The Flight4 Air Jargon list with explanations to some of the
less obvious terms used by the airline industry
relating
to general aviation, flight reservations and ticketing.
ABC - (Advance booking charter) A charter flight that requires a minimum
advance booking period.
ABP - (Able-bodied passenger).
Accompanied baggage - Baggage carried onboard by the passenger.
ACFT/EQT - (Aircraft type).
Administrating Carrier - The airline controlling the operation of a flight.
Air Passenger Duty - A charge payable on tickets for flights departing
the UK.
Aircraft Configuration - Layout of aircraft interior space and seating.
Airport Code - A unique tree-letter code given to every airport in
the world.
Airside - The area of airport beyond the passport and security
check areas.
Alliances - The International strategic groupings of airlines.
Currently: StarAlliance, Oneworld and Skyteam.
AOC - (Air Operators Certificate).
APT - (Airport).
Arrival Time - Always given in local time of destination.
ARS - (Airline Reservation System) used by airlines to manage ticket sales.
ASK or ASM - (Available seat kilometers or miles) number of seats
for sale multiplied by distance of flight.
ATC - (Aircraft traffic control).
BAA - (British Airports Authority). Owner of several major UK
and International airports.
Block Spacing - Allocation of flight seats sold through another airline.
CAA - (Civil Aviation Authority).
Carrier - Airline.
Charter Aircraft - Flight hired by one or more operators. Most
seats are sold in seven or fourteen night accommodation
packages. Passengers are unable to change booking.
Circle Pacific Fare - Fares offered by some carriers to the
Pacific
Rim (Australia, Asia, North/South America) usually with four
stopovers, travelling in only clockwise or anti-clockwise direction.
City Pair - The origin and destination cities of a flight.
Code Share - When one journey is given two flight numbers because
it is jointly operated by two airlines.
Conjunction Tickets - A set of tickets – issued at the same time
to cover an itinerary.
CRS - Computer reservation system.
Deadhead - A non-paying passenger or a flight with no passengers.
Denied boarding compensation - Payment made by an
airline
to passengers when confirmed reservations are not honored
(often due to overbooking).
DES/DESI/DESIG - (Designator) A unique code given to each airline.
Direct Flight - Is a flight that can make stopovers prior to its
destination, but passengers do not disembark.
Fast-track - Is an Express transit facility for First and Business
Class passengers.
Flag Carrier - An airline designated by a national government.
Funnel Flight - A flight operated by more than one airline but identified
by the designator and flight number of only one of them.
Flight Number or Designator - A unique code for each
scheduled
service. First two letters indicate the carrier or airline then several
numbers identifying the route.
Joint Operational Flight - Is when more than one airline operates
a flight.
Landside - An area of airport before passport control.
Layover - A scheduled interruption of a journey, usually overnight.
Long Haul - Flights exceeding four hours.
Loyalty/Rewards Programmes - A system of benefits offered to
business travellers to encourage repeat custom.
MCT - (Minimum connecting time) The time needed for a passenger
to change planes at any airport.
Movement - Arrival or Departure of flights.
Multi Sector - A journey with one or more transit stops (sectors).
Originating Flight - Outward journey – as indicated by flight number.
PAX - (Passengers).
Piece System -The baggage allowance in numbers of item. The letters
2PC indicates the traveller can check in two cases of bags.
Pitch - The legroom on flights, the greater the pitch the greater the
legroom.
Pre-Clearance - Is when customs and immigration clearance for a
destination is made available prior to departure.
PNR - (Passenger Name Record). A unique code for each reservation
made on a global airline reservation system.
PTA - (Pre-paid Ticket Advise). A notification that a passenger's ticket
has been paid for by someone else.
Recline - How far a seat pitch pushes back.
Red Eye - Flights that land early morning after an overnight flight.
Rotation - Return journey.
SAD - Is the code for a shared airline designator.
Sector - A single leg between stops on an aircraft journey.
Short Haul - Flights that last for less than four hours.
SKD/SKED/SKEDS - Abbreviations for schedule.
Slot - A set time when runway is assigned for a flight to take-off or land.
Standby - Is the situation when a traveller without a reservation
is waiting for a seat on a flight to become available. The passenger
is usually asked to report to the gate shortly before departure.
Stopover - When a traveller leaves the airport and returns
shortly to continue the journey.
TC - Transfer connection.
Terminating Flight - Inward journey as indicted by flight number.
Traffic Conference Areas - (TCA's). IATA's classification of the
world's major airline routes: TCA1 = North and South America.
TCA2 = Europe and Africa. TCA3 = Asia and Australasia.
Transit Flight - Air journey between parts of an airport while en route.
Transit Time - Non-flying period of aircraft while in operation.
Turnaround - The time taken between an aircraft landing and taking off.
UTC - (Universal Time Coordinates) same as GMT.
Wait-listing - When a flight is full but a traveller waits to be notified
if a seat subsequently becomes available.
Weight System - The baggage allowance according to weight.
Wide Body - Aircraft with two aisles in the passenger cabin.
Zulu - Same as GMT.
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