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Ramp apron

English: Ramp apron

French: Aire de trafic


During a lightning alert, ramp agents are not allowed to work on the ramp apron as there’s a risk of them getting struck by lightning while working beside large metallic airplanes.


The ramp apron (also just called the “ramp”) refers to the area outside the terminal building, where planes park at their gates and push back. Once a plane leaves the ramp apron, they use the taxiways to taxi to the runway for take off.


Previously, we learned that “ramp agent” in French is “agent de piste” literally “agent of runway”.


To translate “ramp apron”, the technical term is “aire de trafic”.

Aire (f)=Area, Zone

De=Of

Trafic (m)=Traffic

Informally, you’ll also hear the anglicism “rampe” (f). “Rampe” in French technically means “handrail” or can also mean an “incline ramp” like a wheelchair ramp.

You’ll also hear the word “piste” (f), which usually means “runway”, used to mean “ramp apron”.

 

Now available! Module 4 of Canadian French for Flight Attendants. Learn the French for:

-Less common food/drinks/special meals.

-Bag issues (bag won't fit/no more space).

-Announcements for mechanical problems, cancellations, airplane changes, diverting, etc.

-Delays because of fuel, catering, connection passengers, weather, etc.

-Tight/missed connections.

-And much, much more!


 

Flight Attendant Souvenirs. Souvenirs d’un agent de bord. United Arab Emirates, February 2020. Dubai Mall, one of the biggest malls in the country. This mall has an indoor skating rink, just in case you wanted to skate in the middle of a desert. The mall also features an aquarium, a virtual reality park, and a haunted house.



Lightning alert

English: Lightning alert

French: Alerte de foudre


Here’s a preview of the French you can expect to learn in Module 5 of Canadian French for Flight Attendants.


As a flight attendant, you’ll definitely have flights that fly during stormy weather, especially in the summertime. Thunderstorms can cause delays and flight attendants need the vocabulary to communicate this information to passengers.


Planes are made to fly through thunderstorms and can fly fine even when struck by lightning. That being said, we still try to avoid flying through thunderstorms. Lightning strikes can cause structural damage to the plane that needs to be fixed before its next flight.


Furthermore, lightning near an airport can cause delays for ground operations. Airports have lightning detection systems and if they detect lightning strikes nearby, the airport authorities may declare a lightning alert, also called a red alert. During a red alert, ramp agents (and other personnel that work on the ramp) are not permitted to be outside, working beside large metal airplanes standing on rubber wheels, as there is a risk of them being struck by lightning. Similarly, during a thunderstorm, we learn that being inside a car is safe, but standing beside one is not. Lightning might be attracted to the metallic car, but it would have difficulty finding the ground through the rubber tires, thus jump to the person standing beside the car, and travel through the body to the ground, thereby electrocuting the person.


Therefore, during a lightning alert at an airport, ramp agents cannot be outside, and thus cannot park planes that have landed, cannot push planes back for departure, and cannot handle baggage.


If your plane lands during a lightning alert, you’ll have to wait on the ramp area until the alert is lifted, so that the ramp agents can come out to park your plane. Information must be relayed to the passengers during this delay. The lightning alert will last for however long the airport detects lightning. I’ve personally had one last for only a few minutes because we landed at the tail-end of the lightning alert in Montreal (YUL). I’ve also had one last about 3 hours in Edmonton (YEG) a few years ago.


Alerte (f)=Alert

De=Of

Foudre (f)=Lightning


Incidentally, the word “foudre” can also be used in the masculine, with its meaning changing to “lightning bolt”.

 

Now available! Module 4 of Canadian French for Flight Attendants. Learn the French for:

-Less common food/drinks/special meals.

-Bag issues (bag won't fit/no more space).

-Announcements for mechanical problems, cancellations, airplane changes, diverting, etc.

-Delays because of fuel, catering, connection passengers, weather, etc.

-Tight/missed connections.

-And much, much more!


 

Flight Attendant Souvenirs. Souvenirs d’un agent de bord. United Arab Emirates, February 2020. This was a trip I took in February, shortly before the pandemic situation got worse all around the world. Dubai is known for its extravagance and the Dubai Frame near my hotel, was a relatively recent construction project, where visitors can go up for a panoramic view of the city. At night, the frame lights up.




Can I stow your crutches?

English: Can I stow your crutches?

French: Est-ce que je peux ranger vos béquilles?


You’ve helped someone with crutches onto the airplane, into their seat. Now you need to stow the crutches. Depending on the plane, you can probably stow them in the overhead compartments or in your closet, if you have one. We should always ask permission first before handling passengers’ belongings.


Je peux=I can

Ranger=Stow

Vos béquilles (f)=Your crutches

Dans le compartiment (m)=In the compartment

Dans le vestiaire (m)=In the closet

Je peux ranger vos béquilles dans le compartiment=I can stow your crutches in the compartment

Adding ‘’Est-ce que’’ in front of any statement in French turns the statement into a yes-no question.


Je peux ranger=I can stow

Est-ce que je peux ranger?=Can I stow?

Est-ce que je peux ranger vos béquilles dans le vestiaire?

 

Now available! Module 4 of Canadian French for Flight Attendants. Learn the French for:

-Less common food/drinks/special meals.

-Bag issues (bag won't fit/no more space).

-Announcements for mechanical problems, cancellations, airplane changes, diverting, etc.

-Delays because of fuel, catering, connection passengers, weather, etc.

-Tight/missed connections.

-And much, much more!

 

Flight Attendant Souvenirs. Souvenirs d’un agent de bord. Morocco, December 2019. Maroc, décembre 2019. Rabat part 3. The last evening in Morocco. The Chellah Cemetery. Passing by the Museum of Contemporary Art. Then heading back to the Riad via the market for some street food.


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