Handling Digital Travel Problems with Apps and Tickets.

In this lesson you deal with modern travel problems that appear on your screen instead of in front of you. You learn vocabulary for common apps and websites used for flights, accommodation, ride hailing and tickets. You practise checking in online, saving boarding passes and scanning QR codes, and you learn phrases for when something goes wrong, such as error messages, lost passwords or tickets that will not open. You also work on explaining connection problems with Wi Fi and mobile data in cafés, hotels and airports. Short chat and email models show you how to contact customer support, describe the problem and ask for a solution or refund. By the end you can talk about digital issues clearly and get practical help instead of feeling stuck with your phone.

1. Setting the scene with a digital check in problem.

Imagine this situation. It is the night before your flight. You are in your hotel room, you are a bit tired, and you open the airline app on your phone to check in online. You type your surname and booking reference, you press the button, and then… nothing. Or you get an error message that says, for example, check in not available, please try again later. Maybe the app freezes, or your boarding pass will not download. Many travellers feel stressed in this moment, because they are not sure what is a technical problem and what is a serious travel problem. In this lesson we are going to stay in this kind of digital situation and learn exactly how to describe what is happening, how to ask for help and how to understand simple instructions from staff or customer support. In this first block, I will show you some important vocabulary and phrases for apps, online check in and digital boarding passes, and you will read a short story about a traveller with a similar problem. Then you will write a few short sentences to show that you understand the situation and that you can already suggest a basic next step. Do not worry about long texts yet; we will build your skills step by step.

Your first digital travel problem.

We will follow you during a short work trip. Tonight you are in a hotel in Madrid. Tomorrow morning you have a flight back home. Your airline has sent you an email: “You can now check in online.” You open the airline app, but something goes wrong.

Look at these key words and phrases for this situation:

• app / website – the digital tool you use
• account – your personal profile with your email and password
• log in / sign in – enter your email and password to use the app
• booking reference – a short code for your flight booking
• online check in – check in on your phone or laptop, not at the airport desk
• boarding pass – the document you need to board the plane
• QR code – the black and white square that someone can scan
• download – save a file or boarding pass on your phone
• screenshot – a photo of what is on your screen

Here are some useful sentences to talk about typical app problems:

• “My boarding pass will not download.”
• “The app keeps showing an error message.”
• “I have forgotten my password.”
• “The code you sent does not work.”
• “I paid, but I did not receive any confirmation.”

When you describe a digital problem, it helps to give three things:

1. What you want to do – for example, “I am trying to check in online.”
2. What you see on the screen – for example, the exact error message.
3. What you already tried – for example, “I closed and opened the app again.”

In the activity below, you will read a short story about another traveller with a digital problem and then explain the situation in your own words. This is a gentle warm up to get you thinking in English about apps, screens and error messages.

Practice & Feedback

Read the short text about Maria and her airline app in the resource box. Then, write three short sentences in your own words.

1. Sentence 1: Explain what problem Maria has with her app.
2. Sentence 2: Explain what she has already tried.
3. Sentence 3: Suggest one possible next step for her.

You do not need to write a long paragraph; three clear sentences are enough. Try to use at least one phrase from the word list or the example sentences on the screen, such as “online check in”, “error message” or “my boarding pass will not download”. Focus on clear, simple English. Do not worry if your solution is not perfect; we are practising how to describe the problem in a calm way.

2. Describing app errors and asking what to do.

Now let us move a little further in the story. You still cannot check in online, so you decide to contact the airline for help. In real life, this might be by phone, by voice call inside the app, or by clicking on a small help button. To get useful help, you need to describe clearly what you are trying to do, what exactly is happening on your screen and what error messages you can see. Then, you need to understand the basic instructions that the support person gives you. In this block we will focus on simple phrases to do these two things. First, I will show you some patterns for describing errors and for asking, very directly, what you should do next. Then you will listen to a short conversation between a traveller and an airline support agent. Your task will be to catch the key information: what the problem is, what the agent suggests and how the traveller repeats the instructions to check understanding. After you listen, you will write a few short answers. This will help you prepare to explain your own digital problem later in the lesson.

Clear patterns for talking about app problems.

When something goes wrong with an app, your mind can feel a bit confused. Having some simple patterns ready makes it easier to stay calm. Here are three very useful structures:

I am trying to… but…

• “I am trying to check in online, but the app keeps showing an error message.”
• “I am trying to open my boarding pass, but it will not download.”

