Air travel may be about to get better. Here's what it means for your next flight.

Your next flight may get an upgrade.

No, not as in a bigger seat in the front of the cabin. It's bigger than that -- much bigger.

Air travel in the United States could soon improve dramatically. Here's how:

  • New federal protections for air travelers. The U.S. Senate passed new rules that require better fee disclosure, free family seating, and new ticket refund rights. It also proposed appointing a new Assistant Secretary to handle airline service problems. 
  • Better seats. Southwest has announced ambitious plans to overhaul its cabin interiors. It joins other carriers, including Japan Airlines, LOT, and Swiss in rolling out new and more comfortable seats. 
  • Upgraded airline performance. Air carriers have canceled fewer flights lately. For the first 11 months of last year, domestic airlines canceled only 1.4 percent of flights, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). That's way below the 2.5 percent cancellation rate for the first 11 months of 2022 and significantly better than the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

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"There's a sense of optimism for the future of U.S. air travel," said Duncan Greenfield-Turk, the chief travel designer for Global Travel Moments , "The airline industry has an opportunity to rebuild and reimagine air travel, potentially ushering in a new golden age marked by superior service, innovation, and passenger satisfaction."

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Is it time to start celebrating a new golden age of air travel? 

Hang on, hang on. We're not there yet. 

In fact, economy class passengers are still pretty unhappy with their travel experience, according to the latest J. D. Power North American Airline Satisfaction Study . In categories such as ease of travel, onboard experience, and trust, the airlines scored lower than they did last year. 

"We’re seeing signs of weakening consumer satisfaction," said Mike Taylor, J.D. Power's managing director for travel and hospitality.

The silver lining: Amid declining fares, passengers say they got more value for their money when they flew compared to 2022. 

Hey, it's a start.

But passengers say change is in the air. Alex Beene, a community coordinator from Nashville and a frequent air traveler, said his last few flights were on time and went smoothly. And he hardly had to wait at the TSA screening area.

"I've never felt as good about air travel as I have the last few months," he told me.

He's not alone. I've spoken with many air travelers who share his sense of optimism. It feels like for the first time in years, the stars are aligning for airline passengers. 

But are they really?

This golden age could be a fake-out

Reality check: This new golden age could turn out to be fool's gold.

The new luggage fees announced last week felt like a splash of cold water on all that optimism. This year, four domestic airlines have raised their checked baggage fees. United Airlines is the latest to announce an increase. You'll pay $40 for your first checked bag, or $35 if you pay online at least 24 hours before your flight. That's an increase of $5.

And the new Senate provisions for air travel , while positive, still have to be reconciled with the House version of the FAA Reauthorization bill this spring. That probably means some of the more pro-consumer provisions will get stricken by the airline-friendly Congress. 

How about those new airline seats? Generally, new aircraft interiors improve the flying experience. But Southwest's new interior design , which debuts next year, has been a little controversial. Critics have hammered its new seats for looking too thin and uncomfortable. One popular TikToker called them "lawn chairs." 

That may be unfair. True, the seats cut a slender profile, but they are the result of "careful and extensive" research, according to the airline. Also, none of the critics have sat in one of the seats yet, so there's that.

What about the airline industry's performance? Yes, it's impressive, and the government wastes no opportunity to take full credit for it. But it will only last until the next computer outage or bad weather plunges an airline hub into total chaos.

"Let me be blunt," said Bill McGee, a senior fellow for Aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project . "The airline industry is still broken."

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How to have a better flight anyway

Golden age or not, there's only one thing that really matters: How is your next flight? None of the trends and statistics really matter if an airline cancels your flight and leaves you sleeping on the airport floor. Here's how to sidestep bad service:

  • Book a ticket on an airline that offers excellent service. There's a reason airlines like Delta, Southwest and Alaska keep winning customer service awards. If you cheap out and buy a ticket on a discount airline, you will get what you pay for. No golden age for you!
  • Avoid chaos. Try to avoid weekends and especially the days before and after major holidays. And always try to book the first flight of the day so that if something goes wrong, you won't be stranded at an airport waiting for a connection. If you have to fly on a busy holiday, pack your patience and a good travel insurance policy.
  • Know your rights . Whether Congress passes new laws or not, you still need to know your rights as an air traveler. (Yes, you have some.) For domestic flights, the DOT's Fly Rights page is an excellent resource. You can fly during a difficult time and still get decent service if you know your rights and can advocate for yourself if service goes south.

But perhaps the best advice of all is to keep your expectations modest. No one is turning the clock back to the 1960s, when even the economy class seats had plenty of legroom and the service was stellar. In a deregulated, post-pandemic airline industry, take nothing for granted – and focus on the basics.

"The greatest service of all," said MIT management professor Arnold Barnett, "is getting you to your destination safely."

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

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Articles on Air travel

Displaying 1 - 20 of 122 articles.

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What Lynx Air’s failure tells us about the state of the Canadian airline industry

John Gradek , McGill University

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Boeing door plug blowout highlights a possible crisis of competence − an aircraft safety expert explains

Daniel Kwasi Adjekum , University of North Dakota

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Why did Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 have a sealed-off emergency exit in the first place? The answer comes down to money

Amy Fraher , Yale University

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The sky’s the limit: A brief history of in-flight entertainment

Olusola Adewumi John , University of Regina

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Airlines are frustrating travelers by changing frequent flyer program rules – here’s why they keep doing it

Jay L. Zagorsky , Boston University and H. Sami Karaca , Boston University

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It’s time to limit how often we can travel abroad – ‘carbon passports’ may be the answer

Ross Bennett-Cook , University of Westminster

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Qantas won’t like it, but Australian travellers could be about to get a better deal on flights

Gui Lohmann , Griffith University and Justin Wastnage , Griffith University

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How to get help or your money back after travel disruptions – experts explain

Sara Drake , Cardiff University and Carmela Bosangit , Cardiff University

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Machines can’t always take the heat − two engineers explain the physics behind how heat waves threaten everything from cars to computers

Srinivas Garimella , Georgia Institute of Technology and Matthew T. Hughes , Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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How air travellers can cut their door-to -door emissions right now – by as much as 13% on the Sydney-Melbourne route

Rico Merkert , University of Sydney and David Li , University of Sydney

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Why can’t I use my phone or take photos on the airport tarmac? Is it against the law?

