RTR(A) phraseology

Taxi and surface

Pushback, taxi instructions, holding points, runway crossings and vacating.

Cockpit Checks After Line Up

Used after engine start-up when the pilot calls Ground to request taxi clearance, but with an important caveat, the crew intends to complete cockpit checks after lining up on the runway rather than at the stand or during taxi (which is the normal sequence). This is operationally significant because it means the aircraft will occupy the runway threshold/holding point for a period before being ready for departure, potentially blocking the runway for other traffic. ATC, knowing this, has the ability to delay taxi to sequence this aircraft more efficiently, holding it at the stand for the duration of the checks rather than having it block the runway or taxiway while other traffic is waiting.

Pilot

[Station] [Callsign] [aircraft type], STAND [number], READY TO TAXI, INFORMATION [letter], WILL BE CARRYING OUT CHECKS AFTER LINING UP FOR DEPARTURE

ATC

[Callsign][Station] IN THAT CASE EXPECT DELAY [time] TO TAXI

Pilot

Delhi Ground, IFly 430 Heavy. Stand 2, ready to taxi, information Bravo. Will be carrying out checks after lining up for departure.

ATC

IFly 430, Delhi Ground, expect delay 15 minutes to taxi.

Pilot

Expect delay 15 minutes to taxi, IFLY 430

"Ready to taxi, information Bravo" is the standard taxi request format, confirming the aircraft is ready to move and has current ATIS information (Bravo), consistent with the earlier start-up exchange.
"Will be carrying out checks after lining up" is the non-standard element that drives the entire exchange, proactively telling ATC before taxi is issued, rather than after the aircraft reaches the runway and only then asking for time, which would be more disruptive to traffic flow.
This is good airmanship/CRM, anticipating ATC's need to know about the extended runway occupancy in advance, rather than surprising them at the hold short point. It also reflects the pilot's transparency about a non-standard procedure (checks after lineup, rather than at stand/during taxi as normal).
"Expect delay 15 minutes to taxi", ATC's response makes the operationally correct decision: rather than taxiing the aircraft out to the runway now (where it would sit and block), ATC holds it at the stand for the check duration, preserving runway availability for other departures/arrivals in the meantime. This is a practical and efficient response.
"Will take delay", the pilot's acceptance is brief and unambiguous, confirming the aircraft will remain at the stand for the 15-minute period without needing further negotiation. No readback of the delay duration is strictly required here, but "will take delay" implicitly confirms the 15-minute figure was received.
Note that performing cockpit checks after lineup rather than before is itself a procedurally unusual choice, at most large airports, cockpit/pre-departure checks are expected to be complete before the aircraft moves onto the active runway. ATC's willingness to accommodate this (with a delay) rather than refusing it reflects operational pragmatism, though in reality this procedure would depend heavily on local/operator SOPs and ATC workload.
Compare this to the earlier "request start-up" scenario, that was the first ground contact after the crew was ready; this is the next step in the sequence (taxi request follows start-up approval), with the added complication of the non-standard check timing.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432

Cross Runway During Taxi

Used when the taxi route requires crossing an active or inactive runway. Even at low-traffic crossings, an explicit crossing clearance is required, it cannot be assumed from a generic taxi clearance.

Pilot

[Station] [Callsign] HOLDING SHORT RUNWAY [number], REQUEST CROSS

ATC

[Callsign] CROSS RUNWAY [number] [or HOLD SHORT RUNWAY [number]]

Pilot

Delhi Ground, Akasa Air 1532, holding short runway 10, request cross

ATC

Akasa Air 1532, cross runway 10, expedite, traffic on 6 mile final runway 29

Pilot

Cross runway 10, expedite, Akasa Air 1532

ICAO requires an explicit crossing clearance for every runway, a generic taxi route is not enough.
If asked to expedite, acknowledge it in the read-back so ATC knows you have understood the urgency.
If unable to cross immediately (configuration, brief delay), say "hold short runway [number]" and call ground when ready to cross.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432

Holding short and crossing a runway

At every active runway holding point and whenever instructed to hold short or cross.

Pilot

{CALLSIGN}, holding short runway {RUNWAY}. Request cross runway {RUNWAY}.

ATC

{CALLSIGN}, cross runway {RUNWAY}, report vacated.

Pilot

Chennai Tower, Skyline 345, holding short runway three zero, request cross.

ATC

Skyline 345, cross runway three zero, report vacated.

Pilot

Cross runway three zero, will report vacated, Skyline 345.