It keeps… / It does not…

• “The app keeps closing when I tap ‘Check in’.”
• “The QR code does not appear on the screen.”

What should I do now? / What can I do?

• “I have restarted my phone, but it is the same. What should I do now?”
• “Can you tell me what I can do to get my boarding pass?”

You already saw some chunk bank phrases for this lesson. Here we put them into complete sentences:

• “My boarding pass will not download and the app keeps showing an error message.”
• “I have forgotten my password. Could you reset my account, please?”
• “The code you sent does not work. Could you send the ticket to my email?”

Listening task.

In the listening activity below, you will hear a short dialogue between Daniel, a traveller, and Amy, an airline support agent. As you listen, focus on three questions:

1. What is Daniel trying to do?
2. What exactly is the problem with his app?
3. What does Amy tell him to do next, step by step?

After listening, you will write your answers in full sentences, and then write one extra sentence you could use in a similar situation, using “I am trying to…” or “It keeps…”. This will help you connect the model with your own travel life.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to the short conversation in the audio box. You can listen two or three times if you need to.

Then, write four sentences:

1. Sentence 1: Say what Daniel is trying to do.
2. Sentence 2: Explain clearly what problem he has with the app.
3. Sentence 3: Say what instructions Amy gives him (for example, to restart, to use email, etc.).
4. Sentence 4: Write a new sentence about you, using one of the patterns from the screen (for example, “I am trying to… but…” or “It keeps…”) to describe an app problem you have had, real or imaginary.

Keep your sentences simple but complete. Try to use the vocabulary from this block, such as “error message”, “download”, “QR code”, “reset my account” or “send the ticket to my email”. Focus on clear communication more than perfect grammar.

3. Asking for help with Wi Fi and connections.

So far, our problems have been inside the airline app. But very often the real problem is not the app, it is the connection. You may have seen this in hotels, cafés or airports. You connect to the Wi Fi network, the signal looks strong, but nothing opens. Or you need a password and the one on the wall does not work. Perhaps you have no mobile data in another country and you cannot open your email with your digital ticket. In this block, we will focus on the language you need to talk to staff in a hotel, café or airport when your connection is not working well enough to access your tickets or boarding passes. I will show you a short model dialogue with reception staff, and we will notice some polite but very clear phrases that you can copy. Then you will write your own short request for help at a hotel reception. This will connect the technical words, like Wi Fi and password, with the polite travel language you already know from earlier lessons.

When the problem is the connection, not the app.

Imagine the next morning. You go to the airport feeling calm, but when you arrive you cannot open your airline app. You see this message: “No internet connection.” The airport Wi Fi shows full bars, but nothing loads. You walk into a café and decide to ask for help.

Here is some useful vocabulary:

• Wi Fi network – the name you see when you search for connections
• signal – how strong the connection is
• password / code – the secret word or numbers to connect
• router – the small box that sends the Wi Fi signal
• mobile data – internet from your phone provider
• connection drops – the internet stops suddenly

Model dialogue: in a hotel reception.

Read this short conversation between a guest and hotel staff:

> Guest: Excuse me, I cannot connect to the Wi Fi in my room.

>

> Receptionist: I am sorry about that. Which room are you in?

>

> Guest: Room 305. The network appears on my phone, but when I enter the password, it says "Incorrect password".

>

> Receptionist: The password has changed this week. The new code is TRAVEL2025. Could you try that?

>

> Guest: Of course. One moment… It still does not work.

>

> Receptionist: All right. I will restart the router for your floor. Could you try again in five minutes?

>

> Guest: Yes, thank you. I need the Wi Fi to open my boarding pass.

Notice three useful patterns:

• “I cannot connect to the Wi Fi in my room.”
• “The network appears, but the password does not work.”
• “I need the Wi Fi to…” + your reason, e.g. “to open my boarding pass”, “to download my ticket”.

In the activity, you will write a short message at hotel reception explaining that the Wi Fi in your room is not working and that you need it for your digital travel documents.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are standing at the reception desk of your hotel. You need to open your digital boarding pass, but the Wi Fi in your room is not working.

Write a short message of 3–5 sentences as if you are speaking to the receptionist. Include:

• a polite opening,
• a clear description of the Wi Fi problem,
• your room number (invent one if you like),
• why you need the internet (for example, “to download my boarding pass”, “to check in online”),
• a polite request for help.

You can start with ideas like “Excuse me, I cannot connect to the Wi Fi in my room” or “The network appears, but the password does not work”. Try to use at least one of the patterns or phrases from the model dialogue on the screen. Focus on sounding calm, polite and clear.

