9 Traveling 之二 Making travel arrangements

Basic flight information

To arrange a trip, you need to be able to discuss basic information about your flight. This includes information about dates, your destination, layovers and what class ticket you want.

My departure date is May 21st. I'll return on June 6th.
A: OK. So you're leaving from Paris. What's your destination?
B: Rio de Janeiro.
A: Your flight has a three-hour layover in Shanghai.
B: That's too bad. I'd rather have a direct flight.
A: Your flight has a three-hour layover in Shanghai.
B: That's too bad. I'd rather have a direct flight.
I wanted to fly first class or business class, but I'll be in economy.
I want to upgrade to business class.
England Airways is an affiliated airline of Eastern Airways.

Basic passenger information

If you have an account with the airline, you will need to discuss that along with any special status – for example, gold or platinum. If you fly on an affiliated airline, you will still get your frequent-flyer miles.

I have almost 50,000 frequent-flyer miles.
I'm platinum status now.

My ______ date is August 24th.

departure (True)
destination
status

My ______ is Bangkok, Thailand.

destination (True)
deadline
departure

I have a six-hour ______ in Rome.

upgrade
departure
layover (True)

I prefer ______ flights.

direct (True)
status
arrival

I'm going to be in business______.

class (True)
status
upgrade

I was in business class, but I got ______ to first class.

an upgrade (True)
a layover
the status

Welsh Airways and Oceania are ______ airlines.

layover
affiliated (True)
departure

Awesome! I now have gold ______.

upgrade
status (True)
direct

Asking for clarification

When you're listening to detailed information, it's critical that you clarify anything you don't understand. You can tell the person that you don't understand, ask them to speak more slowly or ask for repetition.

I'm not following you.
I didn't catch that. Could you repeat it?
I didn't understand what you said. Did you say 15 or 50?

Confirming information

When you think you understood what someone said, but you're not completely sure, confirm the information.

A: So, you're saying if I pay an extra $200, I can upgrade to economy plus?
B: Yes, that's right.
A: Let me get this straight. The total flight time is 12 hours?
B: No, I'm sorry. It's actually 14 hours.
A: Let me make sure I understand. You want to leave on the 21st and return on the 30th?
B: Yes, that's correct.

I'm not (following) you. What did you say?

I didn't (catch) that. Could you repeat it?

I didn't understand (what) you said. (So), you're saying that it's $250 extra?

Let me get this (straight).