| Terms | Glossary |
|---|
| Actual Arrival Times | Gate arrival time is the instance when the pilot sets the aircraft parking brake after arriving at the airport gate or passenger unloading area. If the parking brake is not set, record the time for the opening of the passenger door. Also, carriers using a Docking Guidance System (DGS) may record the official gate-arrival time when the aircraft is stopped at the appropriate parking mark. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Actual Departure Times | Gate departure time is the instance when the pilot releases the aircraft parking brake after passengers have loaded and aircraft doors have been closed. In cases where the flight returned to the departure gate before wheels-off time and departed a second time, report the last gate departure time before wheels-off time. In cases of an air return, report the last gate departure time before the gate return. If passengers were boarded without the parking brake being set, record the time that the passenger door was closed. Also, carriers using a Docking Guidance System may record the official gate-departure time based on aircraft movement. For example, one DGS records gate departure time when the aircraft moves more than 1 meter from the appropriate parking mark within 15 seconds. Fifteen seconds is then subtracted from the recorded time to obtain the appropriate out time. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Aircraft Days Assigned | The number of days that aircraft owned or acquired through rental or lease (but not inter-change) are in the possession of the reporting air carrier and are available for service on the reporting carrier's routes plus the number of days such aircraft are in service on routes of others under interchange agreements. Includes days in overhaul, or temporarily out of service due to schedulecancellations. Excludes days that newly acquired aircraft are on hand but not available or formally withdrawn from air transport service. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Airline ID | An identification number assigned by US DOT to identify a unique airline (carrier). A unique airline (carrier) is defined as one holding and reporting under the same DOT certificate regardless of its Code, Name, or holding company/corporation. Use this field for analysis across a range of years. ( Aviation Support Tables, Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Airport Code | A three character alpha-numeric code issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation which is the official designation of the airport. The airport code is not always unique to a specific airport because airport codes can change or can be reused. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Airline On-Time Performance Data, Aviation Support Tables ) |
| Airport ID | An identification number assigned by US DOT to identify a unique airport. Use this field for airport analysis across a range of years because an airport can change its airport code and airport codes can be reused. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Aviation Support Tables, Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Arrival Delay | Arrival delay equals the difference of the actual arrival time minus the scheduled arrival time. A flight is considered on-time when it arrives less than 15 minutes after its published arrival time. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| CRS | Computer Reservation System. CRS provide information on airline schedules, fares and seat availability to travel agencies and allow agents to book seats and issue tickets. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Cancelled Flight | A flight that was listed in a carrier's computer reservation system during the seven calendar days prior to scheduled departure but was not operated. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Carrier Code | Code assigned by IATA and commonly used to identify a carrier. As the same code may have been assigned to different carriers over time, the code is not always unique. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Airline On-Time Performance Data, Aviation Support Tables ) |
| Certificate Of Public Convenience And Necessity | A certificate issued to an air carrier under 49 U.S.C. 41102, by the Department of Transportation authorizing the carrier to engage in air transportation. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Certificated Air Carrier | An air carrier holding a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by DOT to conduct scheduled services interstate. Nonscheduled or charter operations may also be conducted by these carriers. (same as Certified Air Carrier) ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Certified Air Carrier | An air carrier holding a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by DOT to conduct scheduled services interstate. Nonscheduled or charter operations may also be conducted by these carriers. (same as Certificated Air Carrier) ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| City Market ID | An identification number assigned by US DOT to identify a city market. Use this field to consolidate airports serving the same city market. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Aviation Support Tables, Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Departure Delay | The difference between the scheduled departure time and the actual departure time from the origin airport gate. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Diverted Flight | A flight that is required to land at a destination other than the original scheduled destination for reasons beyond the control of the pilot/company. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Domestic Operations | All air carrier operations having destinations within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Elapsed Time | The time computed from gate departure time to gate arrival time. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Express Freight | Property, other than passenger baggage transported by air, with a premium paid over standard freight charges for more rapid delivery. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| FIPS | Federal Information Processing Standards. Usually referring to a code assigned to any of a variety of geographic entities (e.g. counties, states, metropolitan areas, etc). FIPS codes are intended to simplify the collection, processing, and dissemination of data and resources of the Federal Government. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Flight Number | A one to four character alpha-numeric code for a particular flight. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| In-Flight Time | The total time an aircraft is in the air between an origin-destination airport pair, i.e. from wheels-off at the origin airport to wheels-down at the destination airport. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Late Flight | A flight arriving or departing 15 minutes or more after the scheduled time. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Non-Revenue Traffic | Passengers and cargo transported by air for which no renumeration or token service charges are received by the air carrier. Airline employees, officers and directors, or other persons, except for ministers of religon, who are traveling under reduced rate transportation authorized by 49 U.S.C. 41511(a) and 14CFR part 223, as well as travel agents, cargo agents, and tour conductors traveling at reduced fares are also considered nonrevenue traffic. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Passenger Mile | One passenger transported one statute mile. Total passenger miles are computed by summation of the products of the aircraft miles flown on each inter-airport flight stage multiplied by the number of passengers carried on that flight stage. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Passenger Revenues | Revenues from the air transportation of passengers. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Revenue | Pertaining to activities for which remuneration is received by the carrier. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Scheduled Departure Time | The scheduled time that an aircraft should lift off from the origin airport. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Scheduled Time Of Arrival | The scheduled time that an aircraft should cross a certain point (landing or metering fix). ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Seat Mile | The aircraft miles flown in each inter-airport segment multiplied by the number of seats available on that segment for revenue passenger use. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Taxi-In Time | The time elapsed between wheels down and arrival at the destination airport gate. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Taxi-Out Time | The time elapsed between departure from the origin airport gate and wheels off. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data ) |
| Ton Mile | One ton (2,000 pounds) transported one statue mile. Ton-miles are computed by multiplying the aircraft miles flown on each inter-airport segment by the number of tons carried on that segment. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Unique Carrier | Unique Carrier Code. It is the Carrier Code most recently used by a carrier. A numeric suffix is used to distinguish duplicate codes, for example, PA, PA (1), PA (2). Use this field to perform analysis of data reported by one and only one carrier. ( Airline On-Time Performance Data, Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Aviation Support Tables ) |
| Unique Carrier Entity | Unique Carrier Entity. This field distinguishes entities used by two or more carriers with a numeric suffix, for example, 06038 and 06038 (1). ( Aviation Support Tables, Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data) ) |
| Unique Carrier Name | Unique Carrier Name. It is the name most recently used by a carrier. If two or more carriers have the same most recent name, a numeric suffix is used to distinguish them, for example, Air Caribbean, Air Caribbean (1). ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Aviation Support Tables ) |
| World Area Code (WAC) | Numeric codes used to identify geopolitical areas such as countries, states (U.S.), provinces (Canada), and territories or possessions of certain countries. The codes are used within the various data banks maintained by the Office of Airline Information (OAI) and are created by OAI. ( Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), Airline On-Time Performance Data, Aviation Support Tables ) |
