Airport Conversation in English

Beginner Level Conversations- Series 1- Lesson 6- Airport Conversation in English

Are you excited about being a traveler! Ready to take your first flight but worried about speaking English at the airport? No worries! In this lesson, we’ll cover essential airport conversations in English, particularly at the check-in desk. Whether you’re flying domestically or internationally, these dialogues will help you.

Previous Conversation Lesson

Conversation Questions for Buying Tickets

How to Speak English Conversation at the Airport

Airport English Speaking #1 – Check-In at the Airport

John is heading to Paris for a vacation. When he arrives at the airport, he goes to the check-in desk.

Agent: Good morning! Where are you going today?
John: Good morning! I’m going to Paris.
Agent: Your passport, please?
John: Here you are!
Agent: Do you have any bags to check?
John: Yes, I have one suitcase.
Agent: Please place it on the scale.
John: Okay.
Agent: Here is your boarding pass. Your flight departs from gate 12B and boarding begins at 2:00 pm. Your seat is 24C.
John: Thanks.

English Airport Vocabulary

Instead of “Where are you flying today?”the agent may ask “What’s your final destination?” The answer will be the same!

You can say “Here you go”anytime you give something to somebody.

To check your bags means to put them on the airplane inside the cargo compartment. The small bag you take with you on the airplane is called a carry-on. You need to put your carry-on bags through the X-ray machine at security check-points. .

The scale is the equipment that tells you the weight of your luggage.

A stopover or layover is when the airplane stops in a different city before continuing to the final destination.

If the agent says that your luggage will go straight through, it means it will go directly to the final destination (and you don’t need to pick it up during your stopover).

Boarding passes are the tickets that permit you to enter the airplane.

When a plane begins boarding, it means that the passengers start to enter the plane. Usually boarding time is 30-60 minutes before takeoff (when the plane leaves).

Extra questions in the USA airports

On flights going to or inside the USA you might be asked some extra security questions before or during check-in. Here are some sample questions:

Answer YES to these questions:

Did you pack your bags yourself?
Has your luggage been in your possession at all times?
Are you aware of the regulations regarding liquids in your carry-on?

(Liquids must be 100 mL or less, and stored in a single quart-sized clear plastic bag)

Answer NO to these questions:

Are you carrying any firearms or flammable materials?
Have you left your luggage unattended at any time?
Has anyone given you anything to carry on the flight?

Airport English Speaking #2 – Going through Security

There are two pieces of equipment in security: you put your bags through the X-ray machine, and you walk through the metal detector. Some airports also use a body scanner for a more careful check.

The X-ray machine has a conveyor belt that moves your bags automatically through the machine. You can put small items like keys or money into plastic bins.

In the below conversation, John is walking through the metal detector.

His suitcase is on the conveyor belt after going through the X-ray machine.

Agent: Please place your bags flat on the conveyor belt and use the bins for small items, like your phone and keys.
John: Okay, got it.
Agent: Do you need to take your laptop out of the bag?
John: Oh, yeah, I forgot!
Agent: Take off your shoes and hat, too, please.
John: ( he quickly removes his shoes and hat and places them in a bin. He steps onto the metal detector, and… BEEP BEEP BEEP!)
Agent: Just step back a moment. Do you have anything in your pockets that might be setting off the alarm?
John: Let me see…
Agent: You can try taking off your belt.
Agent: You’re all set! Have a great flight.

The phrase “you’re all set” is a common expression that means “you’re finished and everything is OK.”

Phrasal Verbs: SET OFF and GO OFF

When the alarm sounds, we say “the alarm went off.” To describe what caused the alarm to sound, we say “set off” – for example, “My keys set off the alarm” or “My keys set off the metal detector.”

Airport English: Announcements at the Gate

Airports are divided into terminals (the major sections of the airport) and each terminal has many gates. The gate is the door you go through to enter the airplane. Here are a few announcements you might hear while you are at the gate, waiting for the plane to board.

There has been a gate change.

(this means the flight will leave from a different gate)

Delta flight 880 to New York is now boarding.

(this means it’s time for passengers to enter the plane)

Please have your boarding pass and identification ready for boarding.
We would like to invite our first- and business-class passengers to board.
We are now inviting passengers with small children and any passengers requiring special assistance to begin boarding.
We would now like to invite all passengers to board.

(this means everyone can enter the plane)

This is the final boarding call for Delta Airlines flight 880 to New York.

(this means it is the FINAL OPPORTUNITY to enter the plane before they close the doors)

Passenger Jack Johnson, please proceed to the Delta Airlines desk at gate 12.

Airport English Speaking #3: On the plane

The people who work inside the airplane serving food and drinks are called flight attendants. Both men and women who have this job are called flight attendants.

Flight attendant: Would you like chicken or pizza today?
John: What’s the chicken like?
Flight attendant: It’s roasted chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.
John: Okay, I think I’ll try the chicken.
Flight attendant: And what would you like to drink?
John: Do you have any fruit juice?
Flight attendant: We have apple juice, orange juice, and cranberry juice.
John: I’ll have cranberry juice, please.
Flight attendant: Here you go.

John: Thanks.

English Speaking Tips

If you didn’t understand what the flight attendant said, you can say Sorry? or Pardon? to ask him or her to repeat it.

If you want to ask for something, you can use the phrase “Can I have…?” or “Could I have…?” Practice your pronunciation with these common requests:

Can I have a pillow?
Can I have a blanket?
Can I have a pair of headphones/earbuds?
Could I have some water/coffee/tea?
Could I have some extra napkins?

Finally, if you need to stand up, but there is a person sitting between you and the aisle, you can say Excuse me and make a motion to start standing up. The person sitting next to you will understand and stand up to let you get out of your seat.

Conclusion

So there you have it! Now you’ve got the basic English phrases for getting around the airport. Practice these with a friend, and you’ll be speaking like a seasoned traveler in no time! Happy traveling!

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Taking a Taxi English Conversation

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