B2 English reading practice: a short story with a crossword

A Four-Hour Delay

Priya had planned everything carefully: a morning flight to Lisbon, a short connection in Madrid, and an evening meeting with a new client. But when she reached the gate, the screen showed a delay of four hours. A brief announcement blamed a technical fault, and the passengers around her began to complain, phone their families or search anxiously for alternative routes.

Rather than panic, Priya went to the airline desk. A tired but helpful agent rebooked her on a later connection and handed her a voucher for lunch. He also explained that she was entitled to compensation, because the delay was longer than three hours. Priya emailed her client, who was surprisingly relaxed and suggested a video call instead. By the time she finally boarded, she had polished her presentation and eaten a decent meal.