Airport Terminology (Grade 11 NSC Matric Tourism): Revision Notes

Airport Terminology

Introduction

Understanding airport terminology is essential for anyone working in tourism or planning to travel. Airports operate using specific terms and procedures that help ensure smooth, safe travel for millions of passengers. This note covers the key terminology you need to know about airports, aircraft, and the passenger journey from check-in to arrival.

The airport structure

Modern airports are divided into three main areas, each serving a different purpose in the travel process.

Landside

The landside is the outer area of the airport that surrounds the terminal building. This is where the general public can freely access without needing a ticket or boarding pass. When you arrive at an airport, you start in the landside area.

The landside typically includes:

• Drop-off and pick-up zones where vehicles can stop to let passengers in and out
• Car rental facilities where travellers can hire vehicles
• Parking areas including covered parking arcades, open-air parking, and shaded sections
• Taxi and bus stations for public transport connections

Airside

The airside contains all the areas where aircraft operate. This is a restricted zone that only passengers with valid boarding passes and airline staff can access. Security is tight in these areas to ensure passenger safety.

The airside includes:

• Ramps or tarmacs (the paved areas where aircraft move)
• Aprons (parking areas for aircraft)
• Runways (strips where planes take off and land)
• Taxiways (paths aircraft use to move between runways and parking areas)
• Tank farms (fuel storage areas)
• Hangars (large buildings where aircraft are maintained and stored)

Terminal

The terminal is the main building where passengers process their travel. It serves as the connection point between the landside and airside areas.

Public areas in the terminal include:

• Ticket counters where passengers book flights or resolve ticketing issues
• Shops selling everything from books to souvenirs
• Restaurants and cafes
• Banking halls and currency exchange services

Restricted areas (after security) include:

• Passenger lounges where travellers wait for their flights
• Additional shops and restaurants for departing passengers
• Boarding gates where passengers enter aircraft

Check-in and boarding procedures for departure

When departing on a flight, passengers follow a standard sequence of steps. Understanding this process helps you navigate airports confidently.

Step 1: Arriving at the airport

Passengers enter the terminal building through the landside and make their way to the departures hall. This is where the check-in process begins.

Step 2: Check-in counter

At the airline's check-in counter, an official will:

• Verify your identity by checking your ID card or passport
• Confirm your ticket or e-ticket
• Allow you to select your preferred seat
• Issue your boarding pass (your ticket to board the aircraft)
• Weigh your baggage and process it for the flight
• Place baggage tags on checked luggage

Once you receive your boarding pass, you proceed to security with only your hand luggage.

Step 3: Security screening

Security control is a critical checkpoint where all passengers and their belongings are screened. Here's what happens:

• You place all hand luggage and carried items on a conveyor belt
• These items pass through an X-ray machine that creates images of the contents
• You walk through a metal detector that alerts staff if you're carrying any metal objects
• This process ensures no prohibited or dangerous items are taken onto the aircraft

After clearing security, you enter the restricted airside area of the terminal.

Step 4: Passport control (international flights only)

If you're departing on an international flight, you must pass through passport control. Immigration officers will check your passport and may stamp it to record your departure from the country.

Step 5: Boarding gate

Once through all checkpoints, you proceed to your designated boarding gate. This is the specific door through which you'll board your aircraft. Gates are numbered, and you'll find yours printed on your boarding pass.

Baggage allowances and rules on domestic flights

Airlines have specific rules about what passengers can bring on flights. Understanding these rules helps you pack correctly and avoid problems at the airport.

What is baggage?

Baggage refers to all articles and personal items a passenger needs for their journey. This includes clothing, toiletries, electronics, and items for comfort during travel.

Checked baggage

Checked baggage is luggage you hand over to the airline at check-in. The airline takes responsibility for it, weighing it, attaching identification labels, and storing it in the aircraft's cargo hold (the storage area beneath the passenger cabin).

For most domestic flights in South Africa, these weight limits apply:

Passenger Type	Business Class	Economy Class
Adult passengers	30-40 kg	20 kg
Children (2-11 years)	30-40 kg	20 kg
Infants (under 2 years)	10 kg	10 kg

Hand luggage (carry-on)

Hand luggage or carry-on items are bags you keep with you during the flight. These bags must fit in the overhead storage bins or under the seat in front of you.

For economy class passengers on most domestic flights:

• One piece of hand luggage is permitted
• Maximum total dimensions: 115 cm (when you add length + height + width together)
• Maximum weight: 8 kg

Business class passengers typically receive a higher allowance, often two items of 8 kg each.

Prohibited items in hand luggage

For safety reasons, certain items cannot be carried in the cabin. Prohibited items include:

• Sharp objects: knives, blades, scissors, knitting needles, nail files
• These items could potentially be used as weapons

Permitted items in hand luggage

Despite the restrictions, passengers may carry essential items such as:

• Medicines (prescription and over-the-counter)
• Toiletries (in limited quantities)
• Oxygen (for medical purposes)
• Alcohol (up to 5 litres)
• Perfume (up to 0.05 litres)
• Matches or a lighter (one only)

Safety procedures before take-off and during the flight

Airlines prioritise passenger safety above all else. Before every flight, passengers receive a safety briefing explaining important procedures.

