courtesy phone

Question

1. Can you use the courtesy phone to call someone outside if you're in an department store or airport? e.g. I found a courtesy phone and dialed my friend to pick me up at the airport.

2. Is 'courtesy phone' free?

3. Is 'courtesy + N." always free as the dictionary suggests? Is it so?

Thanks,

_________

courtesy - provided free to a customer by a company

e.g. courtesy bus/taxi/car/phone etc (Longman)

LanguageLover · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure about your first question, but I guess it depends on the organization that has provided the service whether to offer the services you have on your mind.

A courtesy phone is free. However, there are a few other "courtesy + N" structures that do not mean "free", such as courtesy title (an unofficial title that one is allowed to use), and courtesy call or visit ( a formal visit that shows your respect or politeness).

Pieface · Answer

Generally, a courtesy phone is used to call someone within the same area, such as an airport. They are not usually connected to outside lines or normally do not allow calls to go out of the facility they are located in. An example is a courtesy phone in a hotel can be used to call a guest's room, in a airport they connect to an airport operator allowing you to page someone within the airport.  Hope this helps.

LanguageLover · Answer

If I remember correctly, it's ages since I've used those phones, in my country there are a couple of free of charge phones in the airport (at least in the capital) that connects to the city directly. I guess these phones are also included in the category of courtesy phones.

courtesy phone

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