Make a short summary of the text in written form using these expressions.

Unit 3 British Airways

Вritish Airways is based and headquartered in Waterside, Harmondsworth, England. Its main hub is at London Heathrow Airport. It is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. British Airways is the largest airways in UK. British Airways was founded in 1935. British Airways is best known for its good quality customer service. British Airways is one of the world’s largest international airlines. Along with Air France, it is one of only two airlines to fly the supersonic Concorde jet. British Airways operates from two main bases, London’s two primary airports, Heathrow (the world’s largest international airport) and Gatwick. In the year 2000, forty eight million people flew on 529,807 British Airways flights, or an average of eighty passengers checking in every minute around the clock, and a British Airways flight either taking off or landing safely every thirty seconds.

British Airways maintains an enormous fleet capable of circling the globe, with flight crews trained to serve and protect business, royal, and vacationing tourists around the clock all year long. Maintaining a huge fleet of aircraft and maintenance support systems, the flagship of the British Airways fleet remains the Concorde; British Airways boasts more supersonic flying in one year than all of the world’s air forces combined.

British Airways attributes its success to its behind-the scenes activities, such as investor relations. On its World Wide Web site, the company provides comprehensive information regarding its financial performance, a presentation provided to the financial community, an online version of its own investor magazine, and even more information, including its history, in the British Airways Factbook. British Airways has also created partnerships and alliances with other airlines around the world to better serve its customers.

British Airways is involved in cargo service and tracking to support globalization, big business uniting the world. British Airways engineering services offer a wide range of technical and support services, individually tailored toward operational and financial efficiency of the business customer. British Airways also offers flight training in what are considered to be world-class facilities.

British Airways' main base is at London Heathrow Airport, but it also has a major presence at Gatwick Airport. It also has a base at London City Airport. Passengers wishing to travel internationally with BA either to or from regional UK destinations must now transfer in London. Heathrow Airport is dominated by British Airways, which owns 40% of the slots available at the airport. The majority of BA services operate from Terminal 5.

British Airways is today the world’s biggest international airline, carrying more passengers from one country to another than any of its competitors. From buying tickets to boarding a plane, it's a new world out there. Increased security, fewer flights, earlier check-ins, luggage limitations: Even if you're not a fearful flyer, getting from point A to point B still can be stressful. Consider taking some of these smart steps the next time you fly.

When you buy online, it's smart to take the time to click through to a schematic of the interior of the plane with available seats indicated. Use the check-in page on your airline's Web site, key in your eTicket code, and print a boarding pass from your home computer as long as 24 hours before take-off time. If you're traveling internationally, you will need to enter your passport info as well. The boarding pass bears your name, flight information, and a bar code the flight attendant scans at the gate. If you have luggage, you will still have to stand in line to deposit it before you go through security.

Show up well before your flight departs. For a domestic flight, 75 minutes is recommended. If you're departing from a large airport, add 15 minutes to that. If your flight goes overseas, be at the airport at least two hours in advance. If you're carrying a water bottle or other drink, toss it in the trash before you go through security. Your coat, your bag, and in many airports your shoes must be placed in supplied bins that travel on a slow conveyor belt. But that's not all. If you're traveling with a laptop, that will need to be removed from your carry-on and go in its own bin.

Exercises

1. Answer the following questions. Begin your answers with such introductory phrases as: as far as I know; as far as I remember; to my mind; certainly; it's hard to tell; probably; of course; if I am not mistaken etc.

1) What is the British Airways famous for?

2) What information does British Airways provide on its site?

3) What fleet does the British Airways maintain?

4) Where is the British Airways' main base?

5) What are the advantages of buying tickets online?

6) What should you do before going through security?

7) What engineering services does the British Airways offer?

2. Find in the texts the English equivalents for the following expressions:

(1) good quality customer service, (2) taking off or landing safely, (3) an enormous fleet capable of circling the globe, (4) the flagship of the British Airways fleet, (5) go through security, (6) a domestic flight, (7) a wide range of technical and support services, (8) the flight attendant, (9) boarding a plane, (10) luggage limitation, (11) increased security, (12) the boarding pass.

3. Rearrange the words to make sentences.