Airline Vocabulary

This page lists English words and phrases used in the international airline industry. Each word is shown with its contextual meaning and an example sentence.

After reviewing this vocabulary, you may like to try our airline vocabulary quiz.

word
part of speech
meaning example sentence
airfare
noun
cost of a plane ticket The cost of your meal is covered in your airfare.
aisle
noun
the long empty space that you walk down Please keep your bags out of the aisle so that nobody trips.
aisle seat
noun
the seat that is next to the aisle I'll give you an aisle seat in case you need to walk around with the baby.
assist
verb
help Please wait until everyone is off the plane so that we can assist you.
baggage
noun
the bags and suitcases that travellers put their belongings in I'm afraid your baggage got on the wrong airplane.
baggage, luggage claim
noun
place where you pick up your baggage after arrival The announcement will direct you to the correct baggage claim.
blanket
noun
warm covering If you feel cold I can get you a blanket.
boarding pass
noun
part of the ticket that you give to the crew as you step onto the plane Your must present your boarding pass at the gate.
bumpy, rough
adj
up and down movement of the aircraft It might be a bumpy ride because we are flying through a storm.
cabin
noun
interior of the aircraft There is no smoking allowed inside the cabin.
call light
noun
a button passengers can press to get a crew member's attention If you need anything, just press the call light.
captain
noun
the person who is in charge of the plane Would the kids like to go and meet the captain?
charter
noun
discount airline If you take a charter it will cost you half as much.
cockpit
noun
the part of the plane where the captain and his co-pilots sit We aren't doing any more tours of the cockpit because it's almost time to land.
comfortable
adjective
feel good physically, able to relax Because you have long legs you might be more comfortable in an aisle seat.
complimentary
adjective
free of charge We offer complimentary coffee or tea, but you have to pay for alcohol.
co-pilot
noun
person who helps the captain fly the plane If the captain gets sick the co-pilot can take over.
domestic
adjective
within the same country You should be at the airport two hours ahead of time for domestic flights.
emergency exit
noun
section of the plane that opens in the case of an accident Are you comfortable sitting next to the emergency exit?
e-ticket
noun
airfare purchased on the internet You will need to present your identification along with your e-ticket.
excess baggage
noun
heavier/more bags than you are allowed You can either pay for your excess baggage or leave one of your bags behind.
first-class
noun/adj
more expensive seating, with better services When you sit in first-class you get a better meal to eat.
gate
noun
place where passengers go to wait to board a plane Gate 3B is down this hall and to your right.
headset, earphones
noun
device that allows passengers to listen to music or a movie We will be coming around to sell headsets for five dollars.
international
adj
worldwide For international departures, go up one level.
jet lag
noun
tiredness due to travelling through different time zones I'm used to travelling now. My body doesn't suffer from jet lag anymore.
land
verb
returning to the ground after being in the air We will be landing in Tokyo in approximately ten minutes.
life vest, life jacket
noun
a blow-up device that you put on in an emergency over water Please take a moment to locate the life vest under your seat.
motion sickness
noun
a bad feeling in the stomach that passengers get during a rough ride There is a paper bag in front of you in case you experience motion sickness.
overbooked
adj
more passengers than available seats The flight is overbooked. Four of our passengers will have to wait for the next flight.
overhead bin/compartment
noun
place above the seats for storing luggage You'll have to put your bag under your seat because all of the overhead bins are full.
oversized baggage
adj
items that do not fit in suitcases Infant car seats and sporting equipment can be picked up at the oversized baggage counter.
oxygen mask
noun
a device that goes over a person's face, provides air in case of cabin air pressure loss Put your oxygen mask on first before putting one on your child.
passport
noun
document that proves a person's identification and nationality Please have your passport out when you go through security.
pilot
noun
the person who drives the plane The pilot is circling over the airport until it is safe to land.
refreshments
noun
drinks and snacks It's a short flight, so we will be serving refreshments but not a meal.
row
noun
a number of seats beside each other You are in seat B of row nine.
runway
noun
the strip of land that an airplane takes-off and lands on The plane almost missed the runway because it was such a bad storm.
seatbelt
noun
device that holds passengers in their seats Please remain in your seats while the seatbelt light is on.
steward (male), stewardess (female), flight attendant, air host
noun
man or woman who provides service for passengers during a flight Ask one of the stewardesses for a pillow if you're tired.
stopover
noun
touching down at more than one airport during a flight It's not a direct flight. We're making one stopover in Toronto.
take off
noun/verb
when the plane leaves the ground We are next in line to take off on this runway.
taxi in, out
verb
driving an airplane to the correct place for taking off or deboarding Please remain in your seats until we taxi in to the gate.
touch down
verb, noun
when the aircraft wheels land on the ground That was a very smooth touch down.
turbulence
noun
rough flight This turbulence should only last a few minutes.
wheelchair
noun
a seat for pushing elderly, disabled, or injured people A steward will take you to the gate with a wheelchair.
window seat
noun
seat next to the window where passengers can look out If your child wants a window seat I can move you back a row.