Doug Drury , CQUniversity Australia

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Passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed may soon get better treatment in the US – where airlines have long set their own rules

Janet Bednarek , University of Dayton

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Aviation turbulence soared by up to 55% as the world warmed – new research

Paul Williams , University of Reading ; Isabel Smith , University of Reading , and Mark Prosser , University of Reading

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How cats and dogs affect the climate – and what you can do about it

Peter Alexander , The University of Edinburgh

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Canadian airlines brace for a summer of change as U.S. airlines consider reforms

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Peanut butter is a liquid – the physics of this and other unexpected fluids

Ted Heindel , Iowa State University

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What’s the carbon footprint of March Madness?

Brian P. McCullough , Texas A&M University

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After months of chaos and disruption, has the Canadian commercial aviation industry learned its lesson?

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The future of flight in a net-zero -carbon world: 9 scenarios, lots of sustainable aviation fuel

Candelaria Bergero , University of California, Irvine and Steve Davis , University of California, Irvine

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  • The Future of Air Travel: Toward a better in-flight experience

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A snapshot from Air Travel Design Guide, illustrating artifacts, spaces, and systems that impact the passenger experience in travel. Illustrations by Isa He

Anyone remember air travel? In early 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe and international flights were hurriedly cancelled, the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s Laboratory for Design Technologies (LDT) pivoted its three-year focus project, The Future of Air Travel , to respond to new industry conditions in a rapidly changing world. With the broad goal of better understanding how design technologies can improve the way we live, the project aims to reimagine air travel for the future, recapturing some of its early promise (and even glamour) by assessing and addressing various pressure points resulting from the pandemic as well as more long-term challenges.

The two participating research labs—the Responsive Environments and Artifacts Lab (REAL) , led by Allen Sayegh , associate professor in practice of architectural technology, and the Geometry Lab, led by Andrew Witt , associate professor in practice of architecture—“look at air travel from an experiential and a systemic perspective.” As part of their research, the labs consulted with representatives from Boeing, Clark Construction, Perkins & Will, gmp, and the Massachusetts Port Authority, all members of the GSD’s Industry Advisors Group .

Image of round table discussion in conference room

So far, the project has resulted in two research books: An Atlas of Urban Air Mobility and On Flying: The Toolkit of Tactics that Guide Passenger Perception (and its accompanying website www.airtraveldesign.guide ).  On Flying , by Sayegh, REAL Research Associate Humbi Song , and Lecturer in Architecture Zach Seibold , seeks “to facilitate a rethinking of how to design objects, spaces, and systems by putting the human experience at the forefront”—and in so doing “prepare and design for improved passenger experiences in a post-COVID world.” The book’s accessible glossary covers topics including the design implications of the middle armrest (“What if armrests were shareable without physical contact?”); whether the check-in process could be improved by biometric scanners; the effect of customs declarations on passengers; how air travel is predicated on “an absence of discomfort” instead of maximizing comfort; and the metaphysical aspects of jet lag.

The project “examines and provides insight into the complex interplay of human experience, public and private systems, technological innovation, and the disruptive shock events that sometimes define the air-travel industry”. Consider, for instance, the security requirements of air travel in a post-COVID world—how can the flow of passengers through the departure/arrival process be streamlined while incorporating safety measures such social distancing?

Image of book cover with blue blackgrounf and black line drawing of airplane

On Flying acknowledges that it’s hard to quantify many of the designed elements—ranging from artifacts to spaces and systems—that affect our experience of air travel. So the toolkit methodically catalogs and identifies these various factors before speculating on alternative scenarios for design and passenger interaction. A year into the project, Phase 2 will more overtly examine the context of COVID-19, considering it alongside other catastrophic events, such as 9/11, in order to better understand and plan for their impact on the industry as a whole and on passenger behavior.

Dark gray cover with simple text

Meanwhile, An Atlas of Urban Air Mobility , by Witt and Lecturer in Architecture Hyojin Kwon , is “a collection of the dimensional and spatial parameters that establish relationships between aerial transport and the city,” and it aims to establish a “kit of parts” for the aerial city of the future. Phase 1 considered the idea of new super-conglomerates of cities, dependent on inter-connectivity of air routes—specifically looking at the unique qualities of Florida as an air travel hub. The atlas investigates flightpath planning and noise pollution and other spatial constraints of air travel within urban environments. One possible solution it raises is the concept of “clustered networks,” where electrical aerial vehicles could be used in an interconnected pattern of local urban conurbations, reflecting a hierarchy of passenger flight, depending on scale and distance traveled.

Phase 2 will move into software and atlas development, expanding the atlas as well as their simulation and planning software. One intriguing aspect will be a critical history of past visions of future air travel: a chance to look back in order to look forward with fresh eyes. By studying our shared dream of air travel, the hope is to rediscover and reboot abandoned visions that may yet prove to inspire new innovations.

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It’s a reminder that, not so long ago, international flight excited and inspired us—before the realities of delayed flights, lost luggage, rude customs officials, and poorly planned infrastructure stole our dreams. And that’s before we ever stepped onto the plane itself. According to the Air Travel Design Guide , the social contract of air travel has now become so skewed from the original glamorous proposition that today, “the passenger can feel as if they are at the mercy of nature, airport security personnel, or the airline cabin crew. They are directed where to go, how to move, and even when to go to the bathroom on the plane.”

Surely it can—and should—be better than this?

“We may not arrive more on time,” the team concludes, “but thanks to the introduction of better design practice—we might enjoy the experience better.”

Learn more about the Laboratory for Design Technologies and its Industry Advisors Group (IAG) partners at research.gsd.harvard.edu/ldt/

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Travel On The Fly

10 Air Travel Safety Tips (Ultimate Guide For 2023)

Table of Contents

Airline travel is one of the safest methods of transportation on earth. All airlines, including every staff and crew member, will always put safety first and it is the top priority for everyone in the aviation industry. 

I can attest to that as I have worked in the aviation industry as a pilot for over 20 years. I have never once seen safety, not a top priority. 

Air travel safety does not come without its challenges, however. Huge amounts of money and training are involved in certifying aircrew members to ensure your safety as a passenger on board a plane. Sometimes it may not seem that the aircrew has your best interest in mind, but trust me they do!

