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Pillar article · Reference glossary · Full read ~30 min
By the ITAérea faculty · Updated: October 2026 · Checked against official sources
“The TOBT for the 7 o’clock flight has moved: tell the GHA and check the CTOT.” If you heard that in your first operations meeting, you are not the only one who has had to look up three acronyms at once. Aviation acronyms are the working language of airports, airlines, ground handlers and authorities.
This aviation glossary is not written for the flight deck or the tower, but for people who manage. It brings together 160 entries grouped by area of airport and aeronautical management, each explained in one line, with where you will hear it and its official source. And at the end you will find the acronyms that mean one thing in the operations centre and something quite different in the commercial department.
The essentials in 30 seconds: how to use this glossary
- Each row gives the acronym, its full form, what it means and where it is used; each block ends with its official sources.
- Looking for a specific acronym? Go to the A–Z index.
- Starting in a new area? Read its whole block: it follows the way the work is organised.
- Does an acronym sound like something else? Check the table of acronyms that change meaning.
Contents
- Acronyms of international organisations and aviation authorities
- Airport operations acronyms
- Ground handling and air cargo acronyms
- Air navigation and air traffic management (ATM) acronyms
- Safety and security acronyms
- Commercial and business acronyms for airports and airlines
- Regulation, certification and audit acronyms
- Maintenance and airworthiness acronyms
- Sustainability and new air mobility acronyms
- Regional acronyms you will meet in Spain and Latin America
The 20 aviation acronyms you will hear on day one
The most common aviation acronyms at an airport name the bodies that set the rules (ICAO, IATA), the times that drive each departure (TOBT, CTOT), ground services (GHA, ULD, AWB) and safety and security (SMS, AVSEC). With these 20 you will follow much of what is said in your first week.
| Acronym | What it means, in one phrase |
|---|---|
| ICAO | The UN agency that sets the standards of international civil aviation |
| IATA | The international airline association |
| ATC | Air traffic control |
| PAX | Passengers |
| AOG | An aircraft grounded by a technical problem |
| A-CDM | Airport collaborative decision making |
| TOBT | The target time at which the aircraft will be ready to leave |
| CTOT | The calculated take-off time when network regulation applies |
| GHA | Ground handling agent |
| SLA | Service level agreement in a contract |
| ULD | Standardised cargo container or pallet |
| AWB | Air waybill of a cargo shipment |
| DGR | IATA’s dangerous goods regulations |
| SMS | Safety management system |
| AVSEC | Protection against acts of unlawful interference |
| FOD | Foreign objects on the apron or runway, and the damage they cause |
| NOTAM | Official notice of changes to facilities, services or procedures |
| MTOW | Maximum take-off weight |
| OTP | On-time performance |
| MRO | Maintenance, repair and overhaul |
The rest of the glossary gives the context for each area.
A–Z index of acronyms
Every acronym in the glossary, in alphabetical order. Each one points to its full row.
Show all acronyms from A to Z
- A: AAM · ACA · ACC · ACC3 · A-CDM · ACI · ACMI · ACR · AD · ADS-B · AESA · AFAC · AFCAC · AFRAA · AGL · AHM · AIBT · AIP · AIRAC · AIS · ALDT · ALTA · AMC · ANAC · ANSP · AOBT · AOC · AODB · AOG · AOP · APOC · APP · APU · ARFF · ASDA · ASK · ASQ · ATC · ATFM · ATM · ATS · AVSAF · AVSEC · AWB
- B: BHS · BOT · BRS · BSP
- C: CAMO · CANSO · CAPEX · CASK · CASS · CFIT · CIAIAC · CLAC (LACAC) · CORSIA · CRM · CS · CTK · CTOT · CTR · CUPPS · CUSS · CUTE
- D: DCS · DGAC · DGR · DME · DORA
- E: EASA · e-AWB · ECAC · EDS · EDTO · ELT · EOBT · ERP · ETA · ETD · ETOPS · EU ETS · eVTOL
- F: FAA · F&B · FDM · FFP · FIDS · FIR · FOD · FSC
- G: GACA · GCAA · GDS · GHA · GM · GPU · GREPECAS · GSE
- H: HAWB
- I: IATA · ICAO · IGOM · ILS · IOSA · ISAGO
- K: KC · KPI
- L: LAGs · LAR · LCC · LDA · LF · LOC-I · LOSA · LTO
- M: MAWB · MCT · MEL · METAR · MMEL · MOR · MRO · MTOW
- N: NDC · NM · NOTAM · NOTOC · NTSB
- O: O&D · OPEX · OTP
- P: PANS · Part-145 · Part-66 · PAX · PBB · PBN · PCA · PCR · PNR · PPP · PRM
- R: RA · RASK · RESA · RFFS · RNAV · RNP · RPAS · RPK
- S: SAF · SARPs · SeMS · SES · SESAR · SGHA · SID · SLA · SMS · SOP · SRVSOP · SSEI · SSP · STAR · STEB
- T: TAF · TCP · TMA · TOBT · TODA · TORA · TSAT · TTOT · TWR
- U: UAM · UAS · ULD · UNITAR · USAP · USOAP · UTC
- V: VOR
- W: WASG
We start with the bodies that set the rules.
Acronyms of international organisations and aviation authorities
If you work with regulation or with your national authority, these are the acronyms of the bodies that set the rules: UN agencies, industry associations and authorities.
