tray table

Meaning

A tray table is a small, fold-down table attached to the back of the seat in front of you on an airplane, train, or bus. It is used for eating meals, holding drinks, or resting a laptop or book during the journey.

Examples

• Please fold away your tray table and put your seat in the upright position for landing.

  Please fold away your tray table and put your seat in the upright position for landing.

• I spilled my coffee because the passenger in front of me bumped my tray table.

  I spilled my coffee because the passenger in front of me bumped my tray table.

• You can put your tablet on the tray table to watch a movie during the flight.

  You can put your tablet on the tray table to watch a movie during the flight.

• The flight attendant asked me to lock my tray table before takeoff.

  The flight attendant asked me to lock my tray table before takeoff.

• I wiped down the tray table with a sanitizing sheet before eating my lunch.

  I wiped down the tray table with a sanitizing sheet before eating my lunch.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please close your food plate.

  ✓ Please fold up your tray table.

  'Food plate' refers to the dish itself. The small table attached to the seat is called a 'tray table'.

• ✗ I put my laptop on the seat desk.

  ✓ I put my laptop on the tray table.

  'Seat desk' is not a natural English term. The correct travel term is 'tray table'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Please make sure your ___ is put away before we land.

  💡 The small fold-down table in front of your seat.

  Show answer

  tray table

• I need to put my drink on the ___ so it doesn't spill.

  💡 The small surface attached to the back of the seat ahead of you.

  Show answer

  tray table