The tray table won't fold down. Can you help me?
ta-vo-LI-no — stress on third syllable. Abbassa: ab-BAS-sa — double 'b' and double 's'.
Say this to a flight attendant when your tray table is stuck or jammed and you need it for a meal or to place your laptop.
Il tavolino (the tray table) — diminutive of tavolo (table). Non si abbassa (won't lower/fold down) — si abbassa is reflexive for 'lowers itself'; non si abbassa means it does not lower. Può aiutarmi (can you help me) — formal Lei form.
Il sedile davanti è rotto.
The seat in front is broken.
Rotto (broken) — general complaint about seat faults
La luce di chiamata non funziona.
The call light is not working.
Luce di chiamata — the attendant call button light
Il bracciolo è bloccato.
The armrest is stuck.
Bracciolo (armrest) — bloccato (stuck/locked)
On older Italian regional aircraft, tray tables and other cabin fittings can be worn — Italian cabin crew are generally resourceful and will find a workaround or move you to another seat.