Global organisations
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization | The United Nations agency that sets the standards of international civil aviation. In French and Spanish it is OACI. See what ICAO is | Authority, Air navigation, Airport |
| IATA | International Air Transport Association | The global airline association that develops the commercial and operational standards of the industry, from ticketing to cargo. See what IATA is | Airline, Commercial, Cargo |
| ACI | Airports Council International | The global association of airport operators, organised as ACI World and regional offices such as ACI EUROPE and ACI-LAC | Airport, Commercial |
| CANSO | Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation | The organisation that brings together air navigation service providers and represents them in international forums | Air navigation |
| UNITAR | United Nations Institute for Training and Research | The United Nations body dedicated to training and capacity building for governments, organisations and professionals around the world | Authority |
We work with UNITAR as a strategic partner.
Europe and North America
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| EASA | European Union Aviation Safety Agency | The EU aviation safety agency. It has carried this name since Regulation (EU) 2018/1139; before, it was the European Aviation Safety Agency | Authority, Airport, Maintenance |
| ECAC | European Civil Aviation Conference | Intergovernmental forum of European civil aviation authorities that harmonises policies, especially on security. In Spanish and French, CEAC | Authority, Safety and security |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration | The civil aviation authority of the United States: it certifies aircraft, regulates operations and provides air traffic control | Authority, Air navigation, United States |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board | Independent US agency that investigates transport accidents, including civil aviation accidents, and issues safety recommendations | Authority, Safety and security, United States |
Latin America
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLAC (LACAC) | Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (Spanish: Comisión Latinoamericana de Aviación Civil) | Intergovernmental body that coordinates the civil aviation policies of the States of Latin America and the Caribbean | Authority, Latin America |
| ALTA | Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association | The association of the region’s airlines, working on safety, efficiency and competitiveness of air transport in Latin America and the Caribbean | Airline, Latin America |
| AFAC | Federal Civil Aviation Agency (Spanish: Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil) | The civil aviation authority of Mexico, under the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) | Authority, Mexico |
| ANAC | National Civil Aviation Administration (Spanish: Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil) | The civil aviation authority of Argentina. In Brazil, the same acronym is the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil | Authority, Argentina, Brazil |
| DGAC | Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (Spanish: Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil) | The aviation authority of Chile. In other countries, DGAC may stand for a Directorate General of Civil Aviation: check the country | Authority, Chile |
| SRVSOP | Regional Safety Oversight Cooperation System (Spanish acronym) | Regional system coordinated from ICAO’s office in Lima that harmonises safety oversight and drafts the LAR regulations | Authority, Latin America |
| GREPECAS | CAR/SAM Regional Planning and Implementation Group (Spanish acronym) | ICAO regional group that plans air navigation and aerodromes in the Caribbean and South America (CAR/SAM regions) | Air navigation, Latin America |
Middle East and Africa
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAC | African Civil Aviation Commission | Specialised agency of the African Union for civil aviation, based in Dakar, and executing agency of the Single African Air Transport Market | Authority, Africa |
| AFRAA | African Airlines Association | Association of African airlines, founded in 1968 and based in Nairobi, that promotes cooperation between its member carriers | Airline, Africa |
| GCAA | General Civil Aviation Authority | The federal civil aviation regulator of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi, covering safety, security and air navigation | Authority, United Arab Emirates |
| GACA | General Authority of Civil Aviation | The civil aviation authority of Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh, responsible for regulating and supervising the sector in the Kingdom | Authority, Saudi Arabia |
Not acronyms (or no longer): Aena, ENAIRE, Eurocontrol and Aerocivil
Aena started as the acronym of Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea; today it is the name of the Spanish state-owned company that operates Spain’s airport network (what Aena means). The public body that kept air navigation was renamed ENAIRE, according to Aena’s corporate history. Eurocontrol is the short name of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, and Aerocivil that of Colombia’s civil aviation authority.
Sources for this block: each body’s official website (ICAO, IATA, ACI, CANSO, UNITAR, EASA, ECAC, FAA, NTSB, CLAC, ALTA, AFAC, ANAC Argentina, ANAC Brazil, DGAC Chile, AFCAC, AFRAA, GCAA, GACA); Regulation (EU) 2018/1139; ICAO, SRVSOP presentation. Consulted in October 2026.
From the regulator’s office we move to the apron.
Airport operations acronyms
If you work on the apron, in the terminal or in the operations centre, these acronyms organise your day: many of them cross paths in every turnaround.