There are many things that you as a passenger can do to help the safety of yourself and others on board the plane. In this post, I will show you 10 Air Travel Safety Tips that you can use to ensure your flight is more comfortable and safe.

Is Airline Travel Safe?

This is a question that gets asked so often. Everyone who travels is always thinking about it. First-time air travelers often wonder if airline travel is safe ─ and just how safe is it?

The answer is, airline travel is the safest mode of transportation available. If you look at the numbers, flying is much safer than driving. It might feel more dangerous though because plane crashes are more catastrophic, they kill more people, and play into our fears of flying. Car crashes, on the other hand, occur daily and are constantly happening and spread the losses over more time, making their effects much less noticeable.

According to thenational.ae , globally in 2017, 4.1 billion passengers traveled by air, with a total of just 50 fatalities from accidents involving scheduled commercial flights.

Image credit thenational.ae

Also according to IATA , International Air Transport Association, in 2015 there was one commercial jet accident per 4.5 million flights.

So is airline travel safe? Yes, it is. 

Rules For Airplane Travel

There are many rules and regulations that must be followed when traveling by airplane. Not only do the legal rules need to be followed, but each airline will have its own guidelines and safety regulations as well. The policies and procedures could be different from one airline to the next.

My suggestion is to review the specific airlines’ guidelines prior to travel. Most of this information is available online, but you can always contact customer service via telephone.

I recently wrote an article explaining some pre-travel checklist items that will help you prepare. Also, more information regarding baggage limits, first-time flyers tips, and other air travel advice can be found here.

Here are 10 air travel safety tips that you should follow when traveling on all airlines.

#1. Flight Attendant Passenger Briefing – Safety Procedures

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If you only end up listening to one of my tips on the list, hopefully, it’s this one. I can’t say this enough. It is so important that every passenger on board listens to the flight attendants passenger safety briefing.

I have been witness to thousands of passengers completely ignoring the safety briefings, despite the announcements that require you to do so. This briefing is something that only takes a few minutes of your time and could be critical in a life and death situation. Besides, what else are you doing anyway while sitting on the plane waiting to take off?

If you are sitting in the emergency exit row, the flight attendants will give you a special briefing on how to operate the door in the event of an emergency. They will only allow passengers who are willing and capable of accepting this responsibility to sit in this row.

Paying attention to the briefing and reading the safety card in the seat pouch just may save your life or someone else’s in the event of an emergency. As an airline pilot, I know the crew members will appreciate you paying attention. Avoid sleeping, playing games, reading the paper or talking during the briefing. Your life may depend on it!

#2. Keep Your Seat Belt Fastened At All Times

If you listen to the safety briefing, you will notice that you must keep your seat belt on at all times. Yes even when the seat belt sign is turned off, which only the pilots can do .

It is possible that the aircraft could experience turbulence unexpectedly, and serious injury could result if your belt is not fastened. Not only that, but serious injury to others is possible if you are not secure.

#3. Dress Properly

Not many people think of this but it is important to dress properly while traveling on an airplane. Being comfortable will help you move easier if needed, and also certain materials like cotton are known to protect your skin.

Also avoid high heel shoes, for obvious reasons. Not a great idea to be running from an airplane or going down an evacuation slide in high heels!

Here are 10 things you should never wear on board a plane .

#4. Be Aware Of Your Location On The Plane

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As part of the safety briefing mentioned earlier, you should always know where your seat is located in relation to the aircraft doors. Most large airliners will have emergency exits at the front, middle and back of the plane. Have a look to see which exit is closest to you in the event of an evacuation.

Also, know that the aircraft floor has illuminated lighting directions to point you in the direction of an exit if the visibility is reduced.

#5. Avoid Alcohol

It is very easy to become dehydrated on an aircraft. The longer the flight, the worse it can be. Make sure to drink lots of liquids. Water is hands down the best choice. If you can, try to avoid coffee, tea and fruit juices.

Alcoholic drinks are a poor choice when flying for many reasons. They don’t help combat dehydration. They also have a stronger effect in the thinner air of an aircraft at altitude. I have seen it far too many times, someone will have a few drinks in the air and it leads to a bad situation.

Alcohol also makes it tougher when trying to avoid jet lag.

#6. Have Respect For The Crew Members

I honestly can’t believe how many times I have seen aircrew members being treated poorly by passengers. Some people just have no respect for the people in charge of looking after them and saving their life when called upon.

Being rude, incompliant with rules, offensive, or harmful has no place on board an airplane. The airlines have strict policies in place to deal with passengers who behave badly. Most times it ends up in an arrest from police. This type of behavior is not acceptable; it has huge safety implications and won’t be tolerated in any way.

#7. Keep Heavy Objects Out Of The Overhead Bins

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This is something to be aware of in the event of turbulence, that the overhead bins may accidentally open. This could cause injury to you or others around you. The overhead bins are for storing carry on items, not large heavy items. Larger items should be placed in the aircraft as checked luggage.

#8. Wear Air Compression Socks

If you are traveling on a long flight, you can periodically get up and move around to stretch. This is good for your health. It’s normal for your body to struggle with good blood circulation on longer flights. Walk up and down the aisles. Walk to the bathroom and back. You can even just stand in the aisle next to your row for a period of time. Even just doing some stretching or twisting movements in your seat will help. All these will reduce discomfort from swollen legs and feet and help prevents poor circulation problems and deep vein thrombosis.

Additionally, to help to prevent this, I highly recommend a pair of air travel compression socks . These will help prevent swelling and blood clotting on a long flight. They will help keep your circulation going. Perfect for swollen calves and ankles. Taking a little extra time to walk around the airport on your layovers or between flights just to get some extra exercise even if you don’t feel a need to do it can pay off towards the end of a really long journey.

#9. Oxygen Masks

Properly knowing how to use your oxygen mask is crucial. Every seat on board the plane should have an oxygen mask available above your head. This mask will automatically fall down in the event of an unequal pressure inside the aircraft cabin.

The first step is to always secure your own mask first before helping other people around you. This is very important due to the fact that you will not be able to help anyone if you are incapacitated. This will be demonstrated during the safety briefing as well.

#10 Emergency Evacuations

In the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation, it is very important to follow the procedures that are outlined by the crew members. This includes leaving behind your personal belongings like luggage.

