Which airline is the best for flying to and from the United States? Which is the worst? A survey of airline data determined that Virgin America was the best airline in the U.S. The worst was United.

The results were published in the annual Airline Quality Rating Report, compiled by two university professors: Dr. Dean Headley at Wichita State University, and Dr. Brent Bowen, at Purdue University in Indiana. The professors used data from the U.S. Department of Transportation related to four criteria: arrival promptness; "bumpings"; lost baggage; and passenger complaints. The term "bumpings" means passengers who have tickets but whom are told there is no seat for them. Based on the average of the four criteria, Virgin gained top scores, (after being in the U.S. market only since 2007) with Jet Blue getting the number two ranking.

The ranking for most flights departing and arriving on time went to Hawaiian Air.

The worst airline based on the four criteria was United.

American Airlines also had very bad scores.

debugging

Jorge: What happened with your new video production software? Is it working well?

Yasuko: Actually, I took it back to the store. There were a lot of software problems, so now they're debugging the whole system.

Explanation: The phrase "debugging" means to fix the problems or "bugs" in a new software system or mechanical system. It can be used to describe many types of problems.

treated and released

Nurse: Was the last case a serious injury?

Doctor: No. The patient arrived in the ambulance, but they only had a simple bone fracture in the hand. They were treated and released.

Explanation: The phrase "treated and released" means that they were given medical attention, but there was no need to keep them in the hospital, so they were sent back home. This phrase is common for describing minor injuries.

along the lines of….

Dear Lauren:
Can you write to our client and give them an update on our project? You could write something along the lines of "We are moving forward and expect to finish the first stage by October." You can choose the exact wording. Thank you.

Explanation: If we want to suggest a plan or write a letter, we can say that we want something "along the lines of…" We then give a basic description and let the listener work out the exact details.