The Importance of Airport Security

Airports and airlines are attractive targets for terrorism and other acts of crime. Large number of people pass through airports, which means there is a large concentration of people in a small area. At the same time airliners like AIRBUS A380 can carry more than 500 passengers on board, so any attempt to blow up the plane has the potential to produce a high mortality rate.

On the other hand, incidents involving aircraft attract huge media interest, which can be used by the terrorists to publicise their cause and instill fear. A hijacked plane is a sort of 'flying bomb", explosive devices can be hidden in checked luggage causing the death of hundreds of innocent people.

Find information on the net about some of the incidents involving aircraft that have changed the way airport security is viewed today.



9/11
1. Which incident does 9/11 refer to? Describe briefly the incident.
2. What was the lethality rate (how many people were killed)?
3. How mant hijackers were involved?
4. Who took responsibility for the attack?
5. What new security measures were put in place as a result?

25/12/2009

1. What happened on Northwest Airline Flight 253 on Christmas day, 2009?
2. What security measures were introduced at some airports as a result?

Find about the shoe bomb incident or other notable security incidents that led to the tightening of the security measures at airports.

WRITING TASK: Discuss the question:
Why is airport security important for passengers and for the airport?Write an answer in 100-150 words.
Regards,
RV

Revision - Writing

Hello,
Here are the three questions from the test today:
a) What is the difference between booking a ticket online and check-in online?
b) "How can I be certain that my bag will be there at the other end when I arrive?" Write a reassuring answer to this worried passenger.
c) In your opinion, in what ways can the baggage handling system affect the airport's reputation?

Write in paragraphs and post your answers here.
Regards,
RV

Baggage Handling System

Hello,

We continue with the topic of baggage handling. Describe how a typical baggage handling system works.

You can also check this website that gives detailed presentation of the the baggage handling system in FRA:

http://www.jetfriends.com/jetfriends2/kids/

Post your answers here.

Regards,

RV

DXB Baggage Handling System

Hello,

Summarise the main points from the listening about the baggage handling system in Dubai Terminal 3. Organise your information well.

A Reply to an Email

Hello,

This is an email you have received. Reply to the email appropriately by providing the information required. Try to sound reassuring as your best friend's cousin is going to fly to Amsterdam next month and it is his first time he will be travelling by air.

"My cousin, Ahmed, gave me your name and contact information because I am going to fly for the first time, and he thought that maybe you could give me some advice. He said that you work in an airport, so I am hoping that you can tell me about the important things I should remember and other things that would help me to book a ticket online.
Also, can you recommend the best way to check-in?
Thank you,
Mohammed Al Busaidi

Ticketing

Hello,
We continue with the topic of ticketing. Consider the questions below. Organise your writing in a coherent text of about 120 words.

• What is an electronic ticket?



• What information does a ticket contain?



• How can you book and purchase an e-ticket?



• What are the benefits of e-ticketing for airlines and passengers?



• What do you think about e-ticketing and have you ever booked and purchased a ticket online yourself?

Regards,

RV

Dear Student,

For the mini-quiz on Sunday:

1. Study the vocabulary on p.7 and 11. Check:
· spelling
· definitions
· use

2. You should be able to list problems at different stages of a passenger’s journey. Refer to p. 5 and 6.

3. You should be able to describe and write about your personal travel experiences.

4. You should be able to discuss the benefits of Customer Service and discuss some of the important rules of good customer service.

Have a nice weekend and prepare for the mini-quiz on Sunday!

The importance of Customer Service

Hello,

We continue with the topic of customer service.

Discuss why customer service is important for the airline business and discuss the 5 most important rules for good customer service.

DON'T FORGET

1. To write in paragraphs.
2. When you discuss the rules, explain and support them with examples.
3. Support your main statements. You can also mention some of the airlines rated 5-stars by Skytrax for their superior services and product.

Regards,
RV

Examples of Good or Bad Customer Service Personal Experiences

Hello,

Think of a time when you had either good or bad customer experience. It can be a story related to any kind of business.

Describe what happened, how you felt, how customer service dealt with the problem and what happened as a result of it.