Pre-flight safety briefing

The flight crew demonstrates safety procedures either in person or through a video presentation shown on screens throughout the cabin. This briefing happens before the aircraft begins moving.

Luggage storage

Passengers must store their hand luggage properly:

• Larger bags go in the overhead storage bins (small cupboards above the seats)
• Smaller items like handbags can be placed under the seat in front of you
• Nothing should block the aisles or emergency exits

Seatbelts and tray tables

During critical phases of flight (take-off and landing):

• All passengers must fasten their seatbelts securely across their laps
• Tray tables (the fold-down surfaces attached to the seat in front) must be locked in the upright position
• These rules prevent injuries if the aircraft experiences turbulence or sudden movements

Emergency equipment and procedures

The safety briefing also covers:

• Location of emergency exits: Passengers learn where the nearest exits are located
• Oxygen masks: These drop automatically from above each seat if the cabin loses air pressure. Passengers must pull them down and place them over their nose and mouth
• Life jackets: For flights over water, passengers learn where life jackets are stored and how to inflate them
• Safety briefing cards: These illustrated cards in the seat pocket explain evacuation procedures

Arrival at the destination airport

When your flight reaches its destination, a specific arrival process begins.

Disembarking

Disembarking means exiting the aircraft. Passengers leave through the aircraft doors and enter the terminal building via a jet bridge (covered walkway) or shuttle bus.

Baggage claim

After disembarking, passengers proceed to the baggage claim area. This is where checked luggage is returned to passengers.

• Luggage arrives on a carousel (a rotating conveyor belt)
• Multiple carousels may operate simultaneously, each serving different flights
• Screens display which carousel serves your flight
• You identify your bags by the tags attached during check-in

Arrivals hall

Once you've collected all your baggage, you may proceed to the arrivals hall. This is where people meet passengers, and where you exit to the landside area.

Immigration checkpoint (international arrivals only)

Passengers arriving on international flights must pass through an immigration checkpoint before leaving the terminal. Immigration officers will:

• Check your passport
• Stamp your passport to record your entry into the country
• May ask questions about your visit

Only after clearing immigration can international passengers exit the terminal.

Aircraft terminology

Understanding the parts of an aircraft helps you follow safety instructions and feel more comfortable during flights.

Key parts of an aircraft

The aisle is the walkway running down the centre of the passenger cabin. On larger aircraft, there may be two aisles (one on each side). Passengers use aisles to reach their seats and access facilities like toilets.

The galley serves as the aircraft's kitchen. This is where flight attendants prepare food and beverages for passengers. Larger aircraft have multiple galleys positioned throughout the cabin.

The cockpit (also called the flight deck) is located at the front of the aircraft. This is where pilots sit and control the aeroplane. Passengers are not permitted to enter the cockpit during flights.

Overhead storage bins are small cupboards positioned above the seats. Passengers place hand luggage in these compartments during the flight.

Tray tables are fold-down surfaces attached to the back of each seat. Passengers use them for meals, drinks, or working on laptops during the flight.

The cargo hold is the storage area beneath the passenger cabin. This is where checked baggage and cargo are secured during flights. Passengers never see this area.

Entertainment facilities include reading lights above each seat and television screens (on many modern aircraft) showing films, programmes, or flight information.

Oxygen masks are emergency breathing devices stored in compartments above each seat. They automatically drop down if the cabin loses air pressure.

Seating in an aeroplane

Aircraft design varies depending on the size of the plane and the airline's configuration choices.

Wide-body vs narrow-body aircraft

Wide-body aircraft are larger planes with two aisles running through the passenger cabin. This means there are typically three sections of seats (left, middle, and right). An example is the Airbus A340-600, often used for long international flights.

Narrow-body aircraft are smaller planes with only one aisle running through the centre. Seats are arranged in two sections (left and right sides). An example is the Boeing 737-800, commonly used for domestic and short international routes.

Class sections

Airlines divide aircraft cabins into different classes, offering varying levels of comfort and service.

Business class seats are located at the front of the aircraft. These seats offer:

• More space between rows (called "pitch")
• Wider seats
• Seats that recline further, often folding flat to become beds
• Superior meal service
• Priority boarding and baggage handling

Economy class seats are positioned at the back of the plane. These seats:

• Have less space between rows
• Are narrower than business class seats
• Recline only partially
• Still provide safe, comfortable travel but with fewer luxuries

Seat types

Window seats are positioned next to the aircraft windows. Passengers in these seats enjoy views during the flight but must climb over other passengers to access the aisle.

Aisle seats are located next to the aisles. These seats offer easy access to toilets and allow passengers to stand and stretch without disturbing others.

Emergency exit seats in economy class are positioned next to emergency exits, typically above the wings. These seats often have extra legroom because nothing can be stored in front of them. However, passengers sitting here must be able and willing to assist during an emergency evacuation.