Airplane passengers must be familiar with the airport code, which is shortened to three letters. The code that can be found on the boarding pass of this plane represents the departure airport and destination airport. The code turns out to have its own meaning and reason.
The History of Airport Codes
In the 1930s, as air travel became more widespread, there was a need for a standardized system to identify airports. As air travel expanded globally, it became clear that a more comprehensive system was required.
In 1947, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) was established to promote safe, reliable, and economical air transportation. As part of its efforts, IATA developed a standardized system for airport identification, which included the use of three-letter codes.
The three-letter codes were chosen for several reasons. First, they provided a larger pool of unique combinations compared to two-letter codes, allowing for more airports to be accommodated.
Second, the additional letters allowed for codes to be more meaningful and distinguishable, as they could incorporate specific letters from airport names or nearby city names.The system was officially adopted in 1963 until now.
The Meaning Behind The Codes
The three-letter codes are based on the airport’s name or its nearest city’s name. However, in some cases, the codes might not directly relate to the airport or city name. For example, the code for London Heathrow Airport is LHR, while Los Angeles International Airport is identified as LAX.
The use of three-letter codes allows for a standardized and concise representation of airports, which is especially useful for flight schedules, airline tickets, baggage tags, and communication between pilots, air traffic controllers, and travel agents.
The use of three-letter codes allows for a vast number of unique combinations, enabling airports worldwide to be accommodated. By adopting a standardized code system, it becomes easier to locate, book flights to, and discuss specific airports without ambiguity or confusion.
Source: idntimes.com
