Meeting a passenger

Dialogue

Pour days later Mr.Marshall is at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport waiting for his wife's flight to arrive from London. Suddenly it is announced that her flight has a fifty-minute delay. Mr.Marshall, who is worried, goes to the Plight Information counter.

Mr.Marshall: Can you please give me any more information on the delayed flight from London?

Receptionist: Do you mean the International Airlines service?

Mr.Marshall: Yes, that's it. I heard an announcement about it but I couldn't catch everything that was said.

Receptionist: It's flight XA105, and it's expected to arrive here at 17.50 hours.

Mr.Marshall: That's nearly an hour late. Do you know what caused the delay.

Receptionist: I'm sorry, sir. I have no more information at present.

Mr.Marshall: Couldn't you check with International Airlines-perhaps they might know more?

Receptionist: They didn't, know the cause of the delay a few minutes ago, but I'll make another check with them.

Excuse me a moment... Yes, sir, they tell me now that they have received a message from London informing them that

departure was delayed forty minutes because of a technical fault, and that a further delay of 10 minutes is expected en

route because of headwinds and АТС congestion.

Mr,Marshall: What on earth is АТС congestion? It sounds like some dreadful chest illness.

Receptionist: I'm sorry, I should have explained. АТС is Air Traffic Control, and when they get too many aircraft in one area at once they have to put them into a holding pattern, which means that some flights get slowed down and delayed a little.

Mr.Marshall: Thank you. I'm glad it's nothing serious. My wife is on that plane, and I'm sure she'll he worrying even more than I am.

Receptionist: There's nothing to worry about, sir, I can assure you. Quite a number of flights are running a little late tonight.

Mr. Marshall: Will you be confirming the arrival time later on over the public address system?

Receptionist: Yes, we shall announce the progress of the flight and its confirmed arrival time when we receive the information. In the meantime, why don't you relax? What about having a cup of coffee? There's a coffee bar farther along the concourse.

Mr.Marshall: Is there? Where is it? I can't see it from here.

Receptionist: You see the big sign advertising Chianti? It's just beyond that, to the right.

Mr.Marshall: Thank you so much.

Receptionist: It's a pleasure. Oh, before you go, that man in uniform coming towards us. is the International Airlines Passenger Officer. Why don't you have a word with him? He'll keep you informed, I'm sure

Mr.Marshall: I'll do that... Excuse me, you're the International Airlines Passenger Officer, I believe

Passenger Officer:Yes, that's right. Can I help you?

Mr.'Marshall: Your flight XA105 from London is delayed. My wife is on board and I just wondered if there was any further delay. I know the way delays can snowball.

Passenger Officer: Well, sir, we were hoping that after the initial delay in getting away from London the flight would not get any further off schedule.

Mr.Marshall: But now you're going to tell me there's a further delay, aren't you? Passenger Officer: Yes, I'm afraid we may get held up a little longer. We were expecting some delay here because of possible АТС congestion, but that has now lengthened and flight XA105 will be exactly one hour late.

Mr.Marshall: Well, there's nothing I can do about it, I suppose. I shall just have to wait.

Passenger Officer: Well, there's one consolation. Leonardo da Vinci Airport is one of the most modern and attractive terminals in the world. You couldn't find a more congenial place in which to spend an hour or so.

Mr. Marshall: Nо, I suppose you're right. Where will the passengers come through when they arrive?

Passenger Officer: After disembarking and collecting their baggage they come through the Customs Hall and emerge into the main concourse through the arrivals area on the far side, over there.

Mr. Marshall: Oh, yes, I can see the sign. I'll be able to meet my wife there when she arrives.

Passenger Officer: That's right. And if you keep your eye on any of the arrival indicator boards you'll see the flight number come up fairly soon, with the confirmed time of arrival.

Mr. Marshall: I suppose that after disembarking, the Customs and other formalities will take about fifteen minutes or so.

Passenger Officer: Certainly no longer than that, sir. Ah, now here we are; flight ХАЮ5 has just come up on the indicator. As you can see, it shows a delay of one hour, and is du'e to land in twenty minutes. When the aircraft has actually landed the indicator will show that information also.

Mr. Marshall: Splendid. Thank you for all your help. I shall just have time for a cup of coffee before my wife arrives.

