A Brief History And Explanation Of International Airport Codes

Airports Search — By Shopping Blogs on January 18, 2010 10:29 am

While well known to many a seasoned air traveler, these sometimes-indecipherable acronyms can be a curiosity for many; I speak of course, of the plethora of international airport codes. These unique three letter significators, each assigned to a different air field, while serving an obvious purpose- it is much easier for pilots, controllers, travel agents, frequent flyers, computers and baggage handlers to say and write the corresponding three letter code, rather than the official name of a particular airport- have an interesting history.

When the Wright brothers first took to the air in the early twentieth century, there was no need for a system of international airport codes. Aircraft were simply launched from any available, conveniently located tract of land with a stretch of land long and flat enough, and wind conditions suitable for, reaching the speed required for takeoff. As time went by, aircraft improved, both in their design, and their availability for use by the general public. As luck would have it, a system was already in place that was suitable for the handful of airports in operation in the early stages of commercial flight. The National Weather Service had a two-letter identification system that it had used for years to tabulate data on weather events and patterns in many major cities. Early airports simply copied this system, which served their needs until the explosion of airline service in America that occurred in the 1930’s. An unprecedented number of new airports began to spring up across the country, many of them in areas not monitored by the National Weather Service, and therefore not assigned one of their two letter city codes.

After much deliberation, a consortium of members of different airports found a solution, they instituted a policy of assigning a three letter code to signify each airfield, thus giving them a seemingly endless number of possible letter combinations. And international airport codes were born. All previously existing airports that had the old two letter code, were instructed to simply add an x to the end of the previous code, thus, the Los Angeles code (LA) became LAX, Phoenix (PH) became PHX, and so on.

Many of the international airport codes used today are simply the first three letters of the city in which the airport is located e.g. Singapore (SIN), and Sydney, Australia (SYD). In other instances, airports that serve multiple cities are signified by the first letters of the cities they serve, as is the case with Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), and Minneapolis/St. Paul  (MSP). In airports located in cities with three names, the codes are simply the first letter of each of the three names, like Salt Lake City (SLC), and Port Au Prince (PAP).

As these international airport codes are well known in the industry, and serve to identify specific locations used in air travel, they are seldom ever changed. One exception to this rule, is John F. Kennedy international airport (JFK), which was at one time known by a different code which corresponded to the name of the airfield where it is located, Idlewild airport (IDL). The airfield was renamed, along with a new corresponding set of call letters, in memory of the assassinated former president.

International airport codes are a necessity of modern commercial aviation, saving air traffic controllers, and other personnel, such as ticket agents and baggage handlers valuable time, as well as dispelling any confusion which may arise in coordinating flight routes to and from the thousands of airports which serve both commercial industries, and passengers. Although often confusing to many air travelers, they serve a necessary function in global commerce, and commuting.

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