, the line is a little shorter than inside at the baggage check-in
desk ,but it comes with a price. You’re required to at least tip the skycap or
sometimes there’s a mandatory fee of two dollars per bag right there on a
sign as you check in at the line. A self-service check-in is a know-it-all
computer that knows who you are as soon as you put in your ID or your credit
card. What you do is you verify who you are, and that you’re on the next
flight and what seat you want, and then it prints out your boarding pass for
you, right then and there; nobody needs to help you.
3. Is there a limit to the amount of luggage I can check?  There is absolutely
a limit to the number of bags you can check on a plane. You can’t just move
in your whole apartment with boxes and gigantic suitcases . Usually the limit
to the number of bags is two, but it varies from airline to airline. Check each
airline for their own personal requirements  before you book (your ticket. If
your bags are over the weight limit, you will be charged. Please do note
that the weight allowances can vary domestically versus international. If
you’re going on an international trip, and traveling through several different
airlines throughout the course of your vacation, make sure you know what the
bag restrictions are with each airline, because they do vary as you cross
overseas.
4. What are rules for “carry-on” luggage?  Usually, you’re only allotted two
carry-on bags – one to go under your seat or the overhead compartment, and
the other to be a personal item, such as a purse or a laptop computer. If you
are one of the last people to board a plane, sometimes you’re asked to check
one of your larger pieces of luggage at the gate if the plane is already full.
5. What happens if the airline loses my luggage?  If you can’t find your bag
once you get off the plane, know that you are not alone. This happens to a lot
of passengers. What you do is go directly to the airline desk and start filling
out the paperwork , letting them know that your baggage has been lost.
Sometimes it’s just on the flight behind you and they will deliver it to you
later. Otherwise, you might have to file a claim and wait for reimbursement
from the airline.
6. What does «overbooking» mean?Overbooking has been in the news a lot
lately. All it means is that they’ve sold more tickets than there are seats for
that flight, which is a scandal. Airlines often overbook  because they like to
fly full flights, so they will sell more tickets than there are seats because a few
people just might not show up . This is overbooking. If your flight is
overbooked, they might ask you to give up your seat, and if they don’t ask
you to give up your seat, they might do it for you. The incentive ) is they
might offer you travel credit, a meal voucher or a free ticket in exchange
for  taking a different flight and relieving the overbooking.
7. What is “standby»? Standby is when you have a ticket for one flight, but
you want to go on an earlier flight and get to your destination  a little sooner.
You check in, see if there are any other seats available on an earlier flight and
wait for it. If the seats are empty, you can go standby. One tip for flying
standby is to use the check-in desk instead of the kiosk. What you want to do
is ask a live person if there is any availability on an earlier flight. They’ll be
able to let you know and send you to the appropriate gate where you can get
your name on a waiting list. Go early, because the sooner you get there the
higher up your name will be on the standby waiting list.
8. Why do I have to be at the airport so early?  These days it is best to arrive
at least two hours early, if you are flying domestically. If you are on
an International Flight you want to arrive three hours early; this alleviates
stress and it also gives you plenty of time to go through the security gate.
You want to make sure you get to the airport early, at least two hours ahead of
time, because security clearance  has been ramped up and it can take a long
time to get through the security gate. With the procedures that they have
today, you may need to take off your shoes, jacket and belt. You need to take
your laptop out of its bag and you may have to make sure your change is in its
special compartment, so you can use up to four or five trays sometimes to get
through the security gate. With everybody lined up to get on their flight, this
can take quite a while. This is why it is good to be at the airport early.
9. What happens if I miss my connecting flight because my first flight was
late? If you need to be re-booked on a flight because you’ve missed a
connection , you want to check with your airline provider to see if there’s
another flight that you can get on for free. Sometimes, if there are none
available and all the flights are full you might have to change airlines, and in
this case you might be charged a fee or even another price of a ticket. The
airline is responsible if it was due to mechanical failure , but if it was
weather and you were caught in some snowstorm for example, they are not
responsible for booking you on another flight.
10. If my flight is cancelled or I’m bumped, what is airline’s obligation?  If
the flight that you want to be re-booked on is full and you have to wait until
the next day, sometimes the airline will put you up in a hotel. But if they
don’t and you need to pay for it yourself, try asking the hotel (nearby an
airport) for the distressed passenger discount . Then you can maybe get a
better deal on the overnight stay. If you’re bumped and the airline is going to
 offer you some compensation, try and get a cheque rather than a flight
voucher .Cash in hand is always better than a flight voucher because the
vouchers could have blackout dates ,restricting you from travelling anytime
you want. Whereas, with the cash, you can use it for whatever you want, or
you can re-book a brand new ticket.
11. What are “blackout” dates?  Blackout dates are restricted days of travel.
So, if you are on a discounted flight, then the blackout dates are dates you
cannot travel on, such as holidays or special high peak season vacation times.
But these blackout dates vary from airline to airline so you want to make sure
you check with your provider before you book your ticket.
12. What is the standard “connection time” between flights?  The standard
“connection time” between flights is usually about 45 minutes to an hour and
a half, but if you’re traveling overseas, the “connection time” can be upwards
of two, four, even five or six hours, between flights.

 Complete each sentence with the appropriate word.

1. An airport … is a main building at an airport where passengers arrive and

depart.
2. … is the section of an airport where passengers arrive.
3. Two general words for bags and suitcases are … and ….
4. When you arrive at the airport, you go to … … to get your boarding pass.
5. Before you get on the plain you have to show identification at … … and go
through security.
6. Passengers flying to another country are usually entitled to buy cheap alcohol,
cigarettes, etc., from the … free shops.
7. Baggage which is heavier than the weight allowed as free baggage for a
certain category of tickets is called … baggage.
8. The track, or ‘road’ on which an aircraft takes off and lands is called the ….
9. After you arrived you go to … … to pick up your luggage.
10. When you go through …, you may be asked “Do you have anything to
declare?”
11. The person who looks after you during a flight is the … ….
12. You can usually ask for a window or aisle ….
13. When a plane is going up into sky it is … ….
14. When a plane is coming down from the air it is ….
15. The feeling of sleepiness that affects you after you have travelled through
several time zones is called ….