Travel Industry Terminology

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Travel Industry Terminology

• Travel agents and airline employees

use certain verbiage that is generally
not used with passengers or
customers. These terms are
industry-specific and may actually be
confusing when used with
passengers. However, they are
common place in our field and
knowing this jargon or lingo will help
you communicate more effectively
with each other.
• The following terms you may hear on
a daily basis or infrequently and that
apply to the airline industry and flight
transportation systems.
Airport Code

• Every airport in the world

has a three-letter code
associated with it.

• Uses for these codes

include determining air
service between two cities
and printing the correct code
on checked baggage tags
for accurate delivery.

• Because some cities have

more than one airport, they
are assigned city codes that
include all of its airport
codes.
Accompanied Travel

• When travel with more

than one passengers is
necessary.
No Show

• Passengers who arrive

after their flight departs or
never arrive at the airport
to take the flight but fail to
cancel or change the
flight.
Overbook

• The practice by airlines of

confirming more seats on
an aircraft than are
actually available.

• Airlines often overbook

their flights. In other
words, they sell more
tickets than there are
seats, in order to
compensate for the no-
show factor.
Cancellation / Change Fee

• Fee charged for changes

or cancellations to an
existing ticket.

• These service fees vary

with airlines.
Standby

• A passenger trying to
obtain space on a flight
earlier or later than his /
her scheduled flight is
said to be going on a
standby.
Waitlisted

• When a fare or seat is

unavailable, a passenger
may be placed on a
waiting list until a fare /
seat becomes available

• Passengers cannot
purchase an airfare with
waitlisted flights.
Boarding Area

• The space for passengers

waiting to obtain boarding
passes, check-in or board
a plane.
Baggage Claim

• The area in an airport

where customers claim
their checked luggage.
Global Distribution System (GDS)

• A Computer Reservations
System (CRS) used to
store and retrieve
information and conduct
transactions related to air
travel.

• Major CRS operations

that book and sell tickets
for multiple airlines are
known as Global
Distribution Systems
(GDS), including those
shown here.
Gateway Cities

• Cities serving as the

arrival or departure points
for international travel.

• Examples of U.S.
gateway cities include:
o Boston
o Los Angeles
o San Francisco
o New York
o Miami
Hubs

• Certain cities used by an

airline as a base for
connecting flights to other
destinations.

• Indicates where airlines

may stop while in route to a
destination.
Interline Ticketing Agreement

• An agreement between
airlines that allows one
ticket to be issued for
flights on different airlines.

• In addition it also facilitates

the movement of
passengers and baggage
from one airline to another
on connecting flights.
Codesharing

• A seat can be purchased

with one airline but is
actually operated by
cooperating airline under a
different flight number or
code.

• The term code refers to the

identifier used in a flight
schedule; generally the two
Marketing Carrier : LH 7606
character airline designator
code and flight number. Operating Carrier : CO 74
Check-in

• All passengers must

check-in, receive seat
assignments, and be at the
boarding point ready to
board the aircraft at least
10 minutes before the
flight.

• Check-in for domestic

flights is 2 to 3 hours
before departure.

• Check-in for international

flights is 3 to 4 hours
before departure.
Automated Ticket / Boarding Pass (ATB)

• If passengers have flight

coupons, they must
exchange them for a
boarding pass at the
ticket counter or gate.

• A computer-generated
ticket issued at the airport
upon check–in.
Business Class

• Business class usually

offers service in between
first class and coach.

• Many airlines offer special

services for the business
traveler, such as a larger
tray-table for paperwork, fax
service, or electrical outlets.

• Business class is found on

airplanes that have three or
more cabins, which includes
most international flights
and sometimes on flights
within the U.S.
First Class

• Generally the most

expensive class of service is
first class.

• First-class passengers sit in

a wider, more comfortable
seat and pay no extra
charge for drinks, headsets,
or movies. Amenities
include china and linen
place settings, elaborate
meals and deserts.

• First class is usually at the

front of the plane, or
upstairs on some planes.
Economy / Coach Class

• Coach/economy class is
generally the least expensive
class of service.

• Passengers receive the

basics: a seat,
nonalcoholic beverages
and sometimes meal
service, or meal service at
a cost.
Lost Ticket Application (LTA)

• What passengers file when

they misplace, never
received, or only received
part of their paper tickets.

• Passengers will have to buy

replacement tickets usually
at the current fare, plus an
LTA fee charged by the
airline.

