Do you ever use English when you travel – for holidays or business trips? This free English listening lesson from Oxford Online English will introduce some useful words and phrases to use when checking in at the airport.
Woman: Good morning, sir. Where are you flying today?
Man: Paris, via Dubai.
Woman: Can I take your passport?
Man: Yes, here you are.
Woman: Have you already checked in1 online?
Man: No, I haven’t.
Woman: OK. How many bags will you be checking2 in?
Man: Just one.
Woman: OK, put it on the belt3 for me, please. Hmmm, it’s a little overweight.
Man: Oh, really? I’m sorry…
Woman: No problem, I’ll let you off4 this time.
Man: Oh, thanks very much.
Woman: Do you have hand luggage5?
Man: No, I don’t.
Woman: Here’s your passport, and your boarding pass6. Gate number 25. You need to be at the gate forty minutes before departure.
Man: Thanks. By the way, do I have to pick up my bag in Dubai?
Woman: No, your baggage is checked through7 to Paris.
Man: Great!
Woman: Have a nice flight!
- You can check in for a flight, also into a hotel
- Future continuous is used here to show politeness
- Belt = conveyor belt: a machine used to move baggage around
- Let sb off = not to punish someone, a bit like “let sb go”
- Hand luggage (or hand baggage) is a small bag you can take on board the plane
- You can say boarding pass or boarding card.
- Checked through = checked in for more than one flight
Complete the sentences with one word
- You can’t take such a big suitcase on _________, you’ll have to check it in.
- Your luggage is checked _________ to your final destination.
- If your bags are _________, you’ll have to pay extra.
- Make sure you’re at the gate half an hour before _________.
- Direct flights were too expensive so I’m going _________ Moscow.
Can you match the words which have the same meaning?
| 6. luggage | a) collect |
| 7. boarding card | b) baggage |
| 8. I’ll let you off | c) conveyor |
| 9. pick up | d) boarding pass |
| 10. belt | e) I won’t punish you |
- board
- through
- overweight
- departure
- via
- b
- d
- e
- a
- c