Pilot

Skyline 345, runway vacated.

ROGER and WILCO are not sufficient acknowledgements for HOLD, HOLD POSITION or HOLD SHORT.
Say HOLDING SHORT RUNWAY followed by the runway number so the controller hears the exact limit.
Cross only after hearing your callsign with CROSS RUNWAY. Report vacated when the entire aircraft is beyond the holding position.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432, 4.4

Preflight SELCAL Check

Used on the ground during preflight checks to verify the aircraft's SELCAL decoder is functioning correctly on both primary and secondary HF frequencies before departure. The check is performed via the airline's operations or dispatch on the company HF frequency. Both frequencies are checked in sequence. If either check fails, maintenance must be notified and the fault rectified before the aircraft departs into airspace where SELCAL watch is required.

Pilot

[STATION] [CALLSIGN] ON [PRIMARY FREQUENCY], REQUEST PREFLIGHT SELCAL CHECK

ATC

[CALLSIGN] [STATION] PASS YOUR MESSAGE

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, on 8879, request preflight SELCAL check.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, pass your message.

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, request preflight SELCAL check, code AB-CD, on primary 8879.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, standby for SELCAL AB-CD on 8879.

System

SELCAL tone transmitted, cockpit chime sounds, SELCAL light illuminates.

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, SELCAL check OK on primary 8879.

2, Secondary frequency check (5659 kHz)

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, request preflight SELCAL check on secondary 5659.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, change to secondary 5659 for SELCAL check.

Pilot

Changing to secondary 5659. IFly 430.

System

Crew tunes HF radio to 5659 kHz.

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, on secondary 5659, request preflight SELCAL check AB-CD.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, standby for SELCAL on 5659.

System

SELCAL tone transmitted, cockpit chime sounds.

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, SELCAL check OK on secondary 5659.

3, Revert to primary & confirm serviceable

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, reverting to primary 8879.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, roger, revert to primary 8879, SELCAL serviceable on both frequencies.

System

Crew tunes HF radio back to 8879 kHz.

Pilot

Mumbai Radio, IFly 430, back on primary 8879, SELCAL serviceable, ready for departure.

ATC

IFly 430, Mumbai Radio, roger.

The preflight SELCAL check is performed on the ground before departure via the airline's operations or dispatch on the company HF frequency, not with ATC. This distinguishes it from the airborne SELCAL check performed en route with Delhi or Mumbai Radio.
Both primary (8879 kHz) and secondary (5659 kHz) frequencies must be checked individually on the ground, as each uses a separate HF transceiver. A check on primary alone does not confirm the secondary transceiver is serviceable.
The physical frequency change to secondary is required, the crew actually tunes the HF radio to 5659 kHz and re-establishes contact before requesting the check. It is not simply operations sending the tone on a different frequency.
"SELCAL serviceable", the key confirmation at the end of the preflight check, telling operations and recording in the aircraft technical log that the SELCAL system has been verified functional on both frequencies before departure.
If either check fails on the ground, the crew must notify maintenance before departure. Departing with an unserviceable SELCAL system requires special approval from operations and ATC, and mandates continuous voice watch as a substitute throughout the flight.
"Out" is used at the end of the final HF transmission to indicate the exchange is complete. It signals to operations that the preflight SELCAL check procedure is finished and no further reply is expected.
The preflight check also doubles as an HF radio check, confirming signal quality on both frequencies before departure, so the crew knows the HF system is fully operational before entering airspace where VHF coverage is unavailable.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432

Request Pushback and Startup

Used at Indian airports to request both pushback and engine start in a single combined call. The realistic operational format carries five pieces of information beyond the request itself, stand number, Persons On Board (POB), security check status, the current ATIS letter, and the request itself, because each one is needed downstream: stand and POB feed apron movement and emergency planning, security-check confirmation is a mandatory DGCA item before pushback, and the ATIS letter lets ATC confirm the crew has the current airport state before they start producing thrust.