• The airline will refund the

cost of the original ticket
within 90-120 days, subject
to a service charge, provided
the old ticket was not used
Open-ended Tickets

• Tickets leaving the return

date open to set at a later
date

• Tickets left open are

charged the full fare.
Charter Flight

• A flight specifically
scheduled for designated
routes reserved by a
private group or a tour
operator.
Commuter Flight

• Usually a turbo propr

airplane flying shorter routes
between major airports and
smaller airports.

• Every major airline has a

commuter service flying
these routes (i.e. American
Airlines and American
Eagle).

• An example of a commuter
flight would be a commuter
flight from St Louis to
Springfield, Missouri.
Jet Service

• Most commonly used type

of passenger aircraft.

• Boeing, Airbus, and

Bombardier are three of
the largest manufacturers
of jet aircraft.
Equipment Types

• Turbo Prop
Aircraft
Cessna
Capacity
8

Aircraft
Fokker
Capacity
50
Equipment Types

• Narrow-body; four, five or six seats abreast

Aircraft
Boeing
Capacity
178-224

Aircraft
Airbus
Capacity
100-220
Aircraft Types

• Narrow body aircraft seating

Equipment Types

• Wide-body; four, five or six seats abreast

Aircraft
Boeing
Capacity
380-550

Aircraft
Airbus
Capacity
525-850
Aircraft Types

• Wide body aircraft seating

Equipment Types

• Double-decker; upper lounge/seating area

Aircraft
Airbus
Capacity
525-850
Configuration of Plane

• Layout of seats and rows on an aircraft

B737 B777
Seats

• Aisle
• Window
• Exit Row
• Bulkhead
Advance Seat Assignment

• Seats cannot be selected

more than 30 days in
advance of the flight date.
• A passenger booked at
discount fares may not
make advance seat
assignments.
• Some seats (20%) are for
airport check-in only.
• All seat assignments,
made at the time of
reservation or at check-in
are first come, first serve.
Seat Map

• Depicts the seats are

available for a flight.
• Passengers are able to
select specific seats once
they have selected a flight
they wish to purchase
tickets on.
Bulkhead Seats

• First row of seats in an

aircraft’s compartment.
• Provides more ample
legroom.
• Given to families with
children / infant or a
passenger requiring
special assistance.
Connecting Flights

• Two or more flights used

to transport a customer
between two cities.
• When a passenger
changes planes enroute
from origin to destination,
each flight number is
different and the time on
the ground cannot exceed
4 hours for domestic U.S.
travel and 24 hours for
international.
Curbside Check-in

• A service that allows

passengers to check their
bags and/or get seat
assignments outside a
terminal building.
• Many airlines charge a
nominal fee for this
service.
Denied Boarding Compensation

• When some confirmed

passengers cannot get on
the flight because of an
oversell situation, they are
said to be bumped.
• If the airline cannot get
bumped passengers to their
destinations within one hour
of the originally scheduled
time, the persons may be
entitled to payment for the
airline's failure to provide
the service that the
customers paid for.
Electronic Ticket (e-Ticket)

• A computer record, and

not printed on a paper
ticket.
• It may be referred to as
ticketless travel.
• A receipt is printed for
customer records.
Endorsements

• Specific details about the

fare rules that must appear
in the endorsements box in
the GDS.
• Remarks provided to ensure
common understanding
between the passenger and
carrier when a fare is
restricted as to time of
travel, period of validity,
voluntary rerouting, or
where any other restricting
conditions are applicable.
One Way

• A journey from an
originating city to a
destination city with no
return to the origin.
Round Trip

• A journey that ends in the

same city where it begins.
Open Jaw

• An itinerary type that is

similar to a round trip.
• There are two types of
open jaw:
o Travel to one destination
and return to the
originating city from a
different city
o Travel to one destination
and return to a city
different from the
originating city.
Special Service Request (SSR)

• A PNR field used to request

a special service or action.
This field generates a
message to an airline.
• The most common of these
requests is for special meals
(for example: Kosher,
vegetarian) and seat
assignments.
• Other requests are for
MAAS, stretcher,
wheelchair, oxygen, and
unaccompanied minors,
which must be made directly
with the airline.
Unaccompanied Minor

• Children not accompanied

by an adult require
special documentation
and special escort fees
may apply.
• The permitted age of
travel is airline-dependent
and specifics should be
checked with the airline.
Upgrade

• To move to the next

higher category, as to
upgrade a passenger
from coach to business
class.
• Some tickets allow a
passenger to upgrade
using the redemption of
miles, a certificate or
award or paying with
money.
Voucher

• Any document used to

confirm travel
arrangements, identify
clients or offer a discount
for travel related items.
The End