Times and coordination: the A-CDM acronyms
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-CDM | Airport Collaborative Decision Making | A working method in which all airport partners share each flight’s data in real time and decide together. See how A-CDM works | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| EOBT | Estimated Off-Block Time | The off-block time stated in the flight plan: what was planned, filed hours before departure | Airline, Air navigation |
| TOBT | Target Off-Block Time | The time at which the airline or its handler expects the aircraft to be ready to leave. It is the core figure of A-CDM | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| TSAT | Target Start-Up Approval Time | The time air traffic control assigns for start-up approval, taking into account the TOBT and the traffic situation | Air navigation, Airline |
| TTOT | Target Take-Off Time | The target take-off time: the TOBT or TSAT plus the estimated taxi time. It is sent to the European network | Air navigation, Airport |
| CTOT | Calculated Take-Off Time | The take-off time that Eurocontrol’s Network Manager assigns to a flight subject to an air traffic flow regulation | Air navigation, Airline |
| AOBT / AIBT / ALDT | Actual Off-Block Time / Actual In-Block Time / Actual Landing Time | The actual off-block, in-block and landing times. In these acronyms, the initial A always stands for Actual | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| AOP | Airport Operations Plan | A single, agreed plan covering aircraft and terminal operations, shared by all partners and linked to the network plan | Airport |
| APOC | Airport Operations Centre | The room where airport partners jointly manage the airport operations plan (AOP) in real time | Airport, Ground handling |
Terminal, systems and apron
The apron (or ramp) is where aircraft are parked and serviced. The usual source of confusion? FOD, which names both the object and the damage.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| AODB | Airport Operational Database | The airport’s operational database: schedules, stands, gates and actual times of each flight, feeding the other airport systems | Airport |
| FIDS | Flight Information Display System | The terminal screens that show passengers departures, arrivals, gates, check-in desks, baggage reclaim belts and delays | Airport, Commercial |
| BHS | Baggage Handling System | Conveyors, sorters and screening equipment that move each bag between the check-in desk and the aircraft | Airport, Ground handling, Safety and security |
| CUPPS / CUTE | Common Use Passenger Processing Systems / Common Use Terminal Equipment | Shared equipment that lets several airlines use the same desk or gate. CUPPS is the IATA standard that succeeds CUTE | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| CUSS | Common Use Self Service | Shared self-service kiosks where passengers of different airlines check in or print their boarding pass | Airport, Airline |
| PBB | Passenger Boarding Bridge | The movable bridge (jet bridge or “finger”) that links the departure gate with the aircraft door | Airport, Ground handling |
| GPU | Ground Power Unit | Equipment that supplies electricity to a parked aircraft so that it does not need to run its APU | Airport, Ground handling |
| PCA | Pre-Conditioned Air | Apron equipment that heats or cools the cabin of a parked aircraft without using its engines or APU | Airport, Ground handling, Sustainability |
| FOD | Foreign Object Debris / Foreign Object Damage | Foreign objects in the movement area (debris) or the damage they cause to aircraft (damage) | Airport, Ground handling, Maintenance |
| RFFS / ARFF | Rescue and Fire Fighting Services / Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting | The airport’s rescue and fire-fighting service. ICAO speaks of rescue and fire fighting; in the United States it is ARFF | Airport, Safety and security |
| PRM | Persons with Reduced Mobility | Passengers with a disability or reduced mobility, entitled to free assistance at EU airports. Spanish: PMR | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedures | Written instructions for carrying out each task the same way every time, on the apron, in the cockpit or in the terminal | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
Infrastructure and airside
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTOW | Maximum Take-Off Weight | The certified maximum take-off weight of an aircraft; EASA writes MTOM (mass). It drives pavement design, charges and planning | Airport, Airline, Commercial |
| ACR / PCR | Aircraft Classification Rating / Pavement Classification Rating | ICAO method that compares an aircraft’s effect on a pavement with the pavement’s strength. It replaces the ACN/PCN method | Airport |
| TORA / TODA / ASDA / LDA | Take-Off Run Available / Take-Off Distance Available / Accelerate-Stop Distance Available / Landing Distance Available | The declared distances of a runway: take-off run, take-off distance, accelerate-stop distance and landing distance available | Airport, Air navigation, Airline |
| RESA | Runway End Safety Area | A cleared area beyond the end of the runway that reduces damage if an aircraft undershoots or overruns | Airport, Safety and security |
| AGL | Aeronautical Ground Lighting | The runway, taxiway and approach lights of an aerodrome. In flight, AGL means Above Ground Level | Airport, Maintenance |
Sources for this block: Eurocontrol, A-CDM Implementation Manual; ICAO, Doc 8400 and Annex 14, Vol. I; EASA, ACR-PCR FAQ; Regulation (EC) 1107/2006; FAA, Aeronautical Information Manual. Consulted in October 2026.
From the aircraft on its stand we move to the people who service it.
Ground handling and air cargo acronyms
If you work for a ground handler, in a cargo terminal or at a freight forwarder, these terms run through your contract and paperwork, and most of them come from IATA manuals.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHA | Ground Handling Agent | The company that provides ground handling services to the airline, from check-in to aircraft loading | Ground handling, Airline |
| SGHA | Standard Ground Handling Agreement | IATA’s standard contract between an airline and its ground handler, completed with annexes listing services and prices | Ground handling, Airline, Commercial |
| AHM | Airport Handling Manual | IATA manual that sets out the standards and procedures of ground handling, including the SGHA standard contract | Ground handling |
| IGOM | IATA Ground Operations Manual | IATA manual with the apron and passenger procedures applied by airlines and their ground handlers | Ground handling, Airline |
| GSE | Ground Support Equipment | Tugs, steps, belt loaders, cargo loaders, GPUs and other vehicles that service the aircraft on the apron | Ground handling, Airport |
| DCS | Departure Control System | The airline system that manages check-in, seat allocation, boarding, baggage and the load sheet of each flight | Airline, Ground handling |
| BRS | Baggage Reconciliation System | The system that checks that every loaded bag belongs to a passenger who has actually boarded | Ground handling, Safety and security |
| ULD | Unit Load Device | A standardised container or pallet for loading baggage, cargo or mail | Cargo, Ground handling |
| AWB / e-AWB | Air Waybill / electronic Air Waybill | The transport contract and document that travels with each cargo shipment. The e-AWB is its electronic version | Cargo |
| HAWB / MAWB | House Air Waybill / Master Air Waybill | The house waybill, issued by the forwarder to each shipper, and the master waybill, which consolidates those shipments with the airline | Cargo |
| NOTOC | Notification to Captain | The document that informs the crew of the dangerous goods and special loads on board and where they are stowed | Cargo, Ground handling, Airline |
| DGR | Dangerous Goods Regulations | IATA’s regulations on dangerous goods, based on the ICAO Technical Instructions for the safe transport of dangerous goods by air | Cargo, Ground handling, Safety and security |
| RA / KC | Regulated Agent / Known Consignor | EU air cargo security roles under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998, which apply security controls to cargo before loading | Cargo, Safety and security |
| ACC3 | Air Cargo or Mail Carrier operating into the Union from a Third Country Airport | EU designation for an airline that carries cargo or mail into the Union from an airport in a non-EU country | Cargo, Safety and security, Airline |
| CASS | Cargo Account Settlement Systems | IATA system for billing and settling cargo accounts between airlines and freight forwarders, run through the CASSLink platform | Cargo, Commercial |
Sources for this block: IATA, Airport Handling Manual, IGOM, DGR and CASS; Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998; European Commission, information for air carriers (ACC3). Consulted in October 2026.