4. Understanding a support chat about a QR ticket.

Let us jump to another common digital moment on a trip. You have booked tickets for a museum or a concert in an app. At the entrance, the staff ask to scan your QR code, but the ticket will not open. Perhaps the app is frozen, or you only have an email, not a QR code. In situations like this, you often need to contact customer support through a chat window inside the app or on the website. In this block, we will look at a complete support chat between a traveller and a ticket company. You will see how the traveller explains the problem, gives their booking details and clearly asks for a solution. You will also see how the support agent gives instructions and offers an alternative, for example sending the ticket by email or printing it at the desk. Your job is to read the chat carefully, understand what happens and then summarise the problem and the solution in your own words. This is an important skill: when you can explain a digital problem and the answer in simple sentences, it is easier to stay calm and to repeat the steps later if you have the same problem again.

Digital tickets and QR codes at the entrance.

Many museums, buses and tours now use QR codes instead of paper tickets. Normally, you simply show the code on your screen and someone scans it. But what can you say when the QR code will not open or you only have a confirmation email?

Here are some useful sentences:

• “My ticket QR code will not open in the app.”
• “I can see the booking in the app, but there is no QR code.”
• “I paid, but I did not receive any confirmation.”
• “Can I show you this QR code instead?”
• “Could you send the ticket to my email, please?”
• “Could you print my ticket at the desk?”

Model support chat.

Read this chat between Leo, a traveller, and CityTickets Support:

> Leo: Hi, my QR ticket will not open in the app.

>

> Support: Hello, I am sorry to hear that. Could you tell me your booking reference, please?

>

> Leo: Yes, it is CT8492. I can see the booking in the app, but when I tap "Show ticket", nothing happens.

>

> Support: Thank you. I can see your booking here. Sometimes the app has this issue. I will send your ticket to your email as a PDF.

>

> Leo: Great, thank you. Can I show the PDF on my phone at the entrance?

>

> Support: Yes, you can. You can also take a screenshot, so you do not need a connection.

>

> Leo: Perfect, I will do that. Thanks for your help.

Notice how Leo:

• explains the problem in one clear sentence,
• gives his booking reference,
• checks if he can show the ticket in another form,
• thanks the support agent politely.

In the activity, you will show that you understand this chat by answering questions and then summarising what the problem was and how it was fixed.

Practice & Feedback

Read the support chat on the screen one more time. Make sure you understand:

• what exactly is wrong with Leo's ticket in the app,
• what information the support agent asks for,
• what solution the support agent offers.

Now write four sentences:

1. Sentence 1: Describe Leo's problem in your own words.
2. Sentence 2: Say what information he gives to the support agent.
3. Sentence 3: Explain the solution the support agent gives.
4. Sentence 4: Give one piece of advice for a friend in a similar situation (for example, about screenshots, using email, or arriving a bit earlier).

Try to reuse some lesson language, such as “booking reference”, “QR code”, “PDF”, “screenshot” or “send the ticket to my email”. Focus on clear, simple English.

5. Simulating a live customer support chat.

You have now seen examples of a phone support call and a written chat, and you have practised describing app and connection problems. In real life, the most common way to get help for digital travel problems is probably a small chat window inside the app. It might say something like, chat with us, need help or live support. In this block, you will practise writing the kind of short, quick messages that you might send in that situation. The style is a little different from an email: messages are usually shorter, but they still need a polite tone and clear information. A good chat message normally includes a greeting, a short explanation of the problem, key details such as your booking reference or email, and a clear question, such as what should I do now or could you send the ticket again. On the screen you will see a simple structure for your side of the chat and a mini example conversation. Then, in the activity, you will imagine that you are the traveller and write a short sequence of chat messages to an app support agent about a missing confirmation after payment. This is your first chance in the lesson to really simulate the situation and sound like a confident traveller with a digital problem.

How to write clear support chat messages.

Support chats are usually short and fast, but that does not mean they have to be messy. You can still be polite and very clear. A good first message can look like this:

> "Hello, I booked two tickets for the river tour five minutes ago, but I did not receive any confirmation. My name is Sara Novak and my email is sara.novak@example.com. What should I do now?"

Notice that Sara:

• says what she did ("I booked two tickets"),
• says what is wrong ("I did not receive any confirmation"),
• gives key details (number of tickets, her name, her email),
• asks a clear question ("What should I do now?").

Mini model chat.

