photoshooter From Belgium, joined Feb 2010, 372 posts, RR: 20 Reply 6, posted (7 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
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Quoting TriStar500 (Reply 5): Sorry, it is probably not as obvious for non-German readers. "NS" is a commonly used abbreviation for National Socialism in our country.
Thanks for the clarification. I could have known but I didn't made the connection. I automatically thought of the Dutch railway system! Thanks.
'A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.' - Winston Churchill
clydenairways From Ireland, joined Jan 2007, 1021 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (7 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
It's probably due to a more preferable code becoming available. When airlines close down there codes become available again.
Sometimes codes have been used a few times over.
However, don't take the list as iron clad. This is not a page/ section editable by just anyone. But obtaining updates from IATA and ICAO takes time.
You can sort the table on any of the column headings.
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As to why airlines might change their code
1) IATA uses 'controlled duplicates' where two smallish airlines in widely separated parts of the world have the same IATA code. If one of the airlines grows to a wider service area - one will have to change their code.
2) IATA allows any delisted code to be reused after 6 months. A desired code by an airline might not be available when the airline is started, but when it becomes available - the airline takes the new code and changes.
The assignment of code letters is based upon the preference of the airline if the code is available.
Putnik From Serbia, joined Aug 2007, 208 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (7 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
It seems that Swissairs old code SR is still not being reused. Does anyone know why? How did they manage to keep it dormant for so long? It is owned by Swiss?
RWA380 From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 2220 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (7 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
Quoting clydenairways (Reply 7): It's probably due to a more preferable code becoming available. When airlines close down there codes become available again.
Aloha Airlines went from TS to AQ as an example of what I think you are saying....
Next Flights: AS PDX-SAN-LIH on 739/738 in F, HA LIH-HNL-KOA-OGG on 717 in Y, AS OGG-PDX on 738 in F
Burkhard From Germany, joined Nov 2006, 4268 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (7 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
There are many times more airlines in the world than IATA codes, many of them are regionally used different airlines. Having to decode them for an AI project, I have no understanding why anybody still uses this crappy system, which only works in the US and is abandonned by 90% of the world.
Birdwatching From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 3586 posts, RR: 52 Reply 13, posted (7 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
Isn't there a German airline called Hahn Air whose business is to let a shipload of other airlines use their IATA code? And to be a legit airline they fly a bizjet scheduled between LUX and DUS like once a day? I'd have to read up on this. This is why you book some obscure route in Africa and the airline comes up as Hahn Air.
Soren
All the things you probably hate about travelling are warm reminders that I'm home
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21679 posts, RR: 23 Reply 15, posted (7 months 6 days ago) and read 1215 times:
Quoting photoshooter (Reply 3): Perhaps when there's a name change yes, but Eurowings didn't change their name when they changed from NS to EW.
Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 9): 2) IATA allows any delisted code to be reused after 6 months. A desired code by an airline might not be available when the airline is started, but when it becomes available - the airline takes the new code and changes.
Quoting Putnik (Reply 10): t seems that Swissairs old code SR is still not being reused. Does anyone know why?
The liquidation of Swissair's assets hasn't yet been completed. I expect they don't want to recycle the SR code until Swissair is officially dead and buried.
Quoting Putnik (Reply 10): How did they manage to keep it dormant for so long? It is owned by Swiss?
Airlines don't own their codes. They have rights to their name, which LX purchased fom the Swissair liquidator a few years ago for something like $10 million, not because LX had any plans to reuse the Swissair name but because they didn't want anyone else to be able to use it.
Quoting Burkhard (Reply 12): I have no understanding why anybody still uses this crappy system, which only works in the US and is abandonned by 90% of the world.
What do you mean? Airlines can't distribute their product through the industry GDS systems unless they have an IATA code. If you are implying that airlines from 90% of the world do not have an IATA code you are very wrong.
If you're referring to very small airlines that don't interline and don't care about distributing their schedules through the industry systems, they can of course exist without an IATA code since they only need an ICAO code for operational purposes.
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