Kind regards,

RV

Best Airlines According To Skytrax

Hello,

Today we are going to find out which are the best airlines rated by Skytrax for 2010.
Speaking about the exclusive 5-Star Airline ranking, Skytrax CEO, Mr Edward Plaisted said:

"The greatest attribute behind 5-Star status is an airline's ability to deliver the combination of Product and Service. A great product standard is not by itself the key to a 5-Star ranking, and we are equally concerned by the Quality of front-line service that an airline provides. We are focussed on recognising airlines whose staff deliver a true 5-Star standard of service delivery.

(quote from Skytrax website)

1) Go to the official site of Skytrax (the link is on the right in Useful Links), browse the main page and look up the airlines that received 5 star ranking for 2010.

2) List 5 of them in your post, find their airline codes and their main hubs. Comment whether you have travelled with any of them and what your impressions of their product and service are.

3) Read passengers' comments on their experience with these airlines. What are some of the comments passengers make about the customer service they have received? Summarise some of the opinions in your post.

Kind regards,
RV

Passenger Experiences

Hello,
Here is an account of my first flight on Airbus A380. Share your travel experiences with the other students.

My first flight on Airbus A380

I have experienced quite a lot of problems when travelling by air: overbooked flights and having to wait sometimes even days to board the next available flight, wrong date on the ticket, visa problems, overweight luggage and having either to discard some of its content or pay an extra charge, to name a few.

But what I fear most is lost luggage, I can't imagine anything worse than arriving at a new city on the first day of my holiday without my suitcases and having to go through all the frustrating experience of filing a report, describing your bag and its contents and hoping that your bag will turn up before your board your flight back home.

However, I'd like to write about the first time I flew on Airbus A380. First, I booked the flight with the Emirates, I paid online with my credit card and selected my seat. On the day of the flight I packed my luggage, took a taxi and arrived at the airport 2 hours prior to departure. I found the check-in desk and was slightly disappointed to see the queue in front. I regretted not checking online as I could have avoided the queue, but decided to be patient and wait for my turn.

I waited and waited, passengers were slowly processed, I was becoming worried whether I'll make the flight. Eventually after at least 40 mins, my turn arrived. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the reservation system, so I had to wait a little longer.

Finally, I got my boarding card, rushed through passport control and security and ran to find my gate.I might have been the last person to get on the shuttle bus and after a bumpy ride I boarded Airbus A330 on a short-haul flight to Dubai where I was supposed to change planes en route to London Heathrow.In the departure concourse, I did some shopping and bought some presents. Not before long it was time to proceed to the gate. I found the gate and there it was - the most amazing aircraft- the QUIET GIANT OF THE SKIES - the AIRBUS A380. Enormous, gigantic proportions, incredible wing span...... there it was waiting for its passengers.

The public announcement system announced boarding and I thought for a second how on earth are all these 500 passengers going to be processed quickly. Incredible as it may sound, they were: first mothers with children were invited to board, then first and business class passengers were asked to use the special air bridge to board the upper deck of the aircraft while all economy passengers (me including) used a separate air bridge to board the lower deck.

And there at the door were the cabin crew greeting passengers warmly and welcoming them on board. I entered the aircraft and was surprised how spacious it looked from inside with the calming colours of the interior. I was directed to my seat, it was very comfortable with plenty of leg room and an amazing choice of entertainment on the in-flight entertainment system.

I was ready to enjoy my flight. After 10-20 mins, the pilot welcomed us onboard, we were briefed of the security procedure and the aircraft was already taxiing on the taxiway. Then, it slowly started to gain speed and without a moment of hesitation it gracefully took off. Such a smooth take off! Beautiful! And then a six and a half hour flight of comfort before we reached London.

I liked the whole experience, the plane, the service, the entertainment system, the wooden interior of the bathrooms. I can only imagine what it must be like on the upper deck where first class passengers can even use showers and jacuzzis to refresh themselves during the flight. The landing was as smooth and graceful as the take off.It was time to say Good bye to the GENTLE GIANT OF THE SKIES.