Tell me about acronyms, please!

Abbreviations & Acronyms.

The travel trade loves its abbreviations and acronyms. The only industry I can think of using abbrevations more is the computer industry. This is a short list of abbreviations and acronyms that can be good to know when reading or speaking about travel.

A.

  • AC = Aircraft.
  • ACRISS = Association of Car Rental Industry Systems Standards. The car codes for rental cars.
  • APEX = Advance Purchase Excursion Fare. A type of ticket that is almost extinct nowadays since airline pricing has changed a lot the last 10 years.
  • APT = Airport (or Airline Passenger Tariff which is a discontnued thick book with IATA-fares).
  • ARC = Airlines Reporting Corporation. An organisation who collects fares from travel agents and distributes it to the airlines. Most commonly used in USA. See BSP for Europe.
  • ARNK = Arrival Unknown. The portion that is land transportation in an air ticket. See SOJ.

B.

  • BSP = is short for Bank Settlement Plan. An organisation who collects fares from travel agents and distributes it to the airlines. Most commonly used in Europe. See ARC for USA.

C.

  • C = Booking class used for travel in Business Class.
  • CLIA = Cruise Lines International Association ID number. Similar to ARC but without the possibility to issue IATA tickets.
  • CONUS = Continental US.
  • CRS = Central Reservation System. CRS is usually the booking department for a chain of hotels.
  • CTO = City Ticket Office.

D.

  • DBL = Double room.
  • DLX = Deluxe room. (Can be combined with DBL, i.e. DBL DLX)
  • DMC = Destination Management Company, is a local agent on the destination.
  • DMO = Destination Marketing Organization.

E.

  • Economy = yes, it is Coach.
  • EMD = Electronic Miscellaneous Document. Previously called MCO.

F.

  • F = Booking class used for travel in First Class.
  • Fare Ladder = This is where the fare is outlined on the ticket and in the booking.
  • FCPI = Fare Calculation Pricing Indicator.
  • FF = Frequent Flier.
  • FQTV = Frequent Traveller.

G.

  • GBTA = Global Business Travel Association.
  • GDS = Global Distribution System (Sometimes a little wrongfully called a CRS).

H.

  • HTL = Hotel.




I.

  • IATA = International Airline Transport Association which is a trade organisation for the airline industry. Please visit http://www.iata.org/ for more information.
  • IATA Code – is the three letter code for an airport or city assigned by IATA. One example is LON for London Airports where LHR is the specific code for London Heathrow Airport.
  • Interline Agreement = two different airlines on the same ticket. I.e starting your trip with BA from London and changing to Qantas on your way to Sydney.
  • ISO = International Organization for Standardization.

J.

  • J = Booking class used for travel in Business Class.

K.

L.

  • LIAC = Late Incoming Aircraft
  • LCC = Low Cost Carrier

M.

  • M = Booking class used for travel in Economy Class.
  • MCO = Miscellaneous Charge Order. Substituted by EMD:s nowadays.
  • MICE = Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events.
  • MLOS = Minimum Lenght Of Stay. Expression commonly used with discounted hotel rates.
  • MOA = Memorandum Of Agreement.

N.

O.

  • OAG = Official Airlines Guide.
  • OJ = Open Jaw. See SOJ too.
  • OTA = Online Travel Agent.

P.

  • P = Booking class used for travel in First Class.
  • PAX = Passenger.
  • PTA = Prepaid Ticket Advice.

Q.

R.

  • RAR = Revenue Analysis Report.
  • RBD = Booking Class of a Flight.
  • RES = Reservation.
  • REN = Refund Exchange Notice.
  • RT = Round Trip or Return.
  • RTW = Round The World. Some carriers or alliances offer special, discounted tickets around the world.

S.

  • SGL = Single room.
  • Slot = alloted time for aircraft movement at an airport. In other words times the airline may have their aircraft parked at the airport.
  • SOJ = Single Open Jaw. A ticket New York – Los Angeles / San Francisco is an Single Open Jaw when constructed on half roundtrip fares. The transportation Los Angeles – San Francisco is an ARNK.
  • SOP = Standard Operating Procedure.

T.

  • TIMATIC = Travel Information Manual Automatic. Database with visa and entry regulations for almost every country on earth.
  • TWN = Twin bedded room.

U.

  • UCCF = Universal Credit Card Charge Form. Extinct nowadays and taken over by electronic transactions.

V.

W.

X.

Y.

  • Y = Bookings class used for travel in Economy.

Z.

  • Z = Time Zone Coordinator. Also known as GMT.

 

This is a working document and updated continously. Please let us know if we are missing anything!  We would love to hear from you via email, in the comments below, on Twitter, Facebook , Instagram or Google+.

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