Once loaded and closed, the aircraft is in the hands of air navigation.
Air navigation and air traffic management (ATM) acronyms
If you work with an air navigation service provider or in operations planning, these are your ICAO abbreviations. Where the FAA uses different terminology, the row says so.
Services and airspace
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATM | Air Traffic Management | The combination of air traffic services, airspace management and flow management that moves flights safely. See air navigation | Air navigation |
| ATC | Air Traffic Control | The service that issues clearances and instructions to keep aircraft separated, from a tower or a control centre | Air navigation, Airport |
| ATS | Air Traffic Services | Generic term that covers the air traffic control service, the flight information service, the alerting service and the air traffic advisory service | Air navigation |
| ANSP | Air Navigation Service Provider | The organisation that provides air traffic, communication and navigation services, such as ENAIRE in Spain | Air navigation |
| ACC | Area Control Centre | The air traffic control unit that controls flights in the en-route phase within its area of a flight information region | Air navigation |
| APP | Approach control office / Approach control service | The service that sequences arrivals and departures around one or more airports. In the United States, TRACON facilities provide it | Air navigation, Airport |
| TWR | Aerodrome control tower / Aerodrome control | The unit that controls traffic on the runway, the taxiways and in the vicinity of the aerodrome | Air navigation, Airport |
| FIR | Flight Information Region | Airspace of defined dimensions within which the flight information service and the alerting service are provided | Air navigation |
| CTR | Control Zone | Controlled airspace extending upwards from the surface of the earth to a specified upper limit around one or more aerodromes | Air navigation, Airport |
| TMA | Terminal Control Area | Controlled airspace normally established at the confluence of routes in the vicinity of one or more major aerodromes | Air navigation |
| ATFM | Air Traffic Flow Management | The service that balances air traffic demand with available airspace and airport capacity, for example by assigning take-off times (CTOT) | Air navigation, Airline |
| NM | Network Manager | The manager of the European air navigation network, a role performed by Eurocontrol, which allocates CTOTs. NM is also nautical mile | Air navigation |
| SES / SESAR | Single European Sky / Single European Sky ATM Research | The EU initiative to reorganise European airspace, and SESAR, its programme to modernise air traffic management technology | Air navigation, Authority |
Aeronautical information and meteorology
Here is the catch: the full form of NOTAM is not the same everywhere, and ICAO does not expand it at all.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIP | Aeronautical Information Publication | The official publication issued by each State with the permanent information on its aerodromes, airspace, procedures and abbreviations | Air navigation, Airport, Authority |
| AIS | Aeronautical Information Service | The service that collects, edits and distributes the AIP, NOTAMs and other aeronautical information needed for safe air navigation | Air navigation |
| NOTAM | Notice to Airmen (common usage; ICAO defines the term without expanding it) | A notice distributed by telecommunication about changes to facilities, services, procedures or hazards. The FAA used Notice to Air Missions from 2021 to 2025 | Air navigation, Airport, Airline |
| AIRAC | Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control | A system of common effective dates, in 28-day cycles, so that significant changes enter into force at the same time | Air navigation, Airline |
| METAR | Aerodrome routine meteorological report | The routine weather report of an aerodrome, in aeronautical code: wind, visibility, cloud, temperature and pressure | Air navigation, Airline, Airport |
| TAF | Aerodrome forecast | The weather forecast for an aerodrome over a defined period, also issued in aeronautical code | Air navigation, Airline |
Navigation, procedures and times
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| PBN | Performance-Based Navigation | Routes and procedures defined by the accuracy required of the aircraft rather than by specific ground navigation aids | Air navigation, Airline |
| RNAV / RNP | Area Navigation / Required Navigation Performance | Area navigation, which allows any desired flight path, and required navigation performance, which adds on-board monitoring and alerting | Air navigation |
| ILS | Instrument Landing System | The system that guides aircraft on final approach, laterally and vertically, including in low visibility | Air navigation, Airport |
| VOR / DME | VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range / Distance Measuring Equipment | A VHF beacon that gives bearing to the station and equipment that gives the distance to it | Air navigation |
| ADS-B | Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast | A surveillance technique in which the aircraft automatically broadcasts its satellite-derived position, identity and altitude to controllers and other aircraft | Air navigation |
| SID / STAR | Standard Instrument Departure / Standard Instrument Arrival | Published routes that connect the runway with the en-route network on departure and on arrival | Air navigation, Airline |
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | The reference time of aviation, also called Zulu time. It is not Universal Coordinated Time | Air navigation, Airline, Airport |
| ETA / ETD | Estimated Time of Arrival / Estimated Time of Departure | The estimated times of arrival and departure. In security, ETD also means explosive trace detection | Airline, Airport, Air navigation |
| ELT | Emergency Locator Transmitter | A transmitter that sends a signal to help search and rescue services locate an aircraft after an accident | Air navigation, Safety and security |
Sources for this block: ICAO, Doc 8400 (9th edition, 2016, and amendments); FAA, Aeronautical Information Manual and Contractions (JO 7340.2); Eurocontrol, Network Manager; SESAR Joint Undertaking; for the NOTAM name change in the United States, US Department of the Interior aviation bulletin. Consulted in October 2026.
