A wake-up call (alarm call in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, morning call in
east Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
) is a service provided by lodging establishments allowing guests to request a telephone call at a pre-specified time, thus causing the guest to wake up at that time. It is similar in concept to an
alarm clock, but is instead conducted via a
telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into e ...
. A similar concept is used by hotel establishments in Africa, where it is referred to as "Amka, Amka".
The phrase has also been used to describe an alert someone may receive regarding the consequences of negative circumstances or dangerous behavior.
Wake-up calls are also used in
aircraft crew rests during
long-haul flights
In aviation, the flight length refers to the distance of a flight. Commercial flights are often categorized into long-, medium- or short-haul by commercial airlines based on flight length, although there is no international standard definition and ...
of to wake up resting
flight attendants
A flight attendant, also known as steward/stewardess or air host/air hostess, is a member of the aircrew aboard commercial flights, many business jets and some government aircraft. Collectively called cabin crew, flight attendants are prima ...
or
pilots
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
from their controlled rest.
See also
*
Knocker-up
A knocker-up or knocker-upper was a member of a profession (''One of the curious ways of earning a livelihood in the manufacturing towns'') in the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, and some other countries that started during, and lasted well into, ...
References
Wake-up call
A wake-up call (alarm call in the United Kingdom, morning call in east Asia) is a service provided by lodging establishments allowing guests to request a telephone call at a pre-specified time, thus causing the guest to wake up at that time. It i ...
Morning
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