Proficiency in English is an essential skill for airport service providers. This comprehensive course is a corporate solution to establish an English learning environment within an airport community. The course will help members of airport staff, in a wide range of roles, develop English language to communicate clearly and concisely in English with air travellers, colleagues and crew members. The course is built on the AEROSTA Framework and applies the language training methodology of our courses for pilots and ATCOs to courses for airport service providers.
CLASS SIZE: 8-40 learners
LEARNER PROFILE: Airport staff in various service and safety roles eg operations officer, security officer, information officer, turnaround co-ordinator, airport driver, runway cleaner etc
COURSE TIME: as required, delivered over a period from 4 days to 15 weeks
COURSE LOCATION: Airport premises throughout Asia, eg Hong Kong International Airport
COURSE FEE: $5000 HKD for 3 modules. This course is MATF reimburseable for learners who are both (1) Hong Kong residents (2) employed by an airline or aviation company.
Benefits of English for Airport Service Providers & Agents
- Improve your ability to communicate clearly and effectively with passengers, colleagues and crew members.
- Become more confident in dealing with unusual and unexpected events.
- Improve your comprehension of a wide range of accents.
- Improve your cultural awareness and ability to interpret gestures, mannerisms and body language.
- Improve your ability to write accurate and concise reports
- Course complements airport internal training.
Course structure
The Essential English course is 30 hours in total, comprised of 3 core modules focused on language development. They are suitable for both pre-professionals and for those who are working at an airport. In these core modules learners will develop their vocabulary, pronunciation, grammatical accuracy, listening comprehension and report writing skills.
- English for Passenger Service - learners will be able to use appropriate language in various airport customer service scenarios, eg giving directions, making announcements, explaining procedures, and handling complaints.
- English for Aerodrome Safety and Security - learners will be able to use appropriate language to meet specific passenger requirements, eg recognising health and dietary conditions, describing security procedures and restrictions, handling complaints and abusive pasengers
- English for Personal & Professional Development - learners will develop greater cultural awareness, confidence and tactful language in addition to developing professional presentation, writing and email skills.
Extension modules are available
4. Report Writing for Airport Operations Officers
5. Advanced Report Writing for Airport Operations Officers
6. Statement Writing for Airport Security Officers
7. Elementary English (CEFR A1-A2)
8. Foundation English (CEFR A2-B1)
9. Pronunciation and Listening Comprehension Skills
10. English for Airport Management
Features of English for Airport Service Providers & Agents
The course is built on the AEROSTA Framework which ensures that in each unit learners have meaningful practice of a range of language skills relevant to an aviation career. The course is aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference and the topics on the course lead to proficiency in the AEROSTA Framework Service Language Test.
| Unit | Vocabulary | Structure | Communicative Functions |
| The course is divided into 30 units(10 units er module), each a relevant topic for airport service providers | Each unit contains vocabulary (oral and written form) frequently used in that topic | Each unit contains a range of basic and complex structures, and activities to improve learners' grammatical accuracy of those structures in context. | Each unit contains role play exercises to practice using those structures in a meaningful airport customer service context, to achieve a satisfactory outcome. |
Topics include:
- World destinations
- Problems at the airport
- Politeness, formality and register
- Company image
- Being tactful
- Unruly / suspicious passengers
- Dangerous Goods
- Giving directions
- Handling complaints
- Flight information
and many more.
Language Assessment
At the end of the course, learners are assessed by the AEROSTA Framework Service Language Test, the international standard for determining English proficiency in aviation service roles.
The AEROSTA Framework Service Language Test is an accurate test of language proficiency for airline and airport customer service staff. The AEROSTA Framework Service Language Test measures the specific reading, listening, and oral proficiency skills required to successfully perform frontline duties in English. The test is concerned with determining genuine language proficiency through appropriate responses, regardless of whether a response is factually or grammatically correct.
General and Academic English tests such as TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC are inappropriate for testing language proficiency of airline/airport customer service staff as they do not test important skills within the context of aviation service, so the results are less meaningful as a measure of language proficiency. They do not measure the skills that are required for interaction with colleagues and air passengers.
OPTIONAL EXTRA PRACTICE
For staff that require additional English language practice, they should consider attending optional weekend Supplementary Classes. We typically offer workshops for non-technical airline staff such as Customer Service Officers, Cabin Crew and Airport Security Officers on alternating Saturday and Sunday mornings 10-12pm. A two hour Supplementary Class costs $300HKD per person if more than 8 people attend, or $500HKD if less than 8 people attend.
TEACHING STAFF All teaching staff are certified by the Aviation English Organisation. All teachers have aviation and language teaching experience.
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