Managing traffic is one part of safety; the other has acronyms of its own.
Safety and security acronyms
If you work in quality, safety, security or anywhere with apron access, these acronyms are part of your mandatory training. Safety means preventing accidents and incidents (the domain of SMS); security means protection against acts of unlawful interference (the domain of AVSEC).
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS | Safety Management System | A systematic approach to identifying hazards, managing risk and measuring safety performance. See SMS implementation | Safety and security, Airport, Airline |
| SeMS | Security Management System | A management system for security against unlawful acts. IATA has required it of IOSA-registered airlines since 2007 | Safety and security, Airline |
| CRM | Crew Resource Management | Training in communication, leadership and decision-making to reduce human error in crews. See CRM and human factors | Airline, Safety and security |
| AVSEC | Aviation Security | Protection of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference: screening of passengers, baggage, cargo and access (ICAO Annex 17) | Safety and security, Airport, Cargo |
| MOR | Mandatory Occurrence Reporting | The obligation to report safety occurrences; in the EU it is set by Regulation (EU) 376/2014 | Safety and security, Authority |
| FDM | Flight Data Monitoring | The airline’s systematic review of recorded flight data to detect trends and risks before they become events | Airline, Safety and security |
| LOSA | Line Operations Safety Audit | Trained observers record, confidentially, how crews manage threats and errors on normal line flights, to identify safety risks | Airline, Safety and security |
| CFIT | Controlled Flight Into Terrain | An accident in which an airworthy aircraft under control flies into terrain, water or an obstacle | Safety and security, Airline |
| LOC-I | Loss of Control In-flight | An occurrence category in which the crew loses control of the aircraft in flight, used by ICAO and IATA in safety analysis | Safety and security, Airline |
| ERP | Emergency Response Plan | The plan that defines who does what after an accident or serious incident at the airport or the airline | Safety and security, Airport, Airline |
| EDS | Explosive Detection System | Equipment that automatically screens hold baggage and, in its more recent versions, cabin baggage for explosives | Safety and security, Airport |
| LAGs | Liquids, Aerosols and Gels | The category of items, such as drinks, creams and sprays, subject to quantity restrictions in cabin baggage at security screening | Safety and security, Airport |
| STEB | Security Tamper-Evident Bag | A sealed bag for liquids bought at the airport, so that they can pass a later security screening point | Safety and security, Commercial |
Sources for this block: ICAO, Annex 19 and Doc 9859 (safety management) and Annex 17 (aviation security); Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998; Regulation (EU) 376/2014; IATA, SeMS. Consulted in October 2026.
From safety we move to the business side.
Commercial and business acronyms for airports and airlines
If you work in planning, commercial or concessions, these are your airline and airport industry acronyms, the closest to the vocabulary of any business.
Traffic and profitability indicators
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAX | Passengers (abbreviation, no official expansion) | The abbreviation for passengers used in statistics, operations and flight documents: “180 PAX” means 180 passengers | Airport, Airline, Commercial |
| ASK | Available Seat Kilometers | Seats available multiplied by kilometres flown: the measure of the capacity an airline offers. Spanish: asientos-kilómetro ofertados | Airline, Commercial |
| RPK | Revenue Passenger Kilometers | Paying passengers multiplied by kilometres flown: the measure of an airline’s actual traffic. Spanish: pasajeros-kilómetro transportados | Airline, Commercial |
| LF | Load Factor | Traffic divided by capacity (RPK divided by ASK): the share of the seats offered that was actually filled | Airline, Commercial |
| CASK / RASK | Cost per Available Seat Kilometer / Revenue per Available Seat Kilometer | Cost and revenue per available seat-kilometre: the basic indicators of an airline’s efficiency and profitability | Airline, Commercial |
| CTK | Cargo Tonne-Kilometers | Tonnes of cargo multiplied by kilometres flown: the indicator IATA uses to measure air cargo demand | Cargo, Commercial |
Distribution and sales
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| O&D | Origin and Destination | The city pair between which the passenger actually travels, regardless of stopovers or connections; key for network planning and pricing | Airline, Commercial |
| LCC / FSC | Low-Cost Carrier / Full-Service Carrier | A low-cost airline and a full-service or traditional (legacy) airline. Ultra-low-cost carriers are called ULCCs | Airline, Commercial |
| GDS | Global Distribution System | The platform that connects airline fares, schedules and availability with travel agencies and online agencies around the world | Airline, Commercial |
| NDC | New Distribution Capability | IATA’s distribution standard that lets airlines offer in indirect channels the same content as on their own websites | Airline, Commercial |
| PNR | Passenger Name Record | The passenger’s record in the reservation system: details, itinerary, contact and services, identified by a booking reference | Airline, Commercial, Safety and security |
| BSP | Billing and Settlement Plan | IATA’s system for billing and settling ticket sales between accredited travel agencies and airlines in each country or market | Airline, Commercial |
| FFP | Frequent Flyer Programme | A loyalty programme in which passengers earn points or miles for flying and redeem them for tickets or services | Airline, Commercial |
Regulation, concessions and investment
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| WASG | Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines | The common rules of ACI, IATA and the airport slot coordinators for allocating slots at congested airports worldwide | Airport, Airline, Commercial |
| PPP | Public-Private Partnership | An arrangement in which the State and a company share investment and risk in an airport. Spanish: APP | Airport, Authority, Commercial |
| BOT | Build-Operate-Transfer | A concession in which a company builds and operates an airport for a set period and then hands it back to the State | Airport, Commercial |
| CAPEX / OPEX | Capital Expenditure / Operating Expenditure | Investment spending (terminals, runways, equipment) and operating spending (staff, energy, maintenance) in an airport business plan | Airport, Commercial |
