Welcome aboard

“On behalf of the crew welcome aboard our flight from Moscow to Los Angeles. As we prepare for take off, we would like to remind you to place any hand luggage in the overhead compartment. Make sure your seat is in the upright position and please fasten your seatbelt. Before our departure members of the crew will demonstrate the aircraft’s safety equipment and procedures. When our cruising altitude has been reached, the crew will serve refreshments and a light snack. We wish you a pleasant flight”.

 24 Exercise 2.

Recommendations for pilots

Announcements are a very important part of a pilot’s job.

Using good communication skills with your passengers can vastly improve satisfaction, and may even put anxious fliers at ease.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of your flight crew I would like to welcome you aboard. Our flight time to Paris tonight is. .." Communication and how you relate to your passengers (who are your customers, remember it) is of the utmost importance.

Good communication is especially important when unusual events occur.

1. Consider a rejected takeoff. This event can create a great deal of anxiety with your customers. You should make an announcement as soon as possible to alleviate their fear.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. There was an inconsistency between two of our instruments during the takeoff roll, so we elected to stop on the ground and check their status. We will make a timely determination and get back with you.”

2. If you check your MEL and determine that the flight can continue make an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have completed a thorough check of our systems. Everything is normal and we are now ready for departure. Thanks once again for your patience.”

3. If you experience a maintenance problem while taxiing to the active runway that cannot be deferred, tell your passengers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have an indicator in the cockpit giving us trouble and we are going to return to the ramp and have a maintenance person check it out. We appreciate your patience. “

Communicate in a relaxed tone and explain that safety is your number one priority when you are going to have your aircraft inspected. These announcements will pay great dividends by making your customers comfortable, at ease and more able to tolerate delays.

 25 Exercise 3.

Cabin staff

Before boarding the cabin staff are briefed by the chief steward or purser on any special problems. On a typical flight they may have to cope with an invalid passenger who needs a wheel-chair, a young boy or girl who needs looking after because he or she is travelling alone, and someone who has asked for a special meal for religious or dietary reasons.

On the plane the passengers take their seats, and the cabin crew have to make sure that everyone is sitting in the right place. Before take-off a member of cabin crew shows the passengers where the emergency exits are in case they have to leave the plane in a hurry after a crash. He or she also demonstrates the emergency oxygen system.

Flight attendants use the public address system to talk to the passengers during the flight. They tell them how long it will take, and at what height and speed the plane will be flying.

As soon as the plane has taken off, the cabin staff change into overalls and start serving drinks, food and duty-free goods.

At the end of the meal, the cabin staff have many other jobs to do, such as clearing away the trays, handing out hot towels to the passengers, distributing pillows and blankets if the flight is at night, serving tea and coffee and other drinks on request, and generally making sure that the travellers are comfortable.

 26 Exercise 4