You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Edwin, and today we're continuing our look at the language and vocabulary of air travel.
Air travel relies on a very complex system of scheduling.
Unfortunately, that means that travel plans don't always work perfectly.
The possibility of problems goes up whenever you have one or more connecting flights.
What if one airplane is late?
What if your bags aren't transferred properly to your next flight?
What if the connecting airport has delays?
Problems happen, and you need to be prepared to deal with them.
This is what we'll be looking at in this episode.
Last time, we heard Robert check in for a flight to London with a connecting flight in Chicago.
Everything went smoothly at check-in.
Robert stated his destination, checked his bags, chose a seat, and confirmed his gate and timing.
But his connecting flight was scheduled to leave soon after he arrived in Chicago and for that reason a delay in landing has ruined Robert's travel plans.
Today, we'll hear Robert try to work through the problem of a misconnection.
He needs to work out a solution so that he can get to London for an important meeting the following morning.
To do that he'll need to explain his problem, express urgency, make special requests, work through options and agree reluctantly.
As you listen, try to answer the following questions.
1.
Why did Robert miss his connecting flight?
2.
What solution does Robert request from the ticket agent?
3.
What does the ticket agent remind Robert about?
Excuse me, miss.
Flight 442 to London?
Has it left yet?
I'm afraid so.
It just pushed back from the terminal.
Right on time.
Oh, no.
I was supposed to be on that flight.
I just got in from L.A.
The airport was so busy we had to wait to land.
I rushed between gates as fast as I could, but... Well, let me see what we have here.
Our next flight to London is tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.
Thanks for checking.
But the problem is well, you see, I have an extremely important meeting at 930 and there's no way I could get from Heathrow into town in half an hour.
I absolutely have to be at that meeting on time.
Is there any other way I can get there this evening?
Well, I'm terribly sorry sir, but your ticket is for LA to Chicago, Chicago to London, and that's all we can do, I'm afraid.
But there are flights through other cities, right?
Couldn't you reroute me through New York or Boston?
I understand you're just doing your job, but isn't there a way?
Well, we're really not responsible for missed flights due to air traffic delays, but I'll tell you what I can do.
I can get you a standby ticket on a flight with lots of empty seats, so you'll be sure to get on.
OK, let's see.
There's a flight from New York to London at 7.30pm, which gets into London at 7.30am.
And I could get you on the 3 o'clock or 4.15pm to New York.
OK.
So if I catch the 4.15pm to New York, then I get in at, what, 6.30pm?
6.45, actually.
I see.
That's cutting it pretty close.
But the three o'clock should get me in around 5.30 then.
That gives me a couple of hours before the 7.30.
But still, I get in just before my meeting.
Is there nothing else that arrives earlier in London?
Remember, you're losing about five hours with the time difference.
Right.
OK, then.
I guess I'll just have to go with the 3 o'clock to New York and the 7.30 to London.
Very well.
I'm sorry things worked out like this.
That's all right.
You've been a big help.
Let's take a closer look at the conversations.
Excuse me, miss.
Flight 442 to London?
Has it left yet?
I'm afraid so.
It just pushed back from the terminal.
Right on time.
Oh, no.
I was supposed to be on that flight.
I just got in from L.A.
The airport was so busy we had to wait to land.
I rushed between gates as fast as I could.
But Robert has arrived in Chicago and found the right gate for his connecting flight, but he is disappointed to learn that it has just pushed back from the terminal.
In other words, it just left.
Now Robert has a problem to deal with, and the first thing he wants to do is explain his situation to the ticket agent.
Hopefully, if she understands what has happened, she can work out a good solution.
In his explanation, he gives the basic situation.
He missed his flight, but he also shows how it wasn't his fault.
The airport was busy, and he rushed between gates.
But there just wasn't enough time.
Explaining your problem is the first step in solving it, which you will hear in these examples.
Traffic was backed up and I couldn't get here any faster.
First we departed late.
Then it took me two hours to get through customs and immigration.
