Every day hundreds of people travel from one place to another. They travel to work, to school, or on business. Many people travel for pleasure and traveling has recently become one of the most popular hobbies. Travelling is also an interesting way of spending holidays. In every season of the year the airports, railways stations, seaports, bus stops are full of people tarvelling for long or short distances.

When people travel a long distance they usually travel by air. Travelling by air is exciting, fast, comfortable, relatively ssafe but rather expensive. In the 20th century it has become one one of the most important means of transportation. Especially during the last twenty years the number of airplanes and frequency of flifhts have grown enourmously. In such countries as the USA, where people have to travel long distances to get from one place to another, travelling by air has become quite common. It takes nearly six hours by plane to get from the western to the eastern coast of the USA. There are severalhundred American airlines, all of them private. They include the most popular and biggest airlines companies such as Paan American, trans world Airlines, Delta, ...

When people choose to travel by plane they usually go or telephone to the airlines or travel agency to get information about flights as well as about reservations and cost of air tickets. It is also asual to confirm the flight at least a week before travelling.

At the airport the passengers travelling with internationals or intercontinental airlines have to show their flight tickets and paaports. An official weights their luggage as passengers take only 20 kg of luggage free of charge. The passengers must also go through the customs. For air traffic safety both people and luggage have to be checked and metal objects have to be detected. Then the passengers can go to the waiting room. When the aircraft is prepared for flight the announcer call passengers to get ready and board the plane. In the plane the stewardess shows them their seats. Before the aircraft moves the notices flash up – „Fasten Your Safety Belts“ and „No Smoking“. On the runway the aircrew makes the last checks and when they get permissions from the control tower for flight the aircraft takes off. During the flight the stewardess offers thepassengers some meals, refreshments, drinks, cigarettes and sweets. The passengers can also read magazines supplied on board or just sleep.