Why these airport codes?

[Guest flyendeavor]

Hi,I'm training to be a flight attendant here in a few days and I'm learning all these smaller city codes :) I usually know why the letters are arranged the way they do as they usually stand for the city the airport is in, county, etc. I am stumped on these ones...Wilkes Barre/Scranton, PA (AVP) Totally confused.Portland, ME (PWM) Assuming P is Portland and M is Maine. What is W?Columbia, SC (CAE) C for Columbia, A at the end of Columbia. E???White Plains, NY (HPN) No clue.Williamsport, PA (IPT) Assuming all letters in the city, but I wanted to make sure.Thanks.Zach Herin

[Wolfko 0]

AVP - this airport is loceted in Avioca. So AVP could mean AV(ioca)P(ennsylvania)PWM - definitely "Portland-Westbrook-Municipal"CAE - no ideaHPN - Harrison-Purchase-North Castle, 3 towns bordering the airport (but there is arguing about this)IPT - PT probably (williams)P(or)T - but I have no idea about the IWolfgang

[Guest flyendeavor]

Thanks Wolfgang, a definate help!Zach Herin

[GeorgeM 2]

...and Zack (if you do not already know), note that there are both ICAO and IATA codes and sometimes they differ for the same airport. What is listed on the pilot's flight plan and what appears on the passengers baggage tag may not be similar although the destination is the same.-GeorgeM at 5B6

[Guest flyendeavor]

Yes I do know that ;) Thank you though!Zach Herin

[Guest Matt Johnson]

Pretty rare for them to differ in the States though, I'd think... I know there are huge differences elsewhere though. LHR/EGLL anyone? :)--M

[Wolfko 0]

In the continental US the 4 letter ICAO code is just the 3 letter IATA code with a K put in front of it - e. g.JFK > KJFKLAX > KLAXSFO > KSFOIn Hawaii and Alaska a P is set in front (HNL > PHNL, ANC > PANC)For the rest of the world a different system appliesLHR > EGLLEGLL is decoded as followsE = Northern Europe (allways a major global region)G = Great Britain/UK (country)L = for London (a smaller region withing the country which is responsible for all airports within its borders - I'm not sure if it is an ATC centre, maybe someone can clarify this)L = London (the cityname, this can differ sometimes, if there is more than one airport within the city or to simplify things)Innsbruck/Austria (where I live :-) )INN > LOWIL = Southern EuropeO = Oesterreich (german for Austria)W = Wien (german for Vienna)I = InnsbruckOff couse there are exeptions as everywhere:Frankfurt/Main FRA > EDDFE = Northern EuropeD = Deutschland (german for Germany)DF = Frankfurt. The "D" stands again for Deutschland - in Germany also the 3rd letter is usually "D" (don't ask me why)AmsterdamAMS > EHAME = Northern EuropeH = HollandAM = AmsterdamI hope this explains the system a little bitThe codes for the global regions and all 4 letter airport codes can be find herehttp://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/06airfields/icao.htmWolfgang

[Guest Bob I]

MCO.... Named after an old Florida Cracker, (McCoy) that owned the land that McCoy Army Airfield was named after circa 1940.Layabout

[Guest flyendeavor]

Interesting about the European codes...I had an idea but thanks for the clarification!Zach Herin

[Guest P3_Super_Bee]

"In Hawaii and Alaska a P is set in front (HNL > PHNL, ANC > PANC)" Not always the case...Kahului Airport on MauiIATA: OGGICAO: PHOGHilo International on Hawaii(Big Island)IATA: ITOICAO: PHTOKona International at KeaholeIATA: KOAICAO: PHKO

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[Wolfko 0]

Ok, then I guess I was wrong.According to the link I posted further up the P stands for Northern Pacific/Eastern Pacific Rim. Then the 2nd letter for all airports in Alaska is an A - meaning A(laska) and the 2nd letter for all airports in Hawaii is an H, standing for H(awaii). So the Icao codes for Anchorage and Honolulu are only accidently their 3 letter IATA codes plus a P in front, besause their 3 letter codes accidently start with an A (ANC) re. an H (HNL).Wolfgang

[Guest Eek]

>MCO.... Named after an old Florida Cracker, (McCoy) that>owned the land that McCoy Army Airfield was named after circa>1940.Always wondered about MCO. But, I thought Crackers were from Georgia and Florida was full of Snowbirds (as well as another pest.. the mosquito). :-hah

[Guest Bob I]

Now pay attention Boy.... Georgia = Redneck, and Florida = Cracker, and as of late, Snowbirds. Cracker? comes from the noise made by the whips that the cattle drivers used to move the livestock along the trail to slaughter, many years ago. The things you learn on this web site... LOLRegards,Layabout... Been to Paris France, and the Big Chicken on North 41. I do love Peachtree St.