Service quality and contracts
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASQ | Airport Service Quality | ACI programme that measures passenger satisfaction through surveys at the airport and allows comparison with other airports | Airport, Commercial |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | The metric used to track progress towards an objective, such as punctuality, queue times or baggage delivery time | Airport, Airline, Ground handling |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | The measurable commitments of a contract, central to ground handling: turnaround times, baggage delivery and penalties | Ground handling, Airport, Commercial |
| OTP | On-Time Performance | The share of flights that depart or arrive within a margin of the schedule, usually 15 minutes | Airline, Airport |
| MCT | Minimum Connecting Time | The shortest interval between two flights for which an airport accepts the sale of a connection | Airport, Airline, Commercial |
| F&B | Food and Beverage | Bars, cafés and restaurants at the airport, one of the sources of non-aeronautical revenue in the terminal | Airport, Commercial |
| ACMI | Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance | A wet lease: one airline leases an aircraft to another with crew, maintenance and insurance included | Airline, Commercial |
Sources for this block: IATA, NDC, BSP and Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines; ACI, Airport Service Quality. Consulted in October 2026.
All of the above rests on rules and audits.
Regulation, certification and audit acronyms
If you work in quality or compliance, these acronyms tell you which rule applies and who audits whom. That said, several are audits of organisations, not personal certificates.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARPs | Standards and Recommended Practices | ICAO’s standards, set out in the Annexes to the Chicago Convention: the basis of national aviation regulations | Authority |
| PANS | Procedures for Air Navigation Services | ICAO documents that detail how to apply the standards in practice, such as Doc 8400 | Air navigation, Authority |
| USOAP | Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme | ICAO’s programme for auditing States’ safety oversight, now run under a continuous monitoring approach (CMA) | Authority, Safety and security |
| USAP | Universal Security Audit Programme | ICAO’s programme for auditing States’ aviation security. It is now called USAP-CMA, after its continuous monitoring approach | Authority, Safety and security |
| SSP | State Safety Programme | The State safety programme required by ICAO Annex 19. In Spain, AESA calls it PESO | Authority, Safety and security |
| AOC | Air Operator Certificate | The authorisation an operator needs to carry out commercial air transport. In ICAO charts, AOC is also the aerodrome obstacle chart | Airline, Authority |
| AMC / GM | Acceptable Means of Compliance / Guidance Material | EASA material that explains how to comply with the requirements of the European aviation regulations | Authority, Maintenance, Airport |
| CS | Certification Specifications | EASA’s technical requirements for certifying aircraft, engines, components or aerodromes, such as CS-25 for large aeroplanes or CS-ADR-DSN | Authority, Maintenance, Airport |
| IOSA | IATA Operational Safety Audit | IATA’s operational safety audit for airlines, repeated every two years. IOSA registration is a condition of IATA membership | Airline, Safety and security |
| ISAGO | IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations | IATA’s safety audit for ground handling companies. It assesses the organisation; it is not a personal certificate | Ground handling, Safety and security |
| LAR | Latin American Aeronautical Regulations (Spanish acronym) | Harmonised regulations drafted by the SRVSOP as a common model for States in the region to adopt | Authority, Latin America |
Sources for this block: ICAO, Chicago Convention and USAP-CMA; EASA, Easy Access Rules; IATA, IOSA and ISAGO; AESA, State Safety Programme; ICAO, Doc 8400 (aerodrome obstacle chart). Consulted in October 2026.
Rules reach the hangar through maintenance acronyms.
Maintenance and airworthiness acronyms
If you work in maintenance or spare parts procurement, these acronyms appear on every work order. In Europe, most of them derive from Regulation (EU) 1321/2014.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRO | Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul | The sector and the companies that maintain, repair and overhaul aircraft, engines and components, either in-house or as independent providers | Maintenance |
| CAMO | Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation | The organisation approved under Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 that plans and controls the continuing airworthiness of each aircraft it manages | Maintenance, Airline, Authority |
| Part-145 | Part-145 of Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 (not an acronym) | European requirements for approved maintenance organisations working on large aircraft and commercial air transport aircraft | Maintenance, Authority |
| Part-66 | Part-66 of Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 (not an acronym) | European requirements for the aircraft maintenance licence, with categories such as A, B1, B2 and C | Maintenance, Authority |
| AOG | Aircraft On Ground | An aircraft grounded by a technical problem: the highest priority in maintenance and spare parts logistics | Maintenance, Airline, Cargo |
| MEL / MMEL | Minimum Equipment List / Master Minimum Equipment List | The list of equipment with which an aircraft may be dispatched: the MMEL covers the type; the MEL adapts it to each operator | Maintenance, Airline |
| AD | Airworthiness Directive | A mandatory order from the authority to correct an unsafe condition in an aircraft, engine or component | Maintenance, Authority |
| APU | Auxiliary Power Unit | A small turbine on the aircraft that supplies electricity and air on the ground; many airports restrict its use | Maintenance, Airport, Sustainability |
| ETOPS / EDTO | Extended Operations (ETOPS, FAA term) / Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO, ICAO) | Operations on routes that take the aircraft far from en-route alternate aerodromes. ICAO uses EDTO; ETOPS is the traditional term | Airline, Maintenance, Authority |
Sources for this block: Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 (Part-M, Part-145, Part-66 and Part-CAMO); ICAO, Annexes 6 and 8. Consulted in October 2026.