My bags didn't appear on the carousel, but the ticking agent said they would be checked right through.
The flight was overbooked, so they bumped me to the next one, and now I've missed my connecting flight.
What kind of solution does the agent offer at first?
And what does Robert think of the solution?
Well, let me see what we have here.
Our next flight to London is tomorrow morning at 9am.
Thanks for checking.
But the problem is well, you see, I have an extremely important meeting at 930 and there's no way I could get from Heathrow into town in half an hour.
I absolutely have to be at that meeting on time.
Is there any other way I can get there this evening?
The agent's suggestion of a flight the following morning does not work for Robert.
Notice how he maintains his calm manner.
He thanks the agent for checking and hesitates before explaining his situation further.
Robert needs to express urgency, but he wants the agent to understand why he needs a different solution.
He tells her about his meeting, then shows his level of seriousness with expressions like absolutely have to and is there any other way?
Let's practice some other ways to express urgency.
My colleagues are waiting for me as we speak, so I really need to get on that flight.
I'm the keynote speaker at the conference and I might not make it there on time.
Isn't there something you can do?
I have very important business in Boston and absolutely must be there tomorrow morning.
People are counting on me.
I have to find a way to get to Kuala Lumpur immediately.
Does Robert get the solution he needs now?
Well, I'm terribly sorry, sir, but your ticket is for L.A. to Chicago, Chicago to London.
And that's all we can do, I'm afraid.
Hmm.
But there are flights through other cities, right?
Couldn't you reroute me through New York or Boston?
I understand you're just doing your job, but isn't there a way?
The agent apologizes because Robert's ticket is for a specific route.
She says she's terribly sorry.
She also says, I'm afraid, to introduce the bad news that there's nothing more she can do.
Robert is determined because he has an important meeting in London.
He thinks about the situation, then comes up with a possible solution.
Instead of traveling directly from Chicago to London, he suggests being rerouted or traveling a different way.
He tells the agent he understands she's just doing her job, which shows he doesn't blame her for the situation.
This might get him a better result.
To make his request, Robert uses a negative question.
He says, couldn't you reroute me?
And isn't there a way?
Using a negative question like this is a way of softening the request or making it more polite.
You can hear negative questions used in these examples to make requests.
Isn't it possible to get me on the flight as a standby passenger?
Couldn't you just check to see if there's another flight?
Can't you disregard the baggage limit in this case?
Wouldn't it be easier just to bump me up to business class?
Well, we're really not responsible for missed flights due to air traffic delays, but I'll tell you what I can do.
I can get you a standby ticket on a flight with lots of empty seats, so you'll be sure to get on.
Okay, let's see.
There's a flight from New York to London at 7.30 p.m., which gets into London at 7.30 a.m.
And I could get you on the 3 o'clock or 4.15 to New York.
Okay.
The agent is sure to tell Robert that the airline is not responsible for the situation.
But she agrees to try harder to find a solution.
She offers a standby ticket from New York to London, which means he will only get a seat if the flight is not completely booked.
And she says there are two possible flights to New York.
Will this solution work?
Let's find out.
Okay.
So if I catch the 4.15 to New York, then I get in at, what, 6.30?
6.45, actually.
I see.
That's cutting it pretty close.
But the 3 o'clock should get me in around 5.30 then.
That gives me a couple of hours before the 7.30.
But still, I get in just before my meeting.
Is there nothing else that arrives earlier in London?
Robert needs to make sure the timing of the flights is okay.
He talks about catching the 4.15.
To catch a plane means to get on, and we often refer to flights just by the departure time, with the as in the 415.
He wants to make sure he gets in or arrives in New York with enough time to get on the 730 to London.
The 4.15 only gives him 45 minutes to do that.
Is that enough time?
It's not a lot, or as Robert says, that's cutting it pretty close.
But the 3 o'clock to New York leaves enough time.
Still, Robert would like to arrive earlier than 7.30 a.m. in London.
What Robert is doing here is working through his options.
He's examining the timing of the flights to make sure the solution is a good one.
