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Do you know how they are designated?, what are the famous three-letter codes of the airports? Its origin is very interesting and I tell you here. Photo Andre m.
A new curiosity we are going to review today, which has as its protagonist the airports of the world and a code made up of three letters that identifies and differentiates them.
Today we are not going to talk about the four-letter codes that are from ICAO, but surely more than once you heard someone say:
My flight leaves BOG and arrives at MIA.
But what is BOG and MIA? They are airport designator codes created by THERE IT IS based on resolution 763, aka location identifier, station code or simply location identifier.
We always see this three-letter code in the baggage lockers that you check and send to the hold of the plane where the final destination airport is shown., on airport screens and also in airline ticketing systems and distributors.
How are codes assigned??
Taking into account that there are more than 17 thousand possibilities to join three letters of the alphabet, codes are now assigned based on geographical position, name of the airport or first letters of the word where it is located and that has not been used previously or any close reference:
- MEX – Mexico
- SIN – Singapore
- GIG – Rio de Janeiro
- MAD – Madrid
But this logic is not always fulfilled and there are other examples:
- SCL – Santiago de Chile
- GYE – Guayaquil
- TOWER CRANE – Sao Paulo Guarulhos
- JFK – New York John F Kennedy
- LAX – The Angels
- VVI – Viru Viru
The idea of the codes is to differentiate airports and that these are not repeated so as not to generate complications in the operation and distribution, that's why you will never see two airports with the same IATA code, the same thing happens with airlines and their codes, but what they are two letters.
There are endless variations and special cases, for example construction of new airports within the same city or name changes that may or may not lead to the change of IATA code:
- UIO – Quito (new airport, same code)
- AEP – airport (airport within the same city)
- BHM – Birmingham–Shuttlesworth (there are three airports in this city and the last letter is changed)
Do you use the three letter code to refer to a city or airport?
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RIO,It was traditionally the code of Rio de Janeiro,but then it was decided to differentiate the airports and then,They appointed GIG for Galeao and SDU for Santos Dumont.
Buenos Aires,it was BUE,but then they differentiated AEP,for Aeroparque and EZE for Ezeiza
NYC,It was New York.,but given the need to differentiate airports,JFK was chosen,for Kennedy,LGA,for La Guardia and EWR for Newark and so on.
Thanks for your contribution Osvaldo!
How can the Loja airport be interpreted with the acronym LOH??
It's one of those mysteries of life, that only the aeronautical authority should know. Perhaps with J some kind of conflict was generated in the IATA system.
very interesting, I always had that doubt, but it seems that more could be explained, for example GYE of Guayaquil, because the E ? -Ecuador ?. or the MEC of Manta. also says that with 3 letters you can have 17k possible combinations 😲
Hola Christian, In those cases such as GYE or MEC, the situation occurs that other codes that were looking for are the designated one and are already occupied.. So calculating what they wanted to do we have: GY – Guayaquil / E – Ecuador in the case of M – Manta / EC – Ecuador.
The note does not explain or say what you had promised with the title.
It seems you don't explain it because you don't know!!!!!!!
There is no point in advertising and not fulfilling
«The codes are assigned based on geographical position, Airport name or first letters of the word where it is located and that has not been previously used or some nearby reference ». Does it seem that there is no reading comprehension or am I lacking in explaining more??
And how do you say those three letters? And when it does not match what criteria is taken?
Alternatives are being sought, let's say the city is called Patito, look for options like PTT, but that airport already exists and so on until you find one available.
Hi Nicolas, as Marcelo says, you never say how those lyrics are decided.
I understand that MEX is from Mexico because of its geographical location. but GYE? LAX? (I've always wanted to know why it's called that)
JFK, it's because of the name?
TOWER CRANE?
I'm from chile, but why scl?
you indicate that "they are assigned based on geographical position, Airport name or first letters of the word where it is located and that has not been previously used or some nearby reference », but what is the order? geographical position first?
hard to understand, but this report does not clarify much.
I follow you on networks, keep it up Nicholas! I like your content!
Greetings!
Hello Agustin, there is no exact rule of which goes first, but I can tell you that an airport enters the registration request and based on that the availability is seen, until you find one available.
I imagine that SCL is like this: S for Santiago and CL is how Chile is designated in internet domains. Chile is. cl
Precisely, that's how it is!
But you don't say how those three letters are decided.
Which 3 letters?
Exact. It was the purpose of the note and it does not mention it, just give a few examples and that was it.
Thanks for your comment.
Mine is CUE from Cuenca but right now I'm living in Quito for a while so I guess my temporary code is UIO and I love it😍😍😍
Yes, it's cool to tell cities by airport codes 😀
thanks you are the best, I keep an eye on your blog every day and I am a fan of yours and aviation and you are an inspiration to me and my brother, he has 22 and me 13 but there will never be an age to love aviation
Thank you Joaquín for your words and support!