The last block looks ahead.
Sustainability and new air mobility acronyms
If you work in environment, strategy or new air mobility, these acronyms combine ICAO, EU and ACI programmes with EASA’s terminology for drones.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAF | Sustainable Aviation Fuel | Fuel from renewable or waste sources, blended with jet fuel to reduce life-cycle emissions. See sustainable aviation fuel | Sustainability, Airline |
| CORSIA | Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation | ICAO’s global market-based scheme in which airlines offset the growth in carbon emissions from international flights | Sustainability, Airline, Authority |
| EU ETS | EU Emissions Trading System | The EU carbon market: airlines surrender allowances for the emissions of the flights covered by the system | Sustainability, Airline, Authority |
| ACA | Airport Carbon Accreditation | ACI programme that accredits, in successive levels, how airports manage and reduce their carbon emissions | Sustainability, Airport |
| LTO | Landing and Take-Off cycle | The flight phases below 3,000 feet (about 900 metres) used to measure engine emissions around the airport | Sustainability, Airport |
| UAM / AAM | Urban Air Mobility / Advanced Air Mobility | New services using electric or uncrewed aircraft to carry people and goods, in cities and beyond | Sustainability, Airport, Authority |
| eVTOL | electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing | An electric aircraft that takes off and lands vertically: the basis of future air taxi services and vertiports | Sustainability, Airport |
| UAS / RPAS | Unmanned Aircraft System / Remotely Piloted Aircraft System | The technical terms for drones: an uncrewed aircraft system and a remotely piloted one. See drone operations near airports | Authority, Air navigation |
Sources for this block: ICAO, CORSIA; European Commission, reducing emissions from aviation; ACI, Airport Carbon Accreditation; EASA, drones and air mobility. Consulted in October 2026.
If you deal with Spain or Latin America, a few local acronyms are worth knowing.
Regional acronyms you will meet in Spain and Latin America
These Spanish acronyms appear in documents, job titles and meetings in Spain and, in some cases, across Latin America. They have no direct English equivalent.
| Acronym | Full form | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| AESA | Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (Spanish acronym) | Spain’s civil aviation authority: it oversees airports, airlines, maintenance and air navigation, and issues licences | Authority, Spain |
| CIAIAC | Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil (Spanish acronym) | Spain’s civil aviation accident and incident investigation body, which seeks to prevent recurrence without apportioning blame | Authority, Safety and security, Spain |
| SSEI | Servicio de Salvamento y Extinción de Incendios (Spanish acronym) | The Spanish term for the airport rescue and fire-fighting service (RFFS) | Airport, Safety and security, Spain |
| AVSAF | Aviation Safety (Spanish programme) | Safety training required in Spain for movement area access cards (AVSAF_P) and apron driving permits (AVSAF_C) | Safety and security, Airport, Spain |
| TCP | Tripulante de cabina de pasajeros (Spanish acronym) | A cabin crew member, responsible for passenger safety and service on board | Airline, Safety and security, Spain |
| DORA | Documento de Regulación Aeroportuaria (Spanish acronym) | The multi-year document that sets investment, service quality and regulated charges for Aena’s airport network, under Spanish Law 18/2014 | Airport, Authority, Spain |
Sources for this block: AESA, including its SSEI document and AVSAF announcement; CIAIAC. Consulted in October 2026.
Now for the most confusing part: acronyms with a double life.
Aviation acronyms that change meaning with context
In aviation, the same acronym can mean two things depending on who says it. These are the abbreviations that cause the most misunderstandings.
| Acronym | In aviation it means… | But it can also mean… | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRM | Crew Resource Management | Customer Relationship Management | In operations or training, crews; in sales or loyalty, customers |
| SMS | Safety Management System | Short Message Service, a text message | In a safety report or audit, it is never a text message |
| ETD | Estimated Time of Departure | Explosive Trace Detection | At the security checkpoint, the equipment; on the departures screen, the time |
| ATA | Actual Time of Arrival | ATA chapters: the aircraft system numbering of the iSpec 2200 specification of Airlines for America (formerly the Air Transport Association) | In a flight report, a time; in maintenance (“ATA 32”, landing gear), a chapter |
| TMA | Terminal Control Area | In Spain, an aircraft maintenance technician licensed by AESA | In air navigation, airspace; in a Spanish hangar, a person |
| APP | Approach control | An app (application) and, in Spanish, a public-private partnership | In ATC, approach; in IT or concessions, the other meanings |
| AGL | Aeronautical Ground Lighting | Above Ground Level | At the airport, lights; on a chart, a height |
| ACC | Area Control Centre | Part of ACC3, the EU designation for cargo carriers from non-EU airports | Followed by a 3, cargo; on its own, en-route control |
| ERP | Emergency Response Plan | Enterprise Resource Planning | In safety, a plan; in IT or finance, software |
| ANAC | Argentina’s civil aviation authority | Brazil’s civil aviation authority | The country of the document decides |
| DGAC | Chile’s Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil | Other countries’ Directorates General of Civil Aviation | Always check the country before expanding it |
| AOC | Air Operator Certificate | Aerodrome Obstacle Chart | For an airline, the certificate; in charts, the obstacle chart |
Sources for this block: those listed in each block; Airlines for America, iSpec 2200 (ATA chapters); AESA, aircraft maintenance technicians (TMA). Consulted in October 2026.