Trying to get your carry-on baggage from under the seat or the overhead bin delays the evacuation. This puts yourself and others at risk.

As you can see, there are many things that you can do in order to stay safe on board the airplane. Following some basic rules will go along way in keeping yourself and others safe. I recommend following these 10 air travel safety tips for all flights you might travel on. The rules apply to everyone.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this guide and found it helpful.

Thanks for reading!

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11 Safety Tips to Memorize Before Your Next Flight

Could you survive an airline emergency?

You'll probably never have to. The airline industry has reached historic levels of safety.

During 2015, the International Air Transport Association reported jet hull loss rate for its members of 0.22--which is the equivalent one accident for every 4.5 million flights.

But there are things you can do to be better prepared which will also make every flight more pleasant, while improving your odds in the highly unlikely event of an emergency.

1. Dress sensibly.

The best clothing to wear on a plane is made of breathable cotton, or wool blends. Wool has the advantage of being naturally flame retardant, that's why it's the preferred material blend for fabric-covered airline seats around the world.

Dress in comfortable clothes which help you move quickly, if you ever need to, but which also protect your skin from exposure to friction or flame.

Women should avoid skirts and stockings. Jeans and slacks are a far better choice.

You can run in heels all you want, but not from a plane. When those heels come off during an evacuation you'll be barefoot on hot tarmac. Loafers (or loafer-style tennis shoes) are your new air travel best friends. They versatile to dress up or down, make it easy to remove your shoes at security, and you can keep them on during an escape. Flip-flops are a no-go. You can't trust them to stay 'flip' when you're running.

Avoid wearing shorts when flying. Escape slide burn doesn't look good on anyone's thighs.

2. Prepare a run kit.

A run kit should only hold things which are a terrible hassle for you to replace if you lose them during an emergency: your wallet, passport, cash and credit cards, any medication, a printed list of emergency contact numbers, and perhaps a mobile phone.

The ideal run kit is a travel wallet in your jacket pocket, a small cross-body wallet bag , or a fanny pack . Make a habit of wearing your run kit throughout the flight. Never take it off. Because it is small and worn on your body—and it must be small—flight attendants are unlikely to ever ask you to remove it. (If they do, it's probably too big and interfering with the function of your seat-belt.)

Since your run kit already holds vital items, you can leave everything else behind during an evacuation. Seriously: Leave. It. All. Behind.

When the trained-to-be-polite flight attendants are shouting, it's time to get out. You have 90 seconds to evacuate an aircraft, if you're lucky, so don't waste a second grabbing your luggage. You don't want to be the passenger who kept others from getting out in time, or who broke the slide with their overstuffed roller bag on the way down.

3. Mind your gadgets.

Some of us travel with a lot of electronic devices, and when you're traveling for business it can feel like your laptop is something you cannot part with—but it is.

The best way to prepare is to backup your files and records to a separate hard-drive, or the cloud, or both, before you leave for the airport. You should assume that you'll lose your electronic devices at some point when you travel (no matter what happens on your plane) and be prepared for that.

You should also ensure your electronic devices are in good condition and using batteries and chargers approved by the manufacturer. You don't want your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to cause a fire onboard. Unfortunately, it happens and not just with Samsung phones.

4. Pay attention to the safety video.

Yes, they can be corny, but there's a reason airlines are jumping over themselves and a line of sharks to get you to pay attention to their safety videos. The instructions matter.

Even if you think know the instructions–and have heard them half a million times–each plane comes with new conditions. The location of exits will be different. The seat lay-out will be different. The people on the plane with you will be different.

Equally important is that you 'read' through that picture card in the seat pocket. It will have the most relevant information for the particular plane you’re flying.

And always keep your seat belt buckled (no matter what the light says) because there is a far greater chance that you'll encounter rough turbulence on a flight than a mechanical failure or other emergency.

5. Be aware of your surroundings.

You want to plan your highly unlikely escape in advance, while the flight attendants are giving you instructions. As flight attendants say, “note that the nearest exit may be behind you.”

Know what your exit options are as soon as you sit down, and count the number of seats between you and the nearest two exits. If you have to crawl in the dark, or below smoke, you'll know better how to gauge your distance to the exit door.

6. Ignore your annoying neighbors.

Don't cause an onboard incident by traveling with a short fuse. Your mind needs to be on relaxing and enjoying the flight as much as possible. Put on those headphones, enjoy the in-flight entertainment and block out the nonsense. Or bring your own entertainment, if you like.

The advantage of using the airline's entertainment system is that the captain and crew will interrupt the transmission, if there's something you really need to know. If you are enjoying your own entertainment, pause it whenever crew is speaking, and listen.

Maybe it is just the captain letting you know you have a nice view of the Rockies on the left hand side of the plane, but it might be something more important.

7. With great legroom comes great responsibility.

If you're the lucky passenger with the exit door seat, pay close attention to the exit door instructions and be prepared to carry out your duties. When you booked that roomier seat, you agreed to get everyone around you out of that plane safely. In an emergency, everyone will expect you to do just that.

8. One less drink will do.

Though for many enjoy a drink is part of the air travel experience, it's probably best not to partake when flying, or to drink very little.

Alcohol makes you bloated, dehydrated, possibly incapacitated, and generally not at your best. If you do drink, be sure you still have a clear head. You want to be sharp, if the never-will-happen happens.

9. Respect your flight attendants.

Think of flight attendants as emergency services personnel who serve you meals and drinks during their spare time. Flight attendants are trained to risk their lives to save yours, and they have. Next time a flight attendant says you can't have another snack, or another beer, or anything else you really think you need, just smile and accept that answer. They don't make the airline's catering and onboard services decisions.

10. Put your oxygen mask on yourself first, then help others, and only then take a selfie.

Social media is great—but it's not the best way to manage limited time during an aircraft emergency. Instead of rushing to share that oxygen mask pic, refresh your knowledge of your available exits, ensure you have your run pack securely on you, get your nerves in check, and listen to crew instructions.

Then—when nothing else happens—take that memorable pic and impress your friends.

11. The only thing you can't afford to lose is your life.

This is the only tip you really need. It requires no further explanation.