Pilot

[Station] [Callsign] STAND [number] PERSONS ON BOARD [POB] SECURITY CHECK COMPLETE INFORMATION [ATIS letter] REQUEST PUSHBACK AND STARTUP

ATC

[Callsign][Station] PUSHBACK AND STARTUP APPROVED FACING [direction] QNH [hPa]

Pilot

Delhi Ground, Akasa Air 1532, stand 24, persons on board 120, security check complete, information Alpha, request pushback and startup

ATC

Akasa Air 1532, Delhi Ground, pushback and startup approved, facing south, QNH1013

Pilot

Pushback and startup approved, facing south, QNH1013, Akasa Air 1532

Order the five elements exactly as shown, stand, POB, security check, information letter, request. Reordering or skipping the security-check confirmation will cost marks in the RTR viva and is also non-compliant with DGCA operational procedure.
Persons On Board (POB) is the total of passengers plus crew. State the actual number, not a rounded figure, because this is the number used by ARFF in an emergency.
"Security check complete" confirms that the cabin and hold security sweep mandated under DGCA security rules has been completed; pushback cannot be approved without it.
Always state the ATIS letter you have copied (e.g. "information Alpha"). If ATC has a newer letter, they will pass the differences in the reply, listen for them and update the crew.
Read back the facing direction and QNH, wrong-way pushbacks and missed altimeter settings are both common ground-incident categories.
At smaller airports, pushback and startup may be cleared separately. The combined request shown here is the standard format at all major Indian metro airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata).
If start-up is delayed for flow control, ATC may issue a CTOT (calculated take-off time) along with the approval, do not begin push until startup is approved.

Reference: DGCA CAR Section 9 Series O / ICAO Doc 9432 §4.5

Request Taxi

Used after pushback (or directly from a self-manoeuvring stand) to obtain a taxi route to the active runway holding point. Modern instructions are often multi-segment with hold-shorts and give-way clauses.

Pilot

[Station] [Callsign] REQUEST TAXI

ATC

[Callsign] TAXI TO HOLDING POINT RUNWAY [number] VIA [taxiways], [hold-short / give-way], QNH [hPa]

Pilot

Delhi Ground, Akasa Air 1532, request taxi

ATC

Akasa Air 1532, Delhi Ground, taxi to holding point runway 29 via Bravo, Foxtrot, hold short of Charlie, QNH1013

Pilot

Taxi holding point runway 29 via Bravo, Foxtrot, hold short of Charlie, QNH1013, Akasa Air 1532

Taxi instructions are read-back items, every taxiway letter, every hold-short, and the QNH.
If the route includes "give way to" another aircraft, that traffic has priority; do not pass the give-way point until you have it visual.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432

Runway Change During Taxi

Used during taxi when a pilot requests a specific runway different from the one currently in use or assigned, here, runway 09 instead of whatever runway was originally planned, due to a strong crosswind component on the original runway making it unsuitable or unsafe for departure. The pilot identifies the operational reason (crosswind) which ATC takes into account before responding. ATC cannot immediately accommodate the request due to arriving traffic on runway 09, offers a delay with a request for the pilot's intentions, and once the pilot accepts the delay, issues a revised taxi clearance to the new holding point.

Pilot

[Station] [Callsign] ON [position], REQUEST RUNWAY [number] FOR DEPARTURE DUE TO [reason]

ATC

[Callsign] EXPECT DELAY OF [time] FOR RUNWAY [number] DUE [reason], REQUEST INTENTION

Pilot

Delhi Ground, IFly 430, on taxiway Alpha, request runway 09 for departure due strong crosswind.

ATC

IFly 430, Delhi Ground, expect delay of 10 minutes for runway 09 due arrival aircraft.

Pilot

will take delay, IFLY 430

ATC

IFLY 430, Delhi Ground, recleared to holding point runway 09, taxi via Mike and Hotel

