Chapitre 10

Business travel

Cours

The assistant often organises business trips: booking flights and hotels, understanding travel rules and solving problems at the airport.

I. Travel vocabulary

EnglishFrançaisEnglishFrançais
to book / to reserveréserverto cancelannuler
to check inenregistrerboarding cardcarte d'embarquement
to boardembarquergateporte
luggage / baggagebagagestrolleychariot
departure loungesalle d'embarquementstopoverescale
to declare (at customs)déclarer (à la douane)duty-free shopboutique hors taxes
on timeà l'heuredelayedretardé
to hire / to rent a carlouer une voiturereturn ticketbillet aller-retour
single room / double roomchambre simple / doubleout of date (expired)périmé

II. Rules and regulations

ModalMeaningExample
must / have toNecessary, obligatoryPassengers must label their luggage clearly.
mustn'tProhibitedPassengers mustn't carry dangerous articles.
canPossible, allowedPassengers can take a small bag onto the plane.
can'tImpossible, not allowedYou can't drive without an international licence.
don't have toNot necessaryYou don't have to book: you can buy the ticket at the station.

© TSC COMMERCE – OTHMAN ZT · Cours protégé, reproduction interdite

III. Making travel arrangements

SituationPhrases
Booking a flightI'd like to book a return flight from Casablanca to London on 5 May, returning on 8 May.
Booking a hotelI'd like to reserve a single room for three nights from 5 May. Is breakfast included?
Asking for informationWhat time does the flight leave? / Which gate are we boarding from? / Will the flight leave on time?
ProblemsI can't find my boarding card. / My luggage hasn't arrived. / I'd like to cancel my reservation.

IV. Future possibilities (first conditional)

« If you keep the receipts, we will refund your travel expenses. » ; « If I can't get a flight home, I'll have to stay overnight. » ; « If you have to be there by ten, you'd better hurry. »

Key points
  • book, check in, board, gate, luggage, stopover, cancel, hire.
  • must ≠ mustn't ≠ don't have to.
  • If + present, will… to talk about possible problems.

© TSC COMMERCE – OTHMAN ZT · Cours protégé, reproduction interdite

Exercices
Exercise 1: mustn't or don't have to? (OFPPT practice)

1. They transfer our baggage to the next plane: we ___ carry it. 2. Passengers ___ use mobile phones because they interfere with the plane's equipment. 3. You ___ take out travel insurance, but it's a good idea. 4. This meeting is very important: we ___ be late. 5. We've got plenty of time: you ___ hurry. 6. You ___ return the car to the place you hired it: you can return it to another garage.

Afficher la correctionMasquer la correction

1. don't have to ; 2. mustn't ; 3. don't have to ; 4. mustn't ; 5. don't have to ; 6. don't have to.

Exercise 2: match the halves (OFPPT practice)

1. If you keep the receipts, … 2. If I can't get a flight home, … 3. If you haven't got anything to declare, … 4. If the sea is rough, … 5. If you have to be there by ten, … — a. go through the green door. b. you'd better hurry up. c. we'll refund your travel expenses. d. there are no hovercraft crossings. e. I'll have to stay overnight.

Afficher la correctionMasquer la correction

1-c ; 2-e ; 3-a ; 4-d ; 5-b.

Exercise 3: book a trip by e-mail

Your director, Mr Bennani, is going to a trade fair in Frankfurt from 12 to 14 October. Write an e-mail to the Hotel Messe: a single room for three nights (arrival 11 October in the evening), breakfast, an airport shuttle, and the price.

Afficher la correctionMasquer la correction

Subject: Room reservation – 11 to 14 October. « Dear Sir or Madam, I would like to reserve a single room for Mr Mohamed Bennani for three nights, from 11 October (late arrival, around 10 p.m.) to 14 October. Could you please confirm the price per night, including breakfast? We would also like to know if you offer a shuttle service from the airport. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Nadia Idrissi, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director, ATLAS Logistics, Casablanca, tel. +212 522 47 18 90. »

Vidéos

Les vidéos de ce chapitre seront bientôt disponibles.

Fin du moduleRetour au module et à l'EFM Chapitre 9 : Describing trends and reporting figures