Slightly OT: Why do Spanish airports use the three-letter airline designator?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
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Slightly OT: Why do Spanish airports use the three-letter airline designator?
Hi
As this forum is where both IB and JK questions are I post this here.
I have noticed before as well, but really haven't though about it:
Why do Spanish airports (and Portuguese I think) display the airline codes using the three-letter (ICAO) code: IBE rather than IB, JKK rather than JK and FIN rather AY for example?
I noticed a few weeks ago in Madrid, and yesterday in Barcelona, so many confused passengers trying to figure out which flight they were on. While some codes are pretty straightforward some codes are not similar at all, such as RYR and FR for Ryanair.
All tickets I know of display the two-letter (IATA) code.
It doesn't make it less confusing that the airports only writes the Spanish name of the arrival airport: Estocolmo rather than Stockholm etc.
Are there any other countries out there using the ICAO codes rather than the IATA codes?
As this forum is where both IB and JK questions are I post this here.
I have noticed before as well, but really haven't though about it:
Why do Spanish airports (and Portuguese I think) display the airline codes using the three-letter (ICAO) code: IBE rather than IB, JKK rather than JK and FIN rather AY for example?
I noticed a few weeks ago in Madrid, and yesterday in Barcelona, so many confused passengers trying to figure out which flight they were on. While some codes are pretty straightforward some codes are not similar at all, such as RYR and FR for Ryanair.
All tickets I know of display the two-letter (IATA) code.
It doesn't make it less confusing that the airports only writes the Spanish name of the arrival airport: Estocolmo rather than Stockholm etc.
Are there any other countries out there using the ICAO codes rather than the IATA codes?
#3
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SmilingBoy.
#4
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So why would a person who speaks different languages be working organising inmigration queues at the airport??? Spanish might not be very popular for their command of English but there are many who are good at languages and they just have other jobs.
Once in Itami Airport in Japan, the security staff kept pointing at my bag and were telling me something in Japanese and I dont speak Japanese, I tried four different languages with no success. Well, they let me go and I never knew if there was something wrong with my bag. So those things do not only happen in Spain...
And by the way, why should spanish airports list destinations in English?? In Rome Airport you always hear announcements for flights to Monaco di Baviera, which is Munich in English, so Spain is not the only country where they use their own language to list cities...
Once in Itami Airport in Japan, the security staff kept pointing at my bag and were telling me something in Japanese and I dont speak Japanese, I tried four different languages with no success. Well, they let me go and I never knew if there was something wrong with my bag. So those things do not only happen in Spain...
And by the way, why should spanish airports list destinations in English?? In Rome Airport you always hear announcements for flights to Monaco di Baviera, which is Munich in English, so Spain is not the only country where they use their own language to list cities...
#5
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Once in Itami Airport in Japan, the security staff kept pointing at my bag and were telling me something in Japanese and I dont speak Japanese, I tried four different languages with no success. Well, they let me go and I never knew if there was something wrong with my bag. So those things do not only happen in Spain...
SmilingBoy.
#7
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#8
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Back last century there was a move by IATA to enforce the use of three-letter airline designators. It wasn't a popular move and has been repeatedly shoved to one side. Motivation was the exhaustion of unique two-letter codes: duplication of two-letter codes was allowed where airlines operated in distinctly separate geographical zones, and codes were (and are) reallocated some months after an airline goes bust. Against a shift from two-letters to three-letters was cost and loss of brand etc
ICAO has operated a three-letter system since way back, giving a unique identity to operators (not only IATA member airlines). So all IATA carriers have both codes, but many other airlines use three-letter ICAO codes. Some airlines grabbed marketable designators - Tap Air Portugal is TP or TAP. Others were less fortunate: LH - DLH.
ICAO has operated a three-letter system since way back, giving a unique identity to operators (not only IATA member airlines). So all IATA carriers have both codes, but many other airlines use three-letter ICAO codes. Some airlines grabbed marketable designators - Tap Air Portugal is TP or TAP. Others were less fortunate: LH - DLH.
Last edited by IAN-UK; Jun 6, 2007 at 3:20 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: dublin, ireland
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I know it is a discussion about airport codes but as you can see some people just cant wait to find the least excuse to give out about Spanish people not speaking English... Im fed up of so many discussions regarding that when that is not really the topic being discussed. So I had to give my opinion about it.
P.S. If I am in DUB going to BCN I never hear announcements in Spanish or Catalan, do I complain? NOOOOOO!!!!!
Anyway, lets go back to topic then @:-)
P.S. If I am in DUB going to BCN I never hear announcements in Spanish or Catalan, do I complain? NOOOOOO!!!!!
Anyway, lets go back to topic then @:-)
#11
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: dublin, ireland
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Though there are exceptions... After a very long HKG-NRT-SFO (although in F) I arrived in SFO to have this immigration officer speaking to me in Spanglish, I was so tired I never realised he was mixing both English and Spanish. He was asking me "Are you bringing any comida?" Stupid me I didnt realise the name on his badge was a Spanish one, so I was trying to find out what he meant by "comida". I told him I couldnt understand the last word in his question and he never said "food", he just kept asking me the same question with the same words. I then looked at his badge and realised the spanish name on it just to then realise he was saying a Spanish word at the end of the sentence...
He did ask some more questions in Spanglish but then I was ready
#12
Original Poster
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Back last century there was a move by IATA to enforce the use of three-letter airline designators. It wasn't a popular move and has been repeatedly shoved to one side. Motivation was the exhaustion of unique two-letter codes: duplication of two-letter codes was allowed where airlines operated in distinctly separate geographical zones, and codes were (and are) reallocated some months after an airline goes bust. Against a shift from two-letters to three-letters was cost and loss of brand etc
ICAO has operated a three-letter system since way back, giving a unique identity to operators (not only IATA member airlines). So all IATA carriers have both codes, but many other airlines use three-letter ICAO codes. Some airlines grabbed marketable designators - Tap Air Portugal is TP or TAP. Others were less fortunate: LH - DLH.
ICAO has operated a three-letter system since way back, giving a unique identity to operators (not only IATA member airlines). So all IATA carriers have both codes, but many other airlines use three-letter ICAO codes. Some airlines grabbed marketable designators - Tap Air Portugal is TP or TAP. Others were less fortunate: LH - DLH.
Still it seems strange that all boarding passes I have seen from Spanish/Portogueese airports have been using the two-letter code while the airport signs use the three-letter airline code.
Is there a reason why Aena is that stubborn?
#14
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Airlines always use IATA codes for communicating between each-other regarding reservations, tickets, baggage, etc. ICAO codes are always used for navigational/ATC purposes. Airports are free to choose which codes and language(s) they use for display purposes ...
#15
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Karachi airport also uses ICAO codes. However, the airlines' logos are displayed next to their names in order to reduce confusion. http://www.karachiairport.com/images...e/gl-img19.jpg
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