Checking In

Passenger Services Agent: Next passenger, please.

Jennifer: Hi, I’m Jennifer Arnolds. I’m on the 9:47 flight to Miami.

Passenger Services Agent: OK, Ms. Arnolds, uh, may I see your travel documents?

Jennifer: Sure. Here they are.

Passenger Services Agent: OK, this will just take one second while I get you into our system… I see that there’s no frequent flyer number on your registration. Do you have one?

Jennifer: Uh, frequent flyer number? No. Sorry.

Passenger Services Agent: Uh, OK. You can always register to be part of our Connect Miles program by visiting our website. And will you be checking any luggage today?

Jennifer: Yes, I can put it up on the scale.

Passenger Services Agent: Thank you. And do you have any carry-on bags?

Jennifer: Yes, just this one.

Passenger Services Agent: OK, I just have a few questions that I’m required to ask you. Did you pack your own bag and keep it with you at all times?

Jennifer: Uh, yes. I did.

Passenger Services Agent: Has anyone offered you any packages or items for you to carry?

Jennifer: No.

Passenger Services Agent: Are you carrying any weapons, corrosive, flammable, or explosive materials, any sharp objects, or lithium batteries?

Jennifer: No.

Passenger Services Agent: OK, thank you. Let me go ahead and print your boarding pass and baggage tags…

Passenger Services Agent: OK, Ms. Arnolds. Your flight is 490 to Miami. Boarding begins at Gate 20 at 9:15. Your seat number is 20A, which is a window seat, and you’re in boarding group 5. On the back of your boarding pass you’ll find your baggage tags. Ms. Arnolds, have a great flight and thank you for flying with…

Vocabulary:

travel documents – (noun/plural) official papers, such as a passport, visa, or ticket, that a person needs in order to travel to another country, “Please make sure you have all your travel documents ready before reaching the airport security line.”

frequent flyer number – (noun) a unique identification number given to a member of an airline’s loyalty program to track and reward miles, “I forgot to add my frequent flyer number when I booked my ticket online.”

registration – (noun) the act of officially signing up, checking in, or recording information in a system, “Your event registration is complete, and a confirmation email has been sent to you.”

checking – (verb/context) handing over large luggage to an airline to be stored in the cargo hold of the aircraft during a flight, “Are you checking any bags today, or do you only have a backpack?”

up on the scale – (expression) placing an object onto a weighing machine, “Please place your heavy suitcase up on the scale so we can check its weight.”

carry-on bags – (noun/plural) small luggage that passengers are allowed to bring onto the airplane with them and keep in the overhead bin or under the seat, “Most airlines allow passengers to bring one personal item and one of their carry-on bags for free.”

required to – (expression/verb) forced or obligated to do something because of a rule, law, or authority, “All passengers are required to show a valid photo ID before boarding the plane.”

at all times – (idiom) continuously, always, or without interruption, “For safety reasons, you must keep your personal belongings with you at all times in the terminal.”

corrosive – (adjective) capable of destroying or eating away at metals, skin, or other materials through chemical action, “Acid is a highly corrosive substance that is strictly banned on commercial flights.”

flammable – (adjective) easily ignited and capable of burning rapidly, “Keep that aerosol spray away from open flames because it is highly flammable.”

boarding pass – (noun) a document provided by an airline during check-in that gives a passenger permission to board a specific flight, “You can show either a printed boarding pass or a digital version on your smartphone.”

baggage tags – (noun/plural) adhesive labels attached to checked luggage to show its destination, flight number, and owner details, “The agent printed the baggage tags and stuck them onto my suitcases before sending them down the conveyor belt.”

boarding group – (noun) a specific group of passengers assigned to board the aircraft at the same time to make the process more organized, “Passengers in boarding group 1 are invited to board the aircraft first.”