VI. Act out dialogues on the following situations:

1.A client waiting for his manager wants to get some information of his diverted flight.

2.A client waiting for his family wonders if their flight is to be diver¬ted to an alternate.

VII. Use the following words or word combinations is your own sentences:

Congestion; consequently; by bad weather; as alternates; in case; intention; the time of re-opening; wait for; occur; as soon as possi¬ble; considerable; both... and...; flying time because of; expect; believe; the possibility; improve; happen; too complicated for set safely; destination; as veil; sensible; remember; at the moment; pro¬bably; without ; suppose; occasion; by train and coach; uncomfortable; hope; look after smth/smb; inconvenience; to be familiar with smth; to be reassuring; accept; offer; to make a decision; find out; grateful to take an interest in smth; sufficiently.

Reading and Comprehension

When an airport is closed by bad weather, usually fog or snow and ice, all the aircraft that are on their way to that airport have to divert to other airports which are listed on the flight plan as alternates. When making the flight plan before take-off, the captain has to nominate his first alternate and also a second one in case the first alternate has to close as well.

The aircraft carries a reserve of fuel sufficient to take it to the first alternate and to cruise around for a specified time if the airport is closed. The reserve also includes fuel for di¬version to the second alternate and for further "waiting" in the air /stacking/ if necessary.

When an airport closes, no aircraft are allowed to take off from other airports with the intention of landing at the closed airport until weather reports indicate the time of re-opening. Consequently a number of other airports may have aircraft and passengers delayed, waiting for the weather to improve at their destination.

Fog commonly forms in the morning, lilting well before noon. When this occurs, the delayed aircraft will all want to land as soon as possible after clearance, and the result is of¬ten considerable congestion both in the air and at the terminal on the ground.

UNIT 14

DELAY ON THE GROUND DIALOGUE

Sitting in the airport's transit lounge, Mr. Marshall is thinking of all the problems. Can they get home quicker by any other means? Will they be stranded for the night and obliged to stay at a hotel? Will the air¬line give them meals at the airport? Just then the International Airlines airport manager walks into the lounge and goes over to the stranded pas¬sengers.

Manager: Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? Because we cannot fly you on to London yet, we are going to take you to a nearby hotel where International Airlines invites you to be their guests at dinner. There are a few formalities to go through first, and my ground receptionists will tell you all individually what has to he done.

Mr. Marshall: Oh, dear, we do seem, to have a lot of problems.

Mrs.Marshall: What are those formalities he mentioned? I don't like the sound of it at all. Ah, here comes a recep¬tionist. Let’s see what she has to say.

Receptionist: Perhaps you would like me to explain what we arranging?

Mr.Marshall: Indeed we would.

Receptionist: Well, as you know, you are in the transit lounge, which means you have not passed through Immigration and Customs yet.

Mr.Marshall: So technically we are outside the country?

Receptionist: That's right. The authorities will agree to you staying in the specially segregated transit lounge, but now that we want to take you out to dinner, you will have to pass through Immigration and Customs here, instead of on arrival at London.

Mr.Marshall: That shouldn't take long.

Receptionist: Unfortunately they insist on seeing your baggage as well.

Mr.Marshall: So that means you have to unload the aircraft.

Receptionist: I'm afraid so. We’ve started already, so it should not take too long. We'll callyou down to the Cus¬toms hall when all the baggage is there.

Mr.Marshall: After we've cleared it through Customs, what hap¬pens to it?

Receptionist: We'll look after it "for you, and when you go on to London we will see that it accompanies you.

Mr.Marshall: Oh, that's good. I was afraid we would have to look after our own luggage all the way to London.

Receptionist: Of course not. We'll take care of everything for you.

Mr„Marshall: I have a large and fragile model travelling with me as accompanied freight in the cargo hold. What will happen to that?

Receptionist: I'm not very sure about that. I'll speak to the airport, manager in a few minutes and get him to sort it out.

Mrs.Marshall: Do you know yet when We can go on to London and whether we shall be able to fly?

Receptionist: The fog is still thick there, although the weather forecast mentions a possible improvement later in the evening. How you'll travel really depends on the weather.

Mrs.Marshall: Oh, dear, it's all so confusing. I'm sure I shall have a terrible headache before long.

Receptionist: Please don't worry, madam. Everything will go very smoothly, I can assure you- How I must go and talk to the other passengers. See you later.

Mr. Marshall: You really must stop worrying, dear. We shall soon be on our way again. Just cheer yourself up with the thought of the excellent dinner we're going to have - and it's all free.

Mrs.Marshall: It must cost them an awiul lot of money.

Mr.Marshall: I expect it does, but then I’m sure it pays them to keep their customers satisfied.

Mrs. Marshall: I suppose that's right, but I can't say I feel very satisfied.

Mr.Marshall: You will do - when you've had your free meal. Ah, here comes the Manager again. I must ask him about the model in the cargo hold.

Manager: Good evening, sir. Are you in any difficulty over the change of plan?

Mr. Marshall: There is just one thing. In the freight hold of our aircraft I have an important model and it's very fragile. Will that come down to London with us, or will it stay with the plane?

Manager: It will probably stay in the aircraft and travel down to London. But if the delay is a lorg one we'll have to use the plane to operate our out¬going services, in which case we would unload the freight and send it by road to London.

Mr. Marshall: In that case it could be collected from your Lon¬don cargo depot?

Manager: Yes, that's right.

Mr. Marshall: Good, that solves that problem. And now the weather. Have you any more news?

Manager: No good news, I'm afraid. The forecasters now say the fog may persist through the night.

Mrs.Marshall: Oh, dear, I knew. things would go all wrong. I can feel my headache coming on already.

Mr.Marshall: What are your plans if the fog doesn't lift?

Manager: Several hours ago I took the precaution of reserving rooms for all our passengers at the hotel where you are going to have dinner. While you are ' eating we shall decide, in conjunction with our London management, what is to be done.

Mr.Marshall: What are the alternatives?

Manager: Under these circumstances we would offer you accommodation overnight at the hotel, with transport to London either by air or by rail, according to the weather. We would also offer the alternative, for those who wanted it, of a journey to London tonight by road, in one of our passenger coaches.

Mr.Marshall: I shouldn't think many people would want that - a long journey through a cold, foggy night.

Manager: I agree, sir. But there may be some passengers who have urgent reasons for being in London as soon as possible.

Mr.Marshall: Yes, I suppose so. By the way, when are we going to start the Customs check?

Manager: Right now. One of my staff has just told me that all the baggage has arrived in Customs. The recep¬tionists will show you the way. I must leave you now, but I'll probably see you later. Good-bye.

Reading and Comprehension

When fog persists for a long time, the scene at alternate airports to which aircraft have been diverted may seem to be chaotic. The airlines are faced with two main difficulties: dealing with the passengers they have flown in, and dealing with the passengers they should be flying out.

Incoming passengers may expect the airline to give them a meal and provide overnight accommodation if necessary. But the airline really wants to get them away to their destination without the expense of further delay, and will attempt to send them on by rail or road if it is possible.

At the same time they are preparing the incoming aircraft to operate an outgoing service as soon as it can be got ready. Alternate airports seldom have sufficient station staff in these circumstances, so the problem becomes even more complicated. Meanwhile, the airport that is closed will try to send its out¬going passengers by road or rail to the alternate airport, where they can be got away on the next aircraft that is ready.

Delays that accumulate from a day or two of fog at a major airport may continue to have repercussions on the departure times of scheduled services for a number of days.