The hour between security and the plane is the one where things change — the gate, the time, sometimes the day. The board tells you half of it and a voice tells you the rest.
1. Reading the departure board
Hana: My flight isn't on the departure board.
Staff: It only shows the next two hours.
Hana: So I just wait?
Staff: Come back at four. The gate goes up then.
Hana: Thanks. Is there a quiet place to sit?
Staff: Upstairs, past the bookshop.
2. A gate that moved
Owen: The board said gate twelve an hour ago.
Staff: It's gate thirty-one now. They changed it.
Owen: How far is that?
Staff: About eight minutes. Take the walkway.
Owen: Will they wait for me?
Staff: You've got time. Go now, though.
3. Two hours late
Zoe: Excuse me, is my flight delayed?
Agent: It is. Delayed by two hours.
Zoe: Do you know why?
Agent: The aircraft is coming in late from Milan.
Zoe: Will the gate stay the same?
Agent: For now. Keep an eye on the board.
4. Missing the words
Tarek: Sorry — did you hear that announcement?
Nina: Something about gate nineteen.
Tarek: Was it our flight?
Nina: I think so. They said boarding group one.
Tarek: I'm group three. I'll wait here.
5. Which group is that
Bea: Which boarding group are you?
Sam: It doesn't say on mine.
Bea: Look under the seat number. Small print.
Sam: Found it. Group four.
Bea: Same as me. We're last, then.
Sam: Suits me. I hate standing.
6. Final call
Agent: Final call for Flight 402 to Oslo.
Priya: That's me. Am I the last one?
Agent: Two more after you. Boarding pass, please.
Priya: Here. I lost track of time.
Agent: It happens. Down the ramp, straight on.
7. Worrying about the next flight
Ben: I've got a connecting flight in Doha.
Agent: How long between them?
Ben: Fifty minutes, and we're already late.
Agent: Tell the crew when you board. They'll radio ahead.
Ben: And if I miss it?
Agent: The desk in Doha will put you on the next one.
8. Waiting for a seat
Agent: The flight's full. You're on standby.
Mira: What are my chances?
Agent: Good. Three people haven't shown up.
Mira: Should I stay at the gate?
Agent: Stay close. I'll call your name.
Words to know
| departure board | The big screen listing flights, times and gates. It usually shows only the next few hours. My flight isn't on the departure board. |
| gate | The door you board from. It has a number, and that number can change. The board said gate twelve an hour ago. |
| aircraft | The plane itself. Airlines use this word, and often blame it for the delay. The aircraft is coming in late from Milan. |
| announcement | The spoken message over the speakers. Listen for the flight number first. Sorry — did you hear that announcement? |
| boarding group | The number or letter that decides when you get on. Group one goes first. Which boarding group are you? |
| final call | The last warning before the gate closes. If you hear it, walk fast. Final call for Flight 402 to Oslo. |
| connecting flight | The second flight of a journey, which you catch after the first one lands. I've got a connecting flight in Doha. |
| standby | Waiting for a seat on a full flight, in case someone does not turn up. The flight's full. You're on standby. |
Quick practice
Complete each line with a word or phrase from this lesson.
1. The screen with all the flight times does not list yours yet.
“My flight isn't on the ________.”
2. The agent explains that the plane itself is arriving late from another city.
“The ________ is coming in late from Milan.”
3. You did not catch the spoken message over the speakers.
“Sorry — did you hear that ________?”
4. You want to know when the other person gets on the plane.
“Which ________ are you?”
5. You have a second flight to catch after this one.
“I've got a ________ in Doha.”
6. The flight is full and you are waiting in case a seat frees up.
“The flight's full. You're on ________.”
Show the answers
1. departure board 2. aircraft 3. announcement 4. boarding group 5. connecting flight 6. standby
Common mistakes
Not: My flight is late for two hours.
Say: My flight is delayed by two hours.
Late says you arrived after the time. Delayed says the flight itself was pushed back, and the amount comes after by, not for.
Not: When can we get up the plane?
Say: When can we board?
Get up means to stand up out of bed or a chair. The verb for walking onto a plane, train or bus is board.
Not: Did you hear the announce?
Say: Did you hear the announcement?
Announce is the verb — they announce it. The thing you hear is the announcement, with the ending.
Your turn
Say these out loud. Invent a flight number and a city, and change them each time so the numbers stop being frightening.
- Ask a member of staff why your flight is not on the departure board yet.
- The gate has changed. Ask how far the new one is and whether you have time.
- Ask whether your flight is delayed, then ask the reason.
- You missed an announcement. Ask the person next to you what was said.
- You have fifty minutes between two flights. Explain the problem and ask what happens if you miss the second one.
Quick review
Three things change at the gate: the time, the gate number, and the order people get on. Delayed by two hours tells you the first. They changed it tells you the second. Boarding group and final call tell you the third. If you only catch one word of an announcement, ask the person beside you — everyone at the gate is listening for the same flight.