Passenger Officer: Yes,sir, you've timed it rather well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and make sure everything goes smoothly when our passengers arrive. I hope your wife has had a pleasant journey in spite of the delay.

Mr. Marshall: Thank you. Good-bye.

EXERCISES

I. Translate into Russian:

to announce, a delay, the Flight Information counter, a delayed flight, to catch, to cause a delay, a technical fault, en route, congestion, headwind, a holding pattern, to get slowed down, to run late, to confirm the arrival time, to relax, concourse, in uniform,to get off schedule, to lengthen, to emerge into the concourse, arrival indicator board, to be due to land, to tine, charter flights, to operate services to a timetable, disruption, stand by aircraft = a reserve aircraft, to transfer to.

II. Translate into' English:

объявить, объявление, задержать, задержка, задержанный рейс, вызвать задержку, причина задержки, подтвердить, подтверждение, подтвержденный, отдыхать, указывать, указатель, зона ожидания, техническая неисправность, перегруженность /аэропорта/, рассчитывать по времени, резервный самолет, успеть на рейс, забрать багаж.

III. Translate the following sentences:

If you want to get some more information on the delayed flight you should go to the Flight Information counter. I've heard an announcement but I couldn't catch everything that was said. When is this flight expected to arrive here? Do you know what has caused the delay? How long was the departure delayed? Was the departure delayed because of a technical fault? Is a further delay expected en route? Quite a number of flights are running a little late. Do they confirm the arrival time over the PA system? The confirmed arrival time is announced when the information is received. We thought that the flight would not pet any further off schedule, hut now we are expecting some delay because of АТС congestion. Your flight will be exactly one hour late. Where will the passengers come through when they arrive? After collecting their baggage they come through the Customs hall, then to the main concourse through the arrival area. Keep your eye on the arrival indicator board and you'll see the flight number with the confirmed time of arrival come up on the arrival indicator hoard. Your flight is due to land in 20 min. When is our flight due to land? Will this indicator board show the information after the aircraft has landed? We've had a pleasant jourey in spite of the delay.

IV. Answer the following questions:

Are charter flights operated to a carefully planned timetable? What do planned operations ensure? What do airlines find expensive and unwelcome? Why is disruption to the timetable expensive? Where can airlines have an aircraft in reserve? What can cause delays? How do passengers react to a serious delay?

V.Test. Translate the following sentences:

Вы ждете кого-нибудь? Кого вы ждете? Вдруг объявляют, что рейс с задержкой на 40 мин. Не могли бы вы сообщить нам что-нибудь о задержке рейca из Лондона? Я слышал объявление, но не смог все понять. Ожидают, что этот рейс прибудет через 35 мин, в 17.20. Вы не знаете, что вызвало задержку? Вылет из Лондона был задержан по технической причине, из-за встречного ветра ожидается еще задержка на 10 мин. Я могу вас уверить, нет ничего серьезного, много рейсов идут с задержкой в это время года. Вы подтвердите время прибытия позже? Как только мы получим информацию, мы пе-редадим подтверждение времени прибытия. Только что было передано подтвержденное время прибытия. Почему бы вам не поговорить с дежурным, он вас проинформирует. Интересно, будет ли дальнейшая задержка? Мы ожидали задержку из-за перегрузки УВД. Этот рейс задерживают ровно на час. Объявили о задержке вашего рейса. Это будет задержка на 40 мин. Вы можете информировать пассажиров о задержке рейса из Москвы. Я не смог понять, что было сказано о задержке нашего рейса. Какая ожидается задержка? Когда ожидается прибытие рейса из Москвы? Что вызвало задержку? Возможно, вы можете знать причину задержки этого рейса? Вы получили информацию о задержке рейса? Отправление задержали на 40 мин. из-за технической неисправности. Ожидается ли дальнейшая задержка? Я уверяю вас, нет причины волноваться, задержка из-за встречного ветра. Мы подтвердили время прибытия. Много рейсов опаздывает сегодня. Вы можете отдыхать, мы будем постоянно Вас информировать.

VI. Act out dialogues on the following situations:

I. A client is worried by an hour delay of his children's flight from Moscow to Rome, give him some information on the delayed flight. 2. A representative of a firm is waiting. for a group of specialists to arrive from Russia, their flight is delayed, he's interested in the causes of delays and where the passengers will come through when they arrive.

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