Flight Delays and Cancellations

Warm-up: Flight cancelled — now what?

2 warm-up questions

• Have you ever had a flight delayed or cancelled? What happened?
• First try: your flight has just been cancelled and I'm the airline agent. Get yourself on another flight — 30 seconds, go.

Reading: At the Airport Help Desk

Read a 188-word text about At the Airport Help Desk

At the Airport Help Desk Tom's flight has been cancelled. He goes to the airline help desk. Tom: Excuse me, my flight to London has been cancelled. What are my options? Staff: I'm very sorry for the inconvenience. Let me check what we can do for you. Tom: I really need to get to London tonight. I have an important meeting tomorrow morning. Staff: I understand. Unfortunately, our next direct flight isn't until tomorrow at 7 AM. However, I can book you on a connecting flight through Amsterdam that leaves in 2 hours. Tom: How long would that take in total? Staff: About 5 hours including the layover. You'd arrive at 11 PM. Tom: That's better than waiting until tomorrow. What about compensation? Staff: Since this cancellation was due to technical issues, you're entitled to a meal voucher for tonight and we'll cover the rebooking fee. Tom: Okay, I'll take the Amsterdam connection. Can you also help me with a hotel if I miss my connection? Staff: If you miss the connection due to our fault, we'll arrange and pay for a hotel. Here's your new boarding pass.

Vocabulary: Flight Problem Words

6 items

Practice: Flight Problem Sentences

Gap-fill exercise, 5 items

• My flight has been ____ due to bad weather.
• Can you ____ me on the next available flight?
• We have a 3-hour ____ in Dubai.
• Am I entitled to ____ for this delay?
• I'll miss my ____ flight if we're late.

Practice: Fix the Sentences

Error-correction exercise, 5 items

• My flight has been cancel.
• The flight is delaying by two hours.
• Can you booking me on another flight?
• I have a connect flight to Paris.
• Am I entitle to compensation?

Dialogue: Handle a Delay

Role-play: Your flight is delayed by 4 hours (7 lines)

• You: Excuse me, my flight to Rome has been delayed. Can you tell me what's happening?
• Staff: I'm sorry, there's a technical issue. The delay is currently 4 hours.
• You: Four hours? I'll miss my hotel check-in. Are there any alternative flights?
• Staff: Let me check... I'm afraid all other flights are fully booked today.
• You: What compensation is available for this delay?
• Staff: You're entitled to a meal voucher and we can help contact your hotel.
• You: Thank you. Please give me the meal voucher and I'll need a letter confirming the delay for my hotel.

Discussion: Your mission: get rebooked

3 discussion questions

• Mission: your flight was delayed and you missed your connection — the airline's fault. At the help desk: explain what happened, ask to be rebooked on the next available flight, and request a hotel for the night. (Success = a calm explanation in the past tense, "Can you rebook me on...?", and "Am I entitled to...?". Tutor: play the agent — first offer a flight in three days.)
• Second take: the agent offers you a choice — a refund, or rebooking tomorrow with a hotel. Ask questions about both, choose, and explain your choice.
• Compare this with your first try at the start of the lesson. Which phrase got you the most — and what rights do passengers have when flights are delayed in your country?