ALS

Asynchronous Line Serial

ATL

Authorised To Load

ATR

Automatic Tag Reader

AVI

Animal Vivant (live animal)

BHS

Baggage Handling System

BIDS

Baggage Information Display System

BPM

Baggage Processed Message

BRS

Baggage Reconciliation System

BSD

Baggage Status Display

BSM

Baggage Source Message

BSM(CHG)

BSM (Change)

BSM(DEL)

BSM (Delete)

BSM(L)

BSM for local, i.e. originating, baggage

BSM(T)

BSM for transfer baggage

BSM(X)

BSM for terminating baggage

BSS

Baggage Sortation System

(or Baggage Sorting System)

BTM

Baggage Transfer Message

BTP

Bag Tag Printer

BUM

Baggage Unload Message

CCTV

Closed Circuit Television

CUBES

Common Use Baggage Enterprise System

(A SITA product, now renamed.)

CUTE

Common Use Terminal Equipment

(Often mistakenly stated to mean Common User Terminal Equipment.)

DCS

Departure Control System

DCV

Destination Coded Vehicle

DFS

Dynamic Flight Sign

DGR

Dangerous Goods Regulations

(An IATA publication.)

EBS

Early Bag Store

E-Stop

Emergency Stop

(Used to refer either to the action itself or to the device for stopping the equipment in an emergency, namely a push-button, pull-chord, press-line, light curtain etc.)

FCM

Flight Close Message

FMM

Final Match Message

FOM

Flight Open Message

FSP

Flight Sign Panel

GSE

Ground Support Equipment

HSD

High Speed Diverter

LBC

Late Bag Chute

LDCS

Local DCS

LMC

Last Minute Change

MCL

Manual Coding Line

MCO

Manual Coding Operator

MCS

Manual Coding Station

MES

Manual Encoding Station

(Another term for MCS.)

MIS

Management Information System

O&M

Operation and Maintenance

OCS

Own Company Service

(Also known as ‘Co-mail’.)

OOG

Out Of Gauge

PBC

Problem Bag Chute

PEC

Photoelectric Cell

PLC

Programmable Logic Controller

PECTAB

Parametric Table

RFID

Radio Frequency Identification

SAC

Sort Allocation Computer

SCADA

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

SOOG

Super OOG

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

ULD

Unit Load Device

AT

Advanced Technology, or Advanced Technologies

(This term is used by the U.S. TSA to refer to HBS equipment that is not certified as EDS equipment by the TSA but is designed to detect explosives.)

BIR

Baggage Inspection Room

CASLO

Civil Aviation Security Liaison Officer (USA)

CT

Computed Tomography

DHS

Department of Homeland Security (USA)

EDS

Explosive Detection System

(In the USA this refers specifically only to equipment certified by the U.S. TSA. Uncertified HBS equipment is referred to as AT equipment by the TSA, not EDS. Outside the USA, the term EDS is often used when referring to AT equipment.)

ETD

Explosive Trace Detection

HBS

Hold Baggage Screening

100% HBS

Means that all departing baggage is screened

IED

Improvised Explosive Device

MUX

Multiplexer

OSR

On Screen Resolution

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

TSA

Transportation Security Administration

(An agency of the U.S. DHS.)

AAAE

American Association of Airport Executives

ACC

Airport Consultative Committee

(An IATA-led committee.)

ACI

Airports Council International

ADRM

Airport Development Reference Manual

(An IATA publication.)

AEP

Airport Emergency Plan

AHM

Airport Handling Manual

(An IATA manual specifying standards and recommended practices.)

AOC

Airline Operators Committee

AODB

Airport Operational Data Base

ATA

Actual Time of Arrival

(This is chocks-on, not touchdown.)

ATB

Automated Ticketing and Boarding

ATB2

ATB version 2

ATD

Actual Time of Departure

(This is chocks-off, not takeoff.)

BAA

Since BAA was privatised this no longer stands for British Airports Authority. The company is simply called “BAA plc”.

BAS

Building Automation System

(Also known as BMS.)

BMS

Building Management System

(Also known as BAS.)

BPP

Boarding Pass Printer

BPR

Boarding Pass Reader

CAA

Civil Aviation Authority

CIP

Commercially Important Passenger

(Business Class or First Class passenger)

CP

Contact Pier

CRT

Cathode Ray Tube

(A display monitor technology.)

CUSS

Common Use Self Service

ECAC

European Civil Aviation Conference

ETA

Estimated Time of Arrival

(This is chocks-on, not touchdown.)

ETD

Estimated Time of Departure

(This is chocks-off, not takeoff.)

FDS

Functional Design Specification

FIDS

Flight Information Display System

FIMS

Flight Information Management System

FIS

Flight Information System

FOC

Flight Operations Centre

GMS

Gate Management System

GPP

General Purpose Printer

IATA

International Air Transport Association

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organisation

IT

Information Technology

IWS

Intelligent Work Station (CUTE)

MPPA

Million Passengers Per Annum

MTB

Main Terminal Building

ORAT

Operational Readiness And Transfer

PAX

Passenger

PBB

Passenger Boarding Bridge

(Also known as PLB.)

PLB

Passenger Loading Bridge

(Also known as PBB.)

PSCRM

Passenger Services Conference Resolutions Manual

(An IATA manual specifying standards and recommended practices.)

SITA

Societé International de Télécommunications Aeronautiques

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

SSIM

Standard Schedules Information Manual

(An IATA manual specifying standards and recommended practices.)

STA

Scheduled Time of Arrival

(This is chocks-on, not touchdown.)

STD

Scheduled Time of Departure

(This is chocks-off, not takeoff.)

TFT

Twisted Film Technology

(A flat screen display monitor technology.)

TMO

Ten Miles Out

UPS

Uninterrupted Power Supply

UTC

Universal Time Coordinated

VDGS

Visual Docking Guidance System

VIP

Very Important Person

(Head of state, government minister, religious leader, etc.)

VTA

Visa de Transit Aéroportuaire

(Airport Transit Visa.)