At the Airport: Survival English for New Arrivals

⏱ 5 MIN · CEFR A2

At the Airport: Survival English for New Arrivals

✈️ From my notebook:

When I landed in Sydney in 2005, I sat on a kerb outside the terminal for three hours. I had the address of someone I knew but no phone, no idea how to get a taxi, no idea how to ask. My English was what my teacher in Dhaka called ‘written only’ — I could read it, but I couldn’t speak it. That kerb was my first classroom. I learned one phrase: ‘Excuse me, how do I get to…?’ It got me off the kerb.

🎯 By the end you will:

• Ask for directions and help at an airport
• Understand common airport signs and announcements
• Use ‘Excuse me’ + question politely

📖 Key phrases and signs (A2):

Asking for help: Excuse me, where is…? / How do I get to…? / Can you help me, please?
Signs: Arrivals · Departures · Customs · Baggage Claim · Immigration · Exit
Transport: Where can I get a taxi? / Which bus goes to the city?
Not understanding: Sorry, could you say that again, more slowly?

✅ Quick check: You don’t understand what someone said. What do you say?

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✍️ Try it (2 min):

Roleplay: Student A just landed. Student B is an airport staff member.
A asks for: 1. Baggage claim 2. A taxi 3. The nearest shop
Swap and repeat.

💡 Teacher’s tip:

Use real airport signs as visual prompts. Show photos or a short video clip of an arrivals hall. Context before language — always.