He has been given some information and wants to confirm that he has understood everything well.
Let's hear some more examples of travelers working through possible options.
So I can carry this on with me or I could check it right through to my final destination, right?
That means I can go through Phoenix or Las Vegas and that would get me into Dallas at 140 or 220 right.
OK.
First class on flight 441 is 1100, but I get in this evening.
Or I can go economy on flight 912 for 4.20 and get in tomorrow morning.
Right, I see.
10A is a window, 14C is an aisle, and 22E is right in the middle of the center row.
Robert is not 100% satisfied with the result, but it sounds like he'll have to accept it.
Remember, you're losing about five hours with the time difference.
Right.
Okay, then.
I guess I'll just have to go with the 3 o'clock to New York and the 7.30 to London.
Robert was hoping he could get into London earlier, but the agent reminds him why that is not possible.
There is a time difference.
New York and London are not in the same time zone.
That always adds complexity to scheduling.
Sir Robert agrees, but he does so reluctantly.
That is, his choice of words show that he doesn't think the solution is perfect.
He says, okay then, and I'll guess I'll have to go with the three o'clock.
If you go with something, it means you choose it.
These expressions show Robert's reluctance.
You can hear some other ways of agreeing reluctantly in these examples.
Well, if there's no other choice, then I'll sit in the aisle seat.
I suppose I'll just have to take the next flight then.
So it looks like that's what I'll have to do.
Put the extra on my card, please.
Hmm, OK.
If the direct flight is that much more expensive, I guess I'll take the stopover in Seattle.
A solution has been found, which means the conversation is almost finished.
Very well.
I'm sorry things worked out like this.
That's all right.
You've been a big help.
Robert and the agent have managed the problem well and they end on a positive note.
The agent apologizes and Robert shows appreciation.
Robert should make it to London in time for his meeting.
Now, let's practice the language that can be used in making requests with negative questions.
You'll hear a statement from an airline representative.
Then, you'll hear a prompt.
Use the language in the prompt to make a request using a negative question.
For example, if you hear... I'm sorry, but there are no economy class seats left.
Couldn't.
Put me.
First class.
You can say, Couldn't you put me in first class?
We'll play an example answer after each practice.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
I'm sorry, there are no flights to Dallas.
Isn't, possible, connect, Houston.
Example Answer Isn't it possible to connect through Houston?
I'm afraid this flight to Frankfurt is full.
Couldn't.
Put me.
Later flight.
Example answer.
Couldn't you put me on a later flight?
Unfortunately, there are no aisle seats remaining.
Example answer.
Can't you move another passenger?
I can get you to New York with a stopover in Chicago.
Wouldn't quicker fly direct?
Example answer.
Wouldn't it be quicker to fly direct?
Now, let's practice useful vocabulary and idioms.
You'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat the whole sentence, saying the missing word.
For example, if you hear I've been waiting 30 minutes but my suitcase still hasn't appeared on the, You can say I've been waiting 30 minutes but my suitcase still hasn't appeared on the carousel.
After each response, we'll play the correct answer.
Let's begin.
The flight leaves at 10am and in at 11.30.
Answer.
The flight leaves at 10am and gets in at 11.30.
I missed my connection, so they...
Me through St.
Louis.
I missed my connection, so they rerouted me through St.
Louis.
If we take a bus to the airport, we'll be cutting it pretty—.
If we take a bus to the airport, we'll be cutting it pretty close.
I felt really tired after my trip because of the big time.
Answer I felt really tired after my trip because of the big time difference.
We've reached the end of this episode, the second in our two-part series about air travel.
Today, we looked at dealing with missed connections and other problems.
We've learned how to explain travel problems, express urgency and use negative questions to make requests.
We've also seen how to work through different solutions and how to agree reluctantly.
For more practice, premium members can access the online quizzes and study notes for this and other episodes in the new Learning Center.
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Then head over to wwwbusinessenglishpodcom and sign up for a free trial to preview some of the extra resources available to members.
Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.