Airfares were already dropping. Here's why they could go even lower in 2024

U.S. airfares are, on average, 15% lower now than they were a decade ago, and 6% lower than this time last year

Inflation has hit most of the economy, but that’s hardly the case with airfare. Not only are airfares down 6% year-over-year based on January 2024 prices, but they’re even down 15% versus a decade ago. That’s according to consumer price index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published in February. Some experts predict airfares to international destinations will drop even lower in 2024.

According to the American Express Global Business Travel Air Monitor 2024 report, prices on certain international routes may drop as much as 12%.

Here’s how AmEx GBT anticipates average economy airfares will change in 2024 versus 2023, for a sampling of regions:

— South America to North America: Drop by 11.9%.

— North America to Central America: Drop by 7.8%.

— North America to Asia: Drop by 7.5%.

— Asia to North America: Drop by 5.2%.

— North America to Europe: Drop by 3.5%.

— Europe to North America: Drop by 1.2%.

So, why are airfares dropping?

EXISTING AIRLINES ARE OFFERING MORE FLIGHTS AND ROUTES

2023 was a huge year for travel, with several records broken. The U.S. State Department issued a record 24 million passport books and cards during the 2023 fiscal year, signaling increased interest in travel abroad.

Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for airfare tracking website Going, has seen an increase in international flights booked as well.

“For example, in 2023, almost 14% more people flew between Costa Rica and the U.S. than pre-pandemic,” Nastro says.

Airlines added 10% more flights between the U.S. and Central America in 2023 versus 2022, according to scheduling data analyzed by Going from aviation analytics company Cirium Diio. In 2024, airlines are expected to add another 10%.

Last year’s high traveler volume has prompted airlines to increase flight schedules to other parts of the world. For example, Delta Air Lines announced that — in light of a record-setting summer 2023 — it would launch its largest-ever transatlantic schedule for summer 2024. That includes new daily service from New York to Naples, Italy, beginning in May, as well as more flights from the U.S. to Paris; Venice, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; and Dublin.

For travel from North America to Asia, there are 5.5 million more airline seats for sale in the first half of 2024 versus the same period in 2023. That’s a 35% year-over-year increase, says Jeremy Quek, principal global air practice line lead at AmEx GBT.

“More availability in turn can help with pricing,” Nastro says. “Heading into 2024, in theory, this should reduce overall prices.”

BUDGET AIRLINES ARE BRINGING DOWN PRICES

New, smaller airlines (particularly low-cost carriers) are also competing for customers, which helps bring down airfares industrywide.

For example, Norse Atlantic Airways is a Norwegian low-cost airline that started flying to the U.S. in 2022. Now it operates 13 routes between the U.S. and five European cities. Come May 2024, Norse will launch summer flights between New York and Athens, Greece.

A RETURN TO NORMALCY AFTER COVID-19

Quek says much of the phenomenon of falling airfares is a post-COVID-19 pandemic recalibration, considering so many airlines reduced schedules in 2020.

“Airline schedules, especially on long-haul international flights, are set at least six months out,” Quek says. “Restarting a route can take even longer. As countries announced border reopenings, airlines were constrained on how quickly they could reintroduce flights.”

And it’s not just schedules returning to normal, but airfares too. Airfares originating in the U.S. hit all-time highs in May 2022, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, when the summer of “revenge travel” was in full swing. Quek says this year’s price decreases are largely a return to pre-pandemic equilibrium rather than an extraordinary drop in prices.

AIRFARES ARE FALLING, BUT DON’T WAIT TO BOOK

Though airfares are falling, don’t delay booking in hopes that they’ll fall further. Going advises booking two to eight months out for international travel.

“Airfares tend to increase the closer you get to booking,” Nastro says. “In reality, it is far more likely for airlines to sell tickets at higher prices at the last minute.”

____________________________________

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Sally French is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: [email protected].

RELATED LINK:

NerdWallet: Travel inflation price tracker https://bit.ly/nerdwallet-travel-inflation-price-tracker

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Airport English: Conversation Lesson

Need to speak English at the airport? This travel English lesson will teach you phrases from English conversations! Study each dialogue at the airport and then read my explanation of the phrases in each English conversation.

This is a sample lesson from the Everyday English Speaking Course. You can register to get all 45 lessons in the course!

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Airport English Conversation #1 – At the Check-In Desk

Dan is flying from New York to Los Angeles. When he arrives at the airport, he goes to the check-in desk. Listen to the conversation he has with the agent:

Agent:  Good afternoon! Where are you flying to today?

Dan:  Los Angeles.

Agent:  May I have your passport, please?

Dan:  Here you go.

Agent:  Are you checking any bags?

Dan:  Just this one.

Agent:  OK, please place your bag on the scale.

Dan:  I have a stopover in Chicago – do I need to pick up my luggage there?

Agent:  No, it’ll go straight through to Los Angeles. Here are your boarding passes – your flight leaves from gate 15A and it’ll begin boarding at 3:20. Your seat number is 26E.

Dan:  Thanks.

Download this lesson:

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Yes! I want the PDF + Audio + Quiz

Conversation Vocabulary and Phrases

  • Instead of  “Where are you flying today?” the agent may ask “What’s your final destination?”  The answer will be the same!
  • You can say  “Here you go” anytime you give something to somebody
  • To  check your bags  means to put them on the airplane inside the cargo compartment. The small bag you take with you on the airplane is called a  carry-on . You need to put your carry-on bags through the X-ray machine at security.
  • The  scale is the equipment that tells you the weight of your luggage (45 kilograms, for example)
  • A  stopover  or  layover  is when the airplane stops in a different city before continuing to the final destination
  • If the agent says that your luggage will  go straight through , it means it will go directly to the final destination (and you don’t need to pick it up during your stopover)
  • Boarding passes  are the tickets that permit you to enter the airplane
  • When a plane begins  boarding , it means that the passengers start to enter the plane. Usually boarding time is 30-60 minutes before takeoff (when the plane leaves)

Other Questions & Phrases for the Airport

  • “Excuse me, where is the American Airlines check-in desk?”
  • “How many bags can I check?”
  • “Will my luggage go straight through, or do I need to pick it up in [Chicago]?”
  • “How much is the fee?” If your bag is heavier than the weight limits, or if your bag is larger than the size limits, you may need to pay extra: an  oversized baggage fee  or overweight baggage fee  (this can be $75 to $300) .  Some airlines in the United States also charge a fee for ALL checked bags (usually $15 to $30).
  • “Please mark this bag as ‘fragile.’” Say this if you have fragile or sensitive items in your bag that might break
  • “Is the flight on time?” The agent will respond either “Yes” if the flight is on time, or “There’s a 20-minute delay” (for example) if the flight will leave later than expected.