> You: Hello, I booked a train ticket in your app ten minutes ago, but I did not receive any confirmation.

>

> Agent: Hi, I am sorry about that. Could you tell me your name and email address?

>

> You: Yes, my name is Carlos Lima and my email is carlos.lima@example.com.

>

> Agent: Thank you. I can see your booking. The confirmation email failed. I will send your ticket again now.

>

> You: Great, thank you. Could you also send it as a PDF, please?

Useful chunks from this chat:

• “I booked … but I did not receive any confirmation.”
• “Could you tell me your name and email address?”
• “What should I do now?”
• “Could you send the ticket to my email?”
• “Thank you for your help with this.”

In the next activity, you will write the traveller's side of a similar chat, using 3–5 short messages in one text. Imagine you are typing on your phone, but still try to use full sentences.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you have just paid for two bus tickets in a travel app, but you did not receive any confirmation or ticket. You decide to use the live support chat.

Write the traveller's side of the chat as one text, but separate your messages with a new line, like this:

> Message 1

>

> Message 2

>

> Message 3

Write 3–5 short messages. Include:

• a friendly greeting,
• a clear explanation of the problem (payment OK, no confirmation),
• key details (for example, number of tickets, time, your email or booking name),
• at least one clear question (for example, "What should I do now?", "Could you send the tickets to my email?").

Use phrases from the screen such as "I booked two tickets", "I did not receive any confirmation", "Could you send the ticket to my email" or "Thank you for your help with this". Write as if you really want help, so keep a polite tone.

6. Putting it all together in a final support message.

You are now ready for a small final challenge. In this lesson, you have described app errors, connection problems, missing confirmations and QR code issues. You have asked for help in a hotel, understood instructions from support staff and written short chat messages. For the last step, I want you to put these skills together in one more complete message. Imagine that your digital travel day was really difficult. First, your airline app would not let you check in online. Then, the airport Wi Fi did not work in the departure area, so you could not open your email. Finally, your boarding pass still would not download and you had to pay an extra fee at the airport desk. Now you want to contact the airline's customer support by message or email to explain what happened and to ask politely for a refund of the extra fee. In this block, I will show you a simple structure for a longer support message and a short model. Then you will write your own message about a similar situation. This is your performance task for the lesson. Focus on a clear structure, polite but firm language, and correct use of the key phrases from the chunk bank. Do not worry about writing a very long text; aim for clear paragraphs and all the important information.

A clear structure for a longer support message.

When you write a longer message to customer support about digital problems and money, a simple structure helps:

1. Greeting and reason for writing
2. Short story of what happened
3. What you had to do / extra costs
4. What you would like now
5. Polite closing

Model message.

> Subject: Problem with online check in and extra airport fee

>

> Dear Customer Support,

>

> I am writing about a problem I had with online check in for my flight AB123 from Madrid to London on 15 June. I tried many times to check in with your app, but my boarding pass would not download and the app kept showing an error message.

>

> At the airport, I could not connect to the Wi Fi, so I still could not open my boarding pass or my email. In the end, I had to check in at the desk and pay an extra fee.

>

> I would like to request a refund of this extra airport fee, because I could not check in online due to problems with your app and your system. I can send screenshots of the error messages if needed.

>

> Thank you for your help with this. I look forward to your reply.

>

> Best regards,

>

> Alex

Useful chunks:

• “I am writing about a problem I had with…”
• “My boarding pass would not download.”
• “The app kept showing an error message.”
• “I could not connect to the Wi Fi.”
• “I would like to request a refund of…”
• “Thank you for your help with this.”

In the final activity, you will write your own message to an airline or ticket company about a digital problem and ask for a solution, such as a refund or a new ticket.

Practice & Feedback

Now it is your turn to write a complete support message.

Imagine this situation (you can change small details if you like):

• Yesterday you tried to do online check in in the airline app.
• Your boarding pass would not download and the app kept showing an error message.
• At the airport, you could not connect to the Wi Fi, so you still could not open your digital ticket.
• You had to check in at the desk and pay an extra fee.

Write a message of 100–140 words to the airline's customer support. Follow the structure on the screen:

1. Greeting and reason for writing.
2. Short story of what happened (in time order).
3. What extra cost or problem you had.
4. What you would like now (refund, voucher, new ticket, etc.).
5. Polite closing.

Use several of the lesson phrases, for example “online check in”, “my boarding pass will not download”, “the app keeps showing an error message”, “I could not connect to the Wi Fi”, “I would like to request a refund”, “Thank you for your help with this”.