Air Traffic Control Problem Fixed After UK Flight Disruption
Listen to the story
There was a problem with air traffic control in the UK. It was at a place called Prestwick Centre. The problem caused flight delays. This happened in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.
Air traffic control helps planes fly safely. It tells pilots where to go. When it does not work well, flights can stop or be late.
The UK transport secretary is Heidi Alexander. She has an important government job. She looks after transport, like trains and planes.
Heidi Alexander said the problem is now fixed. She said this on a website called X. But she warned there could still be some delays.
She said things need time to reset. Reset means to start working normally again. So some flights may still be late for a while.
Vocabulary15 words
- air traffic control
- a system that helps planes fly safely
- disruption
- when something normal stops working well
- transport secretary
- a government person in charge of travel
- technical issue
- a problem with machines or computers
- fixed
- made to work again
- warned
- told people about a possible problem
- delays
- when something is late
- reset
- to start working normally again
- flight
- a trip by plane
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- centre
- an important place where work happens
- pilot
- a person who flies a plane
- safely
- without danger
- normal
- usual; not different
- problem
- something wrong that needs fixing
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Prestwick Centre 2. Heidi Alexander 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
There was a problem with air traffic _____ in the UK. It was at a place called _____ Centre. The problem caused flight _____. This happened in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.
Air traffic control helps planes fly _____. It tells pilots where to go. When it does not work well, flights can stop or be _____.
The UK transport _____ is Heidi Alexander. She has an important government job. She looks after transport, like trains and planes.
Heidi Alexander said the problem is now _____. She said this on a website called X. But she _____ there could still be some delays.
She said things need time to _____. Reset means to start working _____ again. So some flights may still be late for a while.
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