SBS Learn English「空港でチェックイン」

Practise listening to some airport announcements and learn words and phrases that you will need to know when you check-in. Credit: Jon Feingersh Photography Inc/Getty Images

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空港でのチェックインで使える実用的な基本フレーズやボキャブラリーを学んでいきましょう。

英語を理解し話すことは、オーストラリアでの生活を向上させるのにとても役立ちます。ポッドキャスト、

SBS Learn English

では、日々のさまざまなシチュエーションで使えるとっさの英語や表現を、あらゆる例を取り入れて簡単に説明します。

このエピソードは中級者に適しています。聴き終わったらクイズで学習成果を確認しましょう。

学習ノート

レッスン目標:

空港でのアナウンスを理解し、グラウンドスタッフと会話をする

グラウンドスタッフと会話するさいに使えるさまざまなフレーズ:

I'd like to check in.
Any chance for an upgrade?
I’ll have the aisle seat, please.
Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?
When does boarding begin?

空港でのチェックイン時に耳にするさまざまなフレーズ:

Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready.
Please make your way to the check-in counters.
Can I see your passport, please?
Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?
Let me check and weigh that for you.
Have you got any luggage to check-in?
Here's your boarding pass.
Have a great flight!

口語的な言い回し：

A bit tight 　ー　すでにいっぱい。余分なものを入れる十分なスペースがないかもしれないという意味。

All set ー　準備完了。

Reckon ー　～思うという意味。よりカジュアルな表現のときに使われる。

Being used to something ー　慣れている。

ボキャブラリー:

Airport check-in announcement ー　チェックインやフライトについてのアナウンス

Aisle seat ー　通路側

Bag drop　ーセルフサービスで荷物を預ける場所

Boarding　ー搭乗

Boarding pass ー　搭乗券　

Carry-on bag ー　手荷物

Overhead compartment （or overhead bin or locker）ー　座席上の共用収納棚

スクリプト:

(注：これは一字一句書き起こしたものではありません）

SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia. 

Hi, my name is TJ. I remember the first time I was in an Australian airport going on holidays. There were so many people and lots of loud announcements that were hard to understand. I was worried I was missing some really important information.

But you don't need to worry ... in this episode, we’ll practise listening to some airport announcements and learn words and phrases that you will need to know when you check-in.

And later, we will talk to a trainee pilot who will share some tips for a comfortable flight.

For now, let’s listen to our characters, Allan and Claire.

Imagine … Claire has arrived at a busy airport, ready to go on holidays. She’s holding her bags and is trying to work out where to go. Then … she hears a flight announcement …

Allan

Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to inform you that check-in for flight LE51 to Queenstown is now open. Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready. Please make your way to the check-in counters or self-service check-in kiosks.

Claire

Hi, I'd like to check-in.

Allan

Of course, can I see your passport, please?

Claire

Here it is. Flying makes me nervous. Any chance for an upgrade?

Allan

Sorry, there are no upgrades available on this flight. But you can choose your seat. Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?

Claire

I'll have the aisle seat, please. Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?

Allan

It might be a bit tight. Let me check and weigh that for you. Have you got any luggage to check-in?

Claire

Yes, just this suitcase. Um ... When does boarding begin?

Allan

At 3pm. Your gate number is A12. Now, your carry-on bag should fit and here's your boarding pass. You're all set. Have a great flight!

Hearing that conversation made me want to book a flight and go on holiday but there’s no time for that … we need to learn these useful words and phrases. Let’s hear them again …

Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to inform you that check-in for flight LE51 to Queenstown is now open. Passengers are kindly reminded to have their travel documents ready. Please make your way to the check-in counters or self-service check-in kiosks.
Allan

When you are travelling by air, check-in is the first step before you board a plane. This is where you present your passport or travel documents and check-in your luggage if you need to.

You can often check-in online or at a self-service kiosk at the airport. But both in person or online, you’ll need to understand some specific words and phrases.

Claire is checking-in at the airline counter, in person.

Claire

Hi, I'd like to check-in.

Allan

Of course, can I see your passport, please?

Here it is. Flying makes me nervous. Any chance for an upgrade?
Claire

The first thing that airline staff ask the passenger for is their passport to confirm identity.

If you want to know if there’s a possibility of getting a higher grade of seat, you ask “Any chance for an upgrade?”

People sometimes ask for an upgrade to the seat they have already paid for when they want a more comfortable or luxurious travel experience, but these seats may not be available on their flight.