Pilot

Recleared to holding point runway 09, taxi via Mike and Hotel, IFLY 430

"On taxiway Alpha", the pilot includes current position as part of the request, giving ATC immediate situational awareness of where the aircraft is in the taxi sequence before any rerouting is required; this is good practice when making a request that will likely change the taxi routing.
"Request runway 09 for departure due to strong crosswind component", stating the reason is operationally important here, distinguishing this from a preference-based request; a crosswind component exceeding the aircraft's certified crosswind limit is a safety requirement, not a convenience, which ATC will weigh accordingly when deciding whether/how to accommodate.
"Expect delay of 10 minutes for runway 09 due arrival aircraft", ATC cannot immediately clear runway 09 (arrival traffic is using it), but rather than refusing the request outright, offers a delay with a reason, respecting the pilot's safety-driven rationale for the request. "Due arrival aircraft" tells the pilot why the delay exists, allowing the pilot to make an informed decision.
"Request intention", ATC asks whether the pilot will accept the delay or prefers an alternative (e.g., proceed with the original runway despite the crosswind, or hold at the stand). This is standard when a delay is offered, ATC needs to know the pilot's decision to plan sequencing accordingly.
"Will take delay", the pilot accepts the 10-minute delay without negotiation, confirming the intention to use runway 09. This is the same acceptance phrase used in the earlier "checks after lineup" delay scenario, establishing it as a standard response to ATC-offered delays.
"Recleared to holding point runway 09, taxi via Mike and Hotel", once the intention is confirmed, ATC issues a full revised taxi clearance: "recleared" signals this supersedes any previous taxi clearance (the aircraft was presumably cleared to a different runway's holding point originally), and the specific taxiway routing (via Mike and Hotel) tells the pilot exactly how to get to runway 09's holding point from the current position on taxiway Alpha.
The pilot reads back the full revised taxi clearance, "recleared to holding point runway 09, taxi via Mike and Hotel", confirming both the destination (holding point) and the route (taxiways Mike and Hotel), consistent with the principle that full taxi clearances (especially reroutes) must be read back completely for safety.
The 10-minute delay, once accepted, effectively means the aircraft will hold somewhere on the taxiway system (or potentially return to stand depending on ATC instruction) while runway 09 is cleared of arriving traffic, the taxi clearance issued afterward reflects this, directing the aircraft toward runway 09's holding point when it's appropriate to do so.
Crosswind requests are a good example of pilot authority overriding standard ATC sequencing for safety reasons, ATC accommodates where operationally feasible, rather than simply instructing the pilot to use the duty runway.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432

Surface taxi instructions

After start-up or push-back, when moving to the holding point.

Pilot

{UNIT}, {CALLSIGN}, request taxi, information {ATIS}.

ATC

{CALLSIGN}, taxi via {TAXIWAY_ROUTE} to holding point runway {RUNWAY}, QNH {QNH}.

Pilot

Hyderabad Ground, Skyline 345, request taxi, information Delta.

ATC

Skyline 345, taxi via Alpha and Charlie to holding point runway two seven right, QNH one zero zero six.

Pilot

Taxi via Alpha and Charlie to holding point runway two seven right, QNH one zero zero six, Skyline 345.

Every taxi instruction has a limit. Normally this is the holding point for the departure runway.
Do not cross a runway unless the instruction explicitly says CROSS RUNWAY.
Report obstacles or uncertainty early. Taxiing onto the wrong taxiway is easier to correct before the runway.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432, 4.4

Technical Snag During Taxi

Used when a technical snag develops after the aircraft has entered the runway but before commencing the takeoff roll, making departure impossible. The pilot informs ATC of the problem, declares inability to depart, and requests to taxi back to the apron. ATC responds with a taxi clearance via the appropriate taxiway to the assigned stand. The runway is effectively blocked until the aircraft vacates, making a prompt and clear communication essential.

Pilot

[STATION] [CALLSIGN] ON RUNWAY [NUMBER], TECHNICAL SNAG DEVELOPED, UNABLE TO DEPART, REQUEST TAXI BACK TO APRON

ATC

[CALLSIGN] [STATION] TAXI VIA [TAXIWAY] TO STAND [NUMBER]

Pilot

Nagpur Tower, IFly 430, on runway 27, technical snag developed, unable to depart, request taxi back to apron.

ATC

IFly 430, Nagpur Tower, taxi via Papa Alpha Hotel to stand two.

Pilot

Taxi via Papa Alpha Hotel to stand two. IFly 430.

"On runway 27", the pilot states their current position on the runway, giving ATC immediate situational awareness that the runway is occupied. This is more accurate than "holding on runway 27" (which implies holding short) or "entered runway 27" (which is positional history rather than current state).
"Technical snag developed", past tense is correct here; the fault has already occurred. "Develops" (present tense) would imply it is still in the process of occurring, which is imprecise.
"Unable to depart", a clear, unambiguous statement that the flight cannot proceed, allowing ATC to immediately reorganise the departure sequence and hold any landing traffic.
"Taxi back to apron", "back" is more precise than "taxi to apron," implying a return to the departure point rather than a new destination, which accurately reflects the situation.
"Taxi via Papa Alpha Hotel", ATC spells out the taxiway routing using the ICAO phonetic alphabet. PAH refers to the specific taxiway route at Nagpur (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport).
"Stand two", ATC assigns a specific stand rather than leaving it to the pilot's discretion, ensuring ground traffic coordination and avoiding conflicts on the apron.
The pilot's readback is clean and concise, routing and stand number confirmed, closed with callsign. No need to repeat "unable to depart" or the snag details in the readback.

Reference: ICAO Doc 9432