Airlines terms and abbreviations which can be helpful in aviation professionalism

1. Aviation Terminology

2. Aviation Terms
O It is important that for those working at the
airport or elsewhere in Air transport
industry connected with passenger or
cargo handling, to become familiar with
the terminologies and when it is
necessary to translate the industry jargons
for the benefit of the client.
O Ability to apply these terms is also
important when dealing with airline
representative.

3. O Air Traffic Controller - This person works in the
control tower and talks to pilots by radio. An Air
Traffic Controller tells the pilots when and when
and where they can land their planes at the
airport.
O Belly - This is the area located in the bottom of
the plane where your luggage is stored.

4. O Cargo - Any type of goods that a
plane is carrying, including
suitcases, golf bags and boxes.
O Cockpit - Area located at the front
of the plane where the Pilot and Co-
Pilot sit. All of the instruments and
controls needed to fly the plane and
talk to the control tower are also
located in this area.
O Control Tower - This is the building
where Air Traffic Controllers work.
From here, the Air Traffic Controller
talks to pilots who are on the
ground and those who are in the air.

5. O Conveyor Belt - A machine with a moving surface
that is used by Airport personnel to move luggage
from one place to another.
O Flight Attendant - This person helps you find your
seat on the plane, reviews safety information prior
to takeoff, and serves you snacks and beverages
while the plane is in the air.

6. O Flight Monitors - These television
screens are located all around the
Airport. They display all your flight
information, including the flight
number, arrival or departure time, the
gate where the flight will be arriving or
departing from, and whether it is on
time or delayed.
O Gates - This is where you wait for your
plane. Gates usually have seats that
you can sit in and televisions that
show information about the Airport and
current news. Gates are also the areas
where you leave the airport building to
board your plane. You can either walk
through a jetway/loading bridge or
walk outside to get to your plane

7. O Jetway/Loading Bridges - The hallway that
connects the gate entrance to the door of the
plane. Passengers use this hallway to board and
exit planes.
O Runway - A strip of level ground, usually concrete,
that airplanes take off and land on.
O Taxiway - A strip of land that pilots drive their
planes on before takeoff and after landing. Pilots
use taxiways to drive back and forth between the
gate area and the runway

8. O Baggage – personal items carried by a traveller
O Free Baggage Allowance- Amount of baggage
each passenger is allowed by the carrier to
transport in the flight.
O Excess Baggage- A passenger baggage
presented at the check-in counter, in excess of
the free baggage allowance allowed by the
carrier, payable for extra weight .
O Boarding pass- Normally issued at the check-in
counter indicating the class of travel and seat
number.

9. O Check-in – Formalities under taken by a
passenger at the airport before boarding a flight.(
checking of passenger’s documents and allotting
seat and boarding card etc.)
O Customs- A Government department which
controls and regulates import and export.
O No –show- A passenger holding a flight
reservation who fails to use it or cancel it prior to
the flight departure.

10. Abbreviations
O Having understood so much about the
airport handling it is essential to know the
meaning of some of the special service
codes provided by IATA and commonly
used air transport terms and definition.

11. BULK Bulky Baggage
CBBG Cabin Baggage with an Extra Seat
BLND Blind Passenger
MAAS Meet and Assist
LANG
Language assistance required by the
passenger
UMNR Unaccompanied Minor
WCHS Wheel chair requested
XBAG Holding excess baggage
PETC
Passenger Travelling with a pet in the
cabin
RFD Refund
ACK Acknowledge
DEP Departure
FLT Flight

12. AGT Agent
BRD Boarding
CRS Computerised reservation System
RES Reservation
ST Stops
SKED Scheduled
VLD Valid
INT International
BSP Billing and Settlement Plan
XX Cancel Ticket
RER RE-routable
FIT Free Independent Traveller
TKT Ticket

13. ATW Around the World
AVOD Audio Video on Demand
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD Estimated Time of Departure
FFP Frequent Flyer program
IATA International Air Transport Assn.
IFE In Flight Entertainment
LCC Low Cost Carrier
MCT Minimum Connection Time
OW One World (Alliance)
O/W One-Way
OLCI On-line Check in
PNR Passenger Name Record

14. Airline Meals
BBML Baby Meal
CHML Child Meal
AVML Indian Vegetarian Meal
GFML Gluten Free Meal
KSML Kosher Meal
MOML Muslim Meal
NFML Nut free Meal
SFML Seafood Meal
VGML Vegan Meal
VLML Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo Meal