Extra questions in the U.S.

On flights going to or inside the U.S., you might be asked some extra security questions before or during check-in. Here are some sample questions:

Answer YES to these questions:

  • Did you pack your bags yourself?
  • Has your luggage been in your possession at all times?
  • Are you aware of the regulations regarding liquids in your carry-on? (Liquids must be 100 mL or less, and stored in a single quart-sized clear plastic bag) More information: TSA.gov

Answer NO to these questions:

  • Are you carrying any firearms or flammable materials?
  • Have you left your luggage unattended at any time?
  • Has anyone given you anything to carry on the flight?

Airport English Conversation #2 – Going through Security

There are two pieces of equipment in security: you put your bags through the  X-ray machine,  and you walk through the  metal detector. Some airports also use a body scanner for a more careful check.  

The  X-ray machine  has a  conveyor belt  that moves your bags automatically through the machine. You can put small items like keys or money into plastic  bins.

In the picture below, the woman is walking through the metal detector. Her suitcase is on the conveyor belt after going through the X-ray machine.

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Agent:  Please lay your bags flat on the conveyor belt, and use the bins for small objects.

Dan:  Do I need to take my laptop out of the bag?

Agent:  Yes, you do. Take off your hat and your shoes, too.

(he walks through the metal detector)

[BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP]

Agent:  Please step back. Do you have anything in your pockets – keys, cell phone, loose change?

Dan:  I don’t think so. Let me try taking off my belt.

Agent:  Okay, come on through.

(he goes through the metal detector again)

Agent:  You’re all set! Have a nice flight.

The phrase “you’re all set” is a common expression that means “you’re finished and everything is OK.”

Phrasal Verbs: SET OFF and GO OFF

When the alarm sounds, we say “the alarm went off.” To describe what  caused  the alarm to sound, we say “set off” – for example, “My keys set off the alarm” or “My keys set off the metal detector.”

Airport English: Announcements at the Gate

Airports are divided into  terminals  (the major sections of the airport) and each terminal has many  gates.  The  gate  is the door you go through to enter the airplane. Here are a few announcements you might hear while you are at the gate, waiting for the plane to board.

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

  • “There has been a gate change.” (this means the flight will leave from a different gate)
  • “United Airlines flight 880 to Miami is now boarding.” (this means it’s time for passengers to enter the plane)
  • “Please have your boarding pass and identification ready for boarding.”
  • “We would like to invite our first- and business-class passengers to board.”
  • “We are now inviting passengers with small children and any passengers requiring special assistance to begin boarding.”
  • “We would now like to invite all passengers to board.” (this means everyone can enter the plane)
  • “This is the final boarding call for United Airlines flight 880 to Miami.” (this means it is the FINAL OPPORTUNITY to enter the plane before they close the doors)
  • “Passenger John Smith, please proceed to the United Airlines desk at gate 12.”

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

500+ Real English Phrases

Airport English Conversation #3: On the plane

The people who work inside the airplane serving food and drinks are called flight attendants.  Both men and women who have this job are called flight attendants. Listen to this conversation that Dan has with the flight attendant when dinner is served on the flight.

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Dan:  Sorry?

Flight attendant:  Would you like chicken or pasta?

Dan:  I’ll have the chicken.

Flight attendant:  Anything to drink?

Dan:  What kind of soda do you have?

Flight attendant:  Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange, and Dr. Pepper.

Dan:  A Diet Coke, no ice, please.

Flight attendant:  Here you go.

English Conversation Tips:

If you didn’t understand what the flight attendant said, you can say Sorry?  or  Pardon?  to ask him or her to repeat it.

If you want to ask for something, you can use the phrase  “Can I have…?”  or “Could I have…?” Practice your pronunciation with these common requests:

  • “Can I have a pillow?”
  • “Can I have a blanket?”
  • “Can I have a pair of headphones/earbuds?”
  • “Could I have some water/coffee/tea?”
  • “Could I have some extra napkins?”

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Finally, if you need to stand up, but there is a person sitting between you and the aisle, you can say  Excuse me  and make a motion to start standing up. The person sitting next to you will understand and stand up to let you get out of your seat.

You’ve finished Lesson 16! I hope you’ve enjoyed these English conversations at the airport. Now take the quiz to test how well you remember the airport English phrases.

In tomorrow’s lesson, you’ll learn from more English conversations at the airport – phrases for arriving at the destination airport, going through immigration, and dealing with common travel problems.

Quiz: Travel English at the Airport

Congratulations - you have completed Quiz: Travel English at the Airport .

You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.

Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

This is a free sample lesson from the Everyday English Speaking Course Level 1

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

More Espresso English Lessons:

About the author.

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Shayna Oliveira

Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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Blame game —

Air canada must honor refund policy invented by airline’s chatbot, air canada appears to have quietly killed its costly chatbot support..

Ashley Belanger - Feb 16, 2024 5:12 pm UTC

Air Canada must honor refund policy invented by airline’s chatbot

After months of resisting, Air Canada was forced to give a partial refund to a grieving passenger who was misled by an airline chatbot inaccurately explaining the airline's bereavement travel policy.

On the day Jake Moffatt's grandmother died, Moffat immediately visited Air Canada's website to book a flight from Vancouver to Toronto. Unsure of how Air Canada's bereavement rates worked, Moffatt asked Air Canada's chatbot to explain.

The chatbot provided inaccurate information, encouraging Moffatt to book a flight immediately and then request a refund within 90 days. In reality, Air Canada's policy explicitly stated that the airline will not provide refunds for bereavement travel after the flight is booked. Moffatt dutifully attempted to follow the chatbot's advice and request a refund but was shocked that the request was rejected.

Moffatt tried for months to convince Air Canada that a refund was owed, sharing a screenshot from the chatbot that clearly claimed:

If you need to travel immediately or have already travelled and would like to submit your ticket for a reduced bereavement rate, kindly do so within 90 days of the date your ticket was issued by completing our Ticket Refund Application form.

