Lesson 3. The Importance of the Transportation System Development. Air Transport

Pre-reading

Before you read the texts of this unit work in pairs.

Tell your partner about your favourite form of transport for short journeys (car, bus, etc.) and for long journeys (plane, ship, train) and say why you prefer them.

Reading

Transport and tourism is the third item of consumer expenditure of households in the developed countries.

This industry is the largest employer in a number of countries; one out of every 16 workers in the world is employed in this trade.

It’s a system with mutually interdependent component. This concept can be best underdstood by considering the spring break trip to Miami you may have taken last year.

Before you started travelling, you first went to Campus Travel to purchase an airline ticket and make a car rental reservation, then you flew American Airlines to Miami and picked up a Budget rental car at the airport. You then drove to the beachfront Holiday Inn and checked into your hotel room. In the evening, you met your friends and had dinner at ChinaCoast (a chain of Chinese restaurants developed by General Mills). After dinner you strolled along the beach and bought several small souvenirs at a retail shop called Little Havana.

This description of your first day in Miamivividly demonstrates that your travel needs could not be met without the services of travel agents, airlines, car rental companies, lodging accommodations, food services, and other retail services.

transportation systems has had a tremendous impact on the changing landscape of the travel and tourism industry.

Air Transport

If you are in a hurry and want to save your time you’d better travel by plane because it is the fastest, the most comfortable and convenient way of travelling.

After the procedure of registration you board the plane and in a few minutes you are already above the clouds. The land can be seen below between the clouds and it looks like a geographical map. Flying itself is a thrilling thing.

Many companies of the world have been redefining travel for the 21 century and therefore they have launched large programmes of product innovations, both on the ground and in the air. They improve their portfolios offering the cost-conscious business traveller more choice than ever before. Exclusive Club Europe lounges have been opened at 26 airports for those who wish to work or simply relax using contemporary and stylish facilities prior to their take-off. Travellers also experience these changes on board or some planes.

Important changes are to be expected in the development of on-line business. Booking on-line has many advantages: people can book their flights from the comfort of their homes they can easily compare all currently available flight connections with the respective best tariffs.

E-tickets are already offered by major carriers. An e-ticket is a virtual ticket, which is safely stored in the airline’s booking system as an “electronic record” enabling you to dispense with the traditional paper-ticket. What are the main benefits of an e-ticket? It makes travel more relaxing, as it’s impossible to lose the ticket or forget it at home. It makes travel easier as all you need is your credit card to book the flight, and your boarding card (pass) will be available to you from check-in or self-service machines at the airport. It makes travel faster as there is no more queuing at ticket desks and check-in counters.

One can also save time by checking-in directly at self-service check-in machines.

Vocabulary of the text

Exercise 1. a) Give the Ukrainian equivalents for:

to make a car rental reservation; to purchase an airline ticket; to pick up; to stroll; at retail shop; modes of transportation; contemporary jet airlines; to have a tremendous impact; to be in a hurry; to board the plane; to define; contemporary and stylish facilities; prior to; booking system; to enable smb to do smth; to dispense with; to be the main benefit; take-off; to book the flight.

b) Make up situations using some of these words and word-combinations.

Exercise 2. Form the most common word partnerships used in air-travel.

Example: stand-by ticket

Speaking

Exercise 1. Answer the questions using the words in brackets.

1. What do we call the building where check-in counters are situated?

2. What is a town terminal used for?

3. If you send your luggage to the destination in advance, what is the baggage called?

4. You are allowed to carry 20 kilos free of charge. What is this amount of baggage called?

5. What do you call the baggage you take with you into the cabin?

6. Where do you go if you cannot find your luggage after landing at the airport of destination?

(1) terminal; 2) baggage claim area; 3) carry-on baggage/hand baggage; 4) free allowance; 5) seat of the national airline company, the place where the shuttle for the airport leaves from; 6) unaccompanied baggage.)

Exercise 2. Find the opposites.

Exercise 3. Put the sentences into the correct order.

a. You go to the departure lounge and wait for your flight to be announced.

b. You have your luggage weighed and x-rayed.

c. You show your passport and air-ticket.

d. Your baggage is tagged.

e. You arrive at the airport according to the minimum check-in time noticed in your flight itinerary.

f. You may go to the shops to buy some gifts or have a cup of coffee in a snack bar.

g. You go to your check-in counter.

h. You get your card with the number of your seat.

i. The captain welcomes you on board, asks you to fasten your seatbelts and the plane takes off.

j. You board the plane and find your seat.

k. You have your baggage scanned and go through security check.

l. You go to the announced gate and show your boarding card to the flight attendant.

Exercise 4. Match the definitions in column one with the words which tell you where:

Exercise 5. Match the first part of these questions or sentences (1-8) with the endings (a-h). What is the name of the job of the person who says them?

Exercise 6. Read the dialogue “Gatwick Express”.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1457