Knowing the acronyms is half the job; the other half is reading and writing them correctly.
How to read and write aviation acronyms
Aviation abbreviations have their own rules: where they come from, where to check them and how to write them.
Why are most aviation acronyms in English?
Because English is the working language of international aviation, and most acronyms originate in documents from ICAO, IATA or manufacturers. Note, though, that it is not the only official language: ICAO has six, including Arabic, French and Spanish, which is why the same body is ICAO in English and OACI in French and Spanish. To build that base, see the aviation English course.
Where to find official abbreviations: ICAO Doc 8400 and national AIPs
In ICAO Doc 8400 (PANS-ABC), the global reference for abbreviations and codes: its 9th edition dates from 2016 and is updated by amendments. It does not include location indicators (Doc 7910), aircraft operator designators (Doc 8585) or aircraft type designators (Doc 8643). Each State publishes its own list in its AIP, and in the United States the FAA maintains its Contractions order (JO 7340.2).
How to write aviation acronyms in English
ICAO Doc 8400 lists abbreviations in capital letters, without full stops. Three conventions cover most cases.
Capitals, no full stops: ICAO, not I.C.A.O.
Write acronyms in capitals and without full stops between the letters: ICAO, NOTAM, TOBT. Keep the lower-case letters the source uses, as in SeMS, eVTOL or SARPs.
Plurals and articles: two ULDs, the FAA, ICAO
The usual English plural adds a lower-case s without an apostrophe: ULDs, SOPs. Acronyms read letter by letter usually take “the” (the FAA); those pronounced as words usually do not (ICAO, IATA).
Hyphens and slashes: A-CDM, ADS-B, O&D
Follow the source: A-CDM and ADS-B take a hyphen, and O&D an ampersand. Pairs are written with a slash, as in CAPEX/OPEX or SID/STAR.
Airport codes are not acronyms: IATA code vs ICAO location indicator
An airport code is an identifier, not an acronym. The IATA code has three letters and is used on tickets and baggage tags: MAD is Madrid-Barajas, DXB is Dubai International and JNB is Johannesburg. The ICAO location indicator has four letters and is used in flight plans and NOTAMs: LEMD, OMDB and FAOR for the same airports. IATA codes can be checked in the IATA code search; ICAO indicators, in ICAO Doc 7910.
With the rules clear, all that remains is to explain why you can trust what you have read.
Why you can trust this glossary
We prepared this glossary with our faculty. Every acronym has been checked against the official source listed under its block, and we review it every year to reflect amendments to Doc 8400 and name changes, such as EASA’s in 2018 or the NOTAM’s in the United States.
An acronym is included only if it meets three conditions:
- It appears in documents from ICAO, the EU (EASA, EUR-Lex), Eurocontrol, IATA or ACI, or in a State’s AIP.
- It is used by management professionals: operations, ground handling, cargo, commercial, safety, security, quality, planning or authorities. Flight deck acronyms are left out.
- It has a single, verifiable full form. If it has several, it also appears in the table of acronyms that change meaning.
If we could not verify a full form, the acronym is not here. We are a TRAINAIR PLUS Corporate Partner of ICAO, a training partner accredited by ACI World and a strategic partner of UNITAR.
How to cite this glossary
ITAérea Aeronautical Business School (2026). Aviation acronyms: the essential glossary for airport and airline management. https://www.itaerea.com/aviation-acronyms-glossaryYou can link to any acronym directly: each one has its own address (for example, …/aviation-acronyms-glossary#tobt).
And for the questions that come up most often, quick answers.
Frequently asked questions about aviation acronyms
What do ICAO and IATA stand for?
ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that sets the standards of international civil aviation. IATA is the International Air Transport Association, the airline association that turns those standards into industry practices and procedures. Read more in what ICAO is and what IATA is.
What does PAX mean at an airport?
PAX is the abbreviation for passengers used in statistics, operations and flight documents: “180 PAX” means 180 passengers. You will see it on load sheets and traffic reports. Its origin is not documented in any official source, so be wary of the etymologies that circulate online.
What does TCP mean in aviation?
TCP is the Spanish acronym for tripulante de cabina de pasajeros: a cabin crew member, responsible for passenger safety and service on board. You will meet it in Spanish and Latin American operations; in English the term is cabin crew.
Are Alfa, Bravo, Charlie aviation acronyms?
No. Alfa, Bravo, Charlie and the rest form the radiotelephony spelling alphabet, set out in ICAO Annex 10 to avoid confusion when spelling over the radio. They do not abbreviate anything: each word stands for a letter, which is why they are not in this glossary.
How often are aviation acronyms updated?
There is no single date. ICAO abbreviations change with amendments to Doc 8400, and aeronautical information enters into force on the common dates of the AIRAC cycle, every 28 days. Name changes of bodies and programmes add to that. That is why this glossary shows a review date.
Conclusion: the common language of aviation management
Aviation acronyms are the common language of airports, airlines, ground handlers and authorities: whoever understands them sees sooner how each piece fits, from the TOBT set by the airline to the SLA signed by the ground handler. You do not need to memorise them all, only to know where to find them. Keep this page for your next meeting. If you want to move from understanding the acronyms to managing the areas behind them, our master’s programmes and courses work with this terminology from day one.
