Glossary 

The airport A to Z
 

Air Side
Departures and luggage reclaim area of the airport including taxiways and aprons for aircraft.

Booking
Booking of passengers and goods for air transport.

Catering
Meals and food and beverage generally served on-board the aircraft.

Centring
Balancing of the aircraft on the basis of the weight of: passengers, freight, mail, baggage and fuel.

DCA - Management of Airport District 

The authority that has jurisdiction over Fiumicino and Ciampino airports. 

ENAC - National Civil Civiation Authority

Regulator of air transport in Italy, including preliminary activities for the complete management of airports.

ENAV - National Flight Assistance Authority

ENAV is the authority responsible for civil air traffic control during take-off, approach and landing of aircraft.

Boarding bridge

Covered boarding bridge for passengers.

Endorsement

Authorization issued by the airline you fly with to use, for the same leg of journey, a different airline.

Finger

Gangway (end of the boarding bridge).

Gate

Boarding gate

Handling

All airport assistance activities and services on the ground.

IATA

International association of airlines that supports airline operations. Brings together most of the airlines.

ICAO

International organization that ensures consistency in the regulations and provisions relating to civil aviation.

Land Side

Area of the airport before security and passport control when departing and after baggage reclaim and customs when arriving, not subject to limitations of transit.

Lost luggage

Office at the airport responsible for locating and returning lost luggage.

Must go

Crew not in service with the right to absolute priority.

No show

Passenger who booked but did not turn up for departure.

Overbooking

A flight is overbooked when it has more passengers booked than places available.

In accordance with the Charter of Passenger Rights a traveller in possession of a valid ticket who does not depart due to overbooking has the right to a refund without penalties of the full cost of the ticket for the part of the trip not undertaken, or to an alternative suitable flight to the final destination.

Parking stand

Aircraft park.

Ramp

Generic term for places and resources for aircraft assistance.

Refuelling stop

Stopover of an aircraft for technical reasons, without embarking and disembarking of passengers.

Slot

Time slot an aircraft has available for take-off. It lasts fifteen minutes.

Split-flap display

Video terminals for the display of flight information.

Transfer bus

Vehicle used to transport passengers to and from the aircraft.

Visual docking guidance system

Instrument that enables the guiding of the aircraft in the parking stand, without the aid of a marshaller.

Zulu time

GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), universal time used in air transport.

ICAO alphabet