Air Canada argued that because the chatbot response elsewhere linked to a page with the actual bereavement travel policy, Moffatt should have known bereavement rates could not be requested retroactively. Instead of a refund, the best Air Canada would do was to promise to update the chatbot and offer Moffatt a $200 coupon to use on a future flight.

Unhappy with this resolution, Moffatt refused the coupon and filed a small claims complaint in Canada's Civil Resolution Tribunal.

According to Air Canada, Moffatt never should have trusted the chatbot and the airline should not be liable for the chatbot's misleading information because Air Canada essentially argued that "the chatbot is a separate legal entity that is responsible for its own actions," a court order said.

Experts told the Vancouver Sun that Moffatt's case appeared to be the first time a Canadian company tried to argue that it wasn't liable for information provided by its chatbot.

Tribunal member Christopher Rivers, who decided the case in favor of Moffatt, called Air Canada's defense "remarkable."

"Air Canada argues it cannot be held liable for information provided by one of its agents, servants, or representatives—including a chatbot," Rivers wrote. "It does not explain why it believes that is the case" or "why the webpage titled 'Bereavement travel' was inherently more trustworthy than its chatbot."

Further, Rivers found that Moffatt had "no reason" to believe that one part of Air Canada's website would be accurate and another would not.

Air Canada "does not explain why customers should have to double-check information found in one part of its website on another part of its website," Rivers wrote.

In the end, Rivers ruled that Moffatt was entitled to a partial refund of $650.88 in Canadian dollars (CAD) off the original fare (about $482 USD), which was $1,640.36 CAD (about $1,216 USD), as well as additional damages to cover interest on the airfare and Moffatt's tribunal fees.

Air Canada told Ars it will comply with the ruling and considers the matter closed.

Air Canada’s chatbot appears to be disabled

When Ars visited Air Canada's website on Friday, there appeared to be no chatbot support available, suggesting that Air Canada has disabled the chatbot.

Air Canada did not respond to Ars' request to confirm whether the chatbot is still part of the airline's online support offerings.

Last March, Air Canada's chief information officer Mel Crocker told the Globe and Mail that the airline had launched the chatbot as an AI "experiment."

Initially, the chatbot was used to lighten the load on Air Canada's call center when flights experienced unexpected delays or cancellations.

“So in the case of a snowstorm, if you have not been issued your new boarding pass yet and you just want to confirm if you have a seat available on another flight, that’s the sort of thing we can easily handle with AI,” Crocker told the Globe and Mail.

Over time, Crocker said, Air Canada hoped the chatbot would "gain the ability to resolve even more complex customer service issues," with the airline's ultimate goal to automate every service that did not require a "human touch."

If Air Canada can use "technology to solve something that can be automated, we will do that,” Crocker said.

Air Canada was seemingly so invested in experimenting with AI that Crocker told the Globe and Mail that "Air Canada’s initial investment in customer service AI technology was much higher than the cost of continuing to pay workers to handle simple queries." It was worth it, Crocker said, because "the airline believes investing in automation and machine learning technology will lower its expenses" and "fundamentally" create "a better customer experience."

It's now clear that for at least one person, the chatbot created a more frustrating customer experience.

Experts told the Vancouver Sun that Air Canada may have succeeded in avoiding liability in Moffatt's case if its chatbot had warned customers that the information that the chatbot provided may not be accurate.

Because Air Canada seemingly failed to take that step, Rivers ruled that "Air Canada did not take reasonable care to ensure its chatbot was accurate."

"It should be obvious to Air Canada that it is responsible for all the information on its website," Rivers wrote. "It makes no difference whether the information comes from a static page or a chatbot."

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

  • B1-B2 vocabulary

Do the exercises to improve your vocabulary for air travel.

Have you travelled by air? What is the longest flight you have taken?

Language level

I travel many time by air.Usually I travel with hand baggage and put there on overhead locker.I adore feeling when plane take off and lands.The most longer flight was 4 hours.

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Great topic many thanks

I do travel by air sometimes. The longest flight I took was from Iraq Baghdad to Iran Mashhad. It was more than three hours flight. Unfortunately we sot at the end of the plane and the seats were very uncomfortable. The meal was so small.

My first travel by air was from Madrid to Huston. I found very strange (and a bit unfriendly) that in the American airport everything was written in English, just English and no other language but English, while in Spain they were even in Chinese.

My longest flight is 3 hours to Mumbai. I like to travel by flight but I hate long lines at the airport.

Why did I get these sentences wrong?

Hi hangngan,

I can see that you tried to upload an image but uploading images isn't allowed this part of the site. But if you can write your questions as text, we'll try our best to help :)

LearnEnglish team

I travelled a lot by air. The longest flight I even had was the time that I travelled to Europe. I travelled from Paraguay to Peru and then from Peru to Madrid. I remember I was very tired, because the travel was around of 24 hours, but that won´t stopped me to get out that night that I arrived.

I keen on this test cause it's give me new vocal and knowledge about airport.

Hello Tom Frank,

Great! I just wanted to mention two other pages that you might find useful too:

  • An airport notice (A2 reading)
  • An airport departures board (A1 reading)

Safe travels!

All the best, Kirk LearnEnglish team

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Air Travel Vocabulary

Here are twenty words and terms often used in air travel.

air travel topic

25 flying conversation questions

Flying conversation questions.

25 discussion questions for the ESL classroom on the subject of air travel.

Difficult words on this worksheet include – baggage, refuse, canceled, delayed, takeoff, land, nervous, annoying, and pass (time). Note that some of the questions about flying below have been expanded and are longer than the worksheet ones.

The flying conversation questions are –

1 – Where do you prefer to sit on a plane? Do you prefer the window or aisle seats?

2- Who do you like traveling with? When did you last go on a flight together?

3 – What airlines have you flown with? Which one was best? Were the seats large enough?

4 – Do you get scared or nervous on planes? What are you afraid of?

5 – What is the longest flight you’ve ever taken? Did you enjoy the flight?

6 – Would you like to be a pilot? How long does it take to become a pilot?

7- Have you ever met an annoying person during a flight? What happened?

8 – What do you think of airline food? Do you ever bring your own food on planes?

9 – What things can’t you take on a plane? Have you ever had something confiscated?

10 – Can you sleep on planes? What can help you do this?

11 – What things do you do to pass the time on plane flights?

