9.The departing and arriving passengers

to handle - обслуговувати

facilities/services - служби

runway - злітна смуга

to operate on a schedule - працювати за розкладом

ticket offices/counters - каси продажу авіаквитків

to check in for the flight - реєструватися на рейс

check-in time - час реєстрації

check-in counter - стійка реєстрації/місце реєстрації пасажирів

gate - вихід з пасажирського аеровокзалу (на посадку)

extra charge - додаткова плата

checked baggage - зареєстрований багаж

to board the plane - сідати в літак

boarding pass - посадковий талон

to delay - затримувати

the flight number - номер рейсу

All airports that handle commercial flights are both similar to and different from each other. They are similar in that they must have certain minimum facilities: a runway, some sort of passenger area, and space for whatever technical services are necessary. There are still many airports served by only a few flights a week that have little more than these essentials At the other end of the scale are huge international airports -Boryspil in Kyiv, Orly in Paris, Kennedy in New York, Schiphol in Amsterdam - that cover hundreds of acres of ground and offer a large variety of services.

Almost all airports have one thing in common - they are at some distance from the city that they serve. Getting to the airport usually takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more The passenger can get ito most airports by public transportation - buses, subways and taxis. Many airlines have special bus service to carry the passengers to the birport. These special services usually operate on a schedule between 'certain points in the city - hotels, airline terminals, ticket offices - and the airport. At some of these points, the passenger can check in for his flight and go direct to the departure gate when he arrives at the airport. At others, only the transportation is provided, and the passenger must go through the check-in procedure at the airport. There is almost always an extra charge for this transportation to the aiqoort.

The normal check-in time for international flights is an hour before die scheduled time of departure. For domestic flights, the check-in time varies according to the type of flight and local customs. The normal check-in procedure involves a passenger service agent who checks the passenger's ticket and his reservations status. If the passenger is boarding an international flight, the agent also checks his travel documents to see that they are in order. The agent also takes care of passenger's checked baggage. For some flights, the agent also assigns seats to the passengers.

When all this has been done, the passenger receives a boarding pass that ordinarily shows the flight number, the class (first or economy) and the seat assignment, if one has been made, and which, later, a flight attendant asks to produce at the door of the plane. The passenger can then proceed to the departure gate or to the international departure area.

One of the most common complaints against the airlines concerns confusion and difficulty in the check-in and boarding procedures. The agents involved - the reservations and ticket agents and the passenger service agents at the check-in counter and the departure gate - must do everything possible to give the passenger correct information and smooth service. As airports have grown larger and more complex, confusion has also grown; and it is the responsibility of the airline employees to prevent it.

Many of the problems that passengers have at the airport are compounded by faulty public address systems. Sometimes the passengers cannot hear them because of the volume of noise; at many airports they are not connected in restaurants and bars. Some airports have installed visual aids to replace or supplement the public address systems. In the main lounge at Orly in Paris, for example, a huge board shows the status of all flights, both outgoing and incoming. At other airports, closed circuit television sets give whatever flight information the passengers need - the gate number, whether the flight is boarding at the moment, and whether the flight is on time or will be delayed.

Two airline abbreviations that are often used are ETA and ETD -expected time of arrival and expected time of departure, respectively. If an outgoing flight is delayed, the passenger will want to know the ETD; if an incoming flight is late, people who have come to meet a passenger will want to know the ETA.

Answer the following questions.

1. In what way are all airports similar? In what way may they differ? What do almost all airports have in common?

2. What kind of service do the airlines offer to carry passengers to the airport?

3. What is the normal check-in time for international flights? What does the normal check-in procedure involve? What does the passenger receive when the check-in procedure is completed?

4. Why may departing and arriving passengers be confused? Why do public address systems at the airport sometimes cause problems for the passengers? What do ETA and ETD stand for?

5. What are some of the special categories of airline passengers? What steps can be taken to help them with their special problems? Who are some of the passengers who travel on a standby basis? What are cabin attendants responsible for? What qualification for in­flight work must they have?