In a hotel, an upgrade could mean getting a better room, such as a suite or a room with a better view. On an aeroplane, an upgrade means moving from economy to business, first class or premium economy, about which airline staff member Allan said ...

Sorry, there are no upgrades available on this flight. But you can choose your seat. Would you prefer an aisle or a window seat?
Allan

An aisle seat is a seat that is next to one of the aisles of the plane so that you can easily get up and move around if you need to, and the window seat is – you guessed it well, right by the window of the plane.

Do you reckon this bag will fit in the overhead compartment?
Claire

The word “reckon” can be used in different ways. You can use “I reckon ...” when you want to say, “I think ...” or “I believe ...” like “I reckon it’s going to be sunny!” It’s a way of giving your opinion about something without sounding too strong or direct.

You can also use it to ask someone what they think or believe, just like Claire, who wanted to know if her bag would fit in the overhead compartment.

An overhead compartment, or sometimes called the overhead bin, is the cupboard right above your seat on the plane. That's where you put your carry-on bags, also called hand luggage.

"Do you reckon" can also be used to ask for help informally but politely. So, for example, you could ask a friend to help you carry your luggage by saying, "Do you reckon you could help me with this bag?"

Anyway, Allan replied with ...

It might be a bit tight. Let me check and weigh that for you. Have you got any luggage to check in?
Allan

When something's "a bit tight," it means that something is already full and so there might not be enough room for anything extra. If your budget's a bit tight, it means that it may not be enough to cover something extra.

In this case, Allan's saying the overhead compartment is a bit tight, which means there may not be enough space for the bag. So, he weighed it on the scales and other luggage to make sure it met the weight restrictions according to the airline's rules.

Claire

When does boarding begin?

Allan

At 3pm. Your gate number is A12. Now, your carry-on bag should fit and here's your boarding pass.

Boarding is when the passengers are allowed to get onto the aircraft before it departs. If you want to know the time you can get on the plane, you can ask, "When does boarding begin?"

You will also receive a boarding pass after checking-in. Your boarding pass is a ticket you need to show when boarding. It includes information such as your seat number, boarding time and gate number.

You're all set. Have a great flight!
Allan

When someone says, "You're all set," it means everything you need is ready and done. It’s a casual way of saying there's nothing left for you to do or worry about in that situation.

Now, that’s a lot of useful words and phrases to use when checking in!

Are you all set to listen again the conversation of Allan and Claire? Let’s listen!

(Repeat dialogue)

And now, we will talk to trainee pilot, David Sina, who will share the importance of listening to airport announcements.

Hi David. How are you?

David

Hi, I'm good. Thank you, TJ, for having me today.

Is it really your dream to become a pilot?

David

Yes. My dream is to become a pilot. I have always been fascinated by flying and then curious about how like really big things like aeroplanes can fly up to the sky. Since then, I have always been searching about like how the pilots fly the planes. How do aircraft fly? It’s just always been my dream to see different places around the world, and the sky up there's really beautiful.

You are in your final years of studying as a pilot. How do you feel about it?

David

Yes, I’m really excited, and I'm looking forward to work. It's coming next year. It's really intense. So, I will probably be flying three to four days per week. Hoping to finish it soon.

Well, I have to confess as a passenger, I don't always listen to announcements. What makes these announcements important to pay attention to?

David

It's really vital to understand these announcements because it serves a critical purpose as it provides really important information to the passengers, safety and not just like that ... sometimes they change the gates and also the details of the flight and especially events of an emergency landing and the procedure outlined and (that's) significant (for) everyone's well-being. It's really, really crucial that we should pay attention to the announcement.

So, from a pilot's perspective, any tips for passengers during the check-in process because it is the first step usually before boarding a plane. Are there any common mistakes that passengers make during check-in that can be easily avoided?

David

Passengers can avoid the common mistakes by checking, (and) double-checking their flight details and also ensuring that they have their identification ready and especially confirming the baggage allowances. It's really important to avoid that mistake as well, and being organised will help speed up the process.

David. Can you also give some basic tips for a comfortable flight?

David

To enjoy a comfortable flight, it's really good that you can bring headrests to the flight, stay hydrated during the flight and do some movement because if you are sitting in the plane and don't move around, you’re going to experience back pains and (feel) sore on your back and shoulder. So, it's really good to walk around the aircraft.

Thank you so much for all the tips, David. Thank you for joining us today.

David

Thank you so much for having me. It's been my pleasure.

for previews, updates and to provide feedback.

A big thank you to our educational consultant, Professor Lynda Yates.

Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire.

Sound effects credit: Pixabay/Olenchic/Universifield