12 – How early do you go to the airport before a flight? Do you like airports?

13 – What things do you take on flights? What are they for?

14 – What 3 words would you use to describe planes?

15 – Have you experienced turbulence? How did you feel?

16 – Do you think flying is safer than driving ?

17 – Have you ever had your flight canceled or delayed? How long did you have to wait?

18 – Do you enjoy takeoff and landing?

19 – How far is the nearest airport from your home? Do you often see planes in the sky?

20 – Are there any airlines you refuse to fly with? Why don’t you like them?

21 – What movies have you seen about airplanes?

22 – What do you usually buy at airports ? Are these things expensive?

23 – How much baggage do you take with you when flying? What kind of luggage do you use?

24 – Have you ever lost your baggage or had something broken? What happened?

25 – What are the best and worst airports that you have been to?

airplane taking off for flying

Flying Idioms

There are some interesting flying idioms and English expressions that you may want to introduce to your students, here are a few –

If you are flying blind you are in a situation or are doing something without any help or guidance. You are simply relying on your instincts and good luck to get you through. Think of a pilot flying through thick fog or clouds and you get the idea behind this idiom.

If a person is fly by night , this means they are unreliable or even dishonest. In the business world, such a person has no scruples with not paying debts and is financially irresponsible.

A high-flying person is very successful in business or their career. It can also be used to describe someone who is highly likely to be successful or very ambitious.

view from a plane wing flying in bad weather

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ESL discussion questions about air travel.

Other topics you may be interested in...

General topics.

Air Travel , Animals , Appearance , Art , Childhood , Cinema , Crime , Eating Out , Education , Environment , Ethics , Fame , Family , Fashion , Food , Football (Soccer) , Friendship , The Future , Globalisation , Health , History , Holidays (Vacations) , House and Home , The Internet , Language , Language Learning , Life , Literature , Marriage , The Media , Money , Music , Personality , Politics , Religion , Romance , Science , Shopping , Smartphones , Sport , Technology , Time , Town and City , Transport , Travel , University , Video Games , War , Weather , Work .

Business Topics

Advertising , Brands , Building Relationships , Change , Communication , Competition , Consultants , Crisis Management , Cultures , Customer Service , Employment Trends , Ethics , First Impressions , Human Resources , International Marketing , International Markets , Job Satisfaction , Leadership , Management Styles , Marketing , Mergers and Acquisitions , Money , New Business , Online Business , Organisation , Project Management , Raising Finance , Risk , Strategy , Success , Team Building , Training , Travel .

Grammar Topics

Present Simple , Present Continuous , Present Perfect , Present Perfect Continuous , Past Simple , Past Continuous , Used to , Have to , Going to / Pres. Continuous , Going to / Will , Comparatives , Superlatives , First Conditional , Second Conditional , Third Conditional , Mixed Conditionals , Should , Should have , Can , Could , Can / Could / Be able to , Is done / Was done , Being done / Been done .

How to use the air travel ESL discussion questions

It is recommended that you download the air travel ESL discussion questions in PDF format using one of the links above. The best way to encourage classroom interaction is to download and print the air travel discussion questions in the 'pairs' or 'threes' PDF format and then divide the questions by cutting along the dotted lines. This allows students to take turns asking and answering the air travel discussion questions in groups of two or three. Alternatively, you could use the 'cards' format to distribute the questions to any number of students to ask and share.

It is advisable to prepare students for using these discussion questions by first introducing them to the topic of air travel in an interesting and engaging way. An anecdote, quiz question or a related image or video could all be used to achieve this. Depending on the level, it may also be necessary to pre-teach any challenging vocabulary related to air travel contained in the discussion questions.

For more ESL discussion questions, see this site's main page. There are discussion questions on a range of topics including general, grammar and business English topics.

For further information about the site and its author, see the about page.

air travel topic

GIÁO VIÊN IELTS 8.5 UY TÍN

Email: [email protected]

Ielts Speaking Air Travel Topic

air travel topic

Ielts Speaking Part 3 topic Air Travel – Sample answers by  Dương Vũ Ielts Speaking Book band 8 full 3 parts – Học Ielts Speaking band 6, 7, 8 – Sách tự học Ielts Speaking tốt

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  • Do you think travelling by plane is common in your country?

Yes. In the past, it was not so popular in Vietnam due to high cost but now it has become a widely – chosen means of transport for everyone. The establishment of several cheap airlines might be the major reason behind increasing popularity of air travel.

  • What are advantages & disadvantages of travelling by plane?

Well, compared to train and bus in Vietnam, air travel, especially international travel, seems faster, more convenient and possibly more comfortable for those who can afford higher class tickets. I’m not sure about other countries that have state-of-the-art metros and subways but I suppose people also look for the special feeling of flying in the sky. Certainly, travelling by planes has several downsides too. Flight delays, lengthy and troublesome check-in procedures and luggage loss are common problems air passengers might encounter.  On top of that, air travel is not sustainable since it generates a massive amount of toxic emissions that pollute the air.

  • Do you think airplanes should be banned?

I’m not sure. On the one hand, banning air travel would help reduce air pollution significantly. On the other hand, this would make it extremely difficult for people and products to travel across countries efficiently, which might lead to an economic downturn on global scale. It seems impractical to ban airplanes and instead people should try to mitigate their travelling by air.

  • What are pros & cons of living near an airport?

That’s a tough question really. I’ve never lived near an airport but I can imagine it would be quite fun. People can see airplanes taking up every day and the short distance makes it super convenient for those who frequently travel by air. However, it could be extremely uncomfortable to live in such places due to constant loud noise caused by planes’ taking up and landing.

  • Are there any solutions to that problems? (living an near airport)

Well, the most feasible option is to restrict residential areas in proximity to airports. Also, the government should have policies to limit new airport construction projects in urban areas as well as in other applicable regions.

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Explosion at DME (Moscow) - Air Travel Forum

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' class=

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12268662

http://www.interfax.com/news.asp

Horrible and awful news to read, only the first few snippets have been reported. Condolences to all who have been injured or lost family and friends.

air travel topic

Horrible and heartbreaking. Anyone who travels through DME knows how tight the space can be in the arrivals hall during busy travel periods. Clearly this attack was planned for maximum human casualties. Deepest sympathies to all affected. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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