EGNM etc…..

Actually I remembered it from my UK Airports and Airfields guide 🙂

Well done Saab……….but I bet you had to look it up!

Lasham is QLA I believe.

Here’s a challenge – I was at Lasham yesterday, who can tell me what the 3 letter code for Lasham is? I’ll put the answer later if no one gets it.

Then there is the total lack of letters that gives way to some strange ones like MCI for Orlando. In the USA you also can go into numbers because of the number of airports, however, this system is only used on airfields etc.

MCO for Orlando and i’l solve that one for ya! – it used to be McCOy Airbase (MCI is Kansis btw)

like teeside – MME stens from its RAF history as Middleton St George

Yep AGP it is.

why is the malaga code agp?

As mentioned the four digit registration for airports is done by the ICAO. However, the four letters mean the following:

Lets use as example LCLK (larnaca Airport) where I am familiar to it to assist us

the first code L designates the region where the airport is situated. ICAO separated the globe to different regions and allocated each with a one letter code. Cyprus is designated at L region.

the second code C stands for the country. C in this case is Cyprus

the third and fourth codes are designating the airport for example LK is Larnaca Airport

There is an ICAO Annex that lists all these codes plus it gives full information on the four letter code. I think its either Annex 4 or Annex 15. Perhaps anybody who knows more on this may enlight us further.

There is an interesting systems behind airport codes, let me explain. Many airport codes are simply the first three letters of the city name: MIA is Miami and SYD is Sydney. Then you can go down into multiple cities like DFW for Dallas Fort Worth etc. Sometimes the city name lends itself to one letter for each word, POS for Port of Spain.

There is also the name of the airport rather than the city served like JFK or CDG. Then there is the total lack of letters that gives way to some strange ones like MCI for Orlando. In the USA you also can go into numbers because of the number of airports, however, this system is only used on airfields etc.

Four letter codes are used by ATC and weather agencies as an indicator. They work from global to local with the first letter of the code is relating to the part of the world and the second letter the country. The third letter is a group of airports within that country and the fourth for the name. An example being L for Southern Europe (E for north), F for France, P for Paris and G for CDG, LFPG. Or how about Munich with E for Northern Europe, D for Deutchland, M for Munich flight information region and M again for the Munich airport, EDMM.

But that’s one exception and perhaps Astraeus were operating scheduled flights. Monarch or Air 2000 (one of the two, can’t remember) use DP for the scheduled flights that they operate.

i’m not sure but what u stated isn’t always true.. BY been the obvious example when it has the 3 letter code BAL – Astraeus had me puzzled yest when it came in on the 5W code – the sched flight to Malta

Another similar question regarding airline codes:

Why do scheduled carriers use 2 letter codes e.g. BA for British Airways, JM for Air Jamaica and UA for United airlines whereas charter carriers use MYT for MyTravel, TCX for Thomas Cook? (3 letters)

no probs Pembo

Cheers Preston 🙂

Hi Pembo,

the four letter codes are the ICAO codes used for flight planning and mapping, wheras the 3-letter codes are the ones usually seen by the pax as lare 3 letter ocdes on baggage – this is where we get the LBA, LHR, MAN, LGW etc from

Dan330
Newcastle = EGNT

All countries use the same system

for example some others are: –

KJFK, John F Kennedy,
LEPA, Plama de Mallorca,
LFPG, Paris CDG,
LPFR, Faro,
ESSA, Stockholm Arlanda

if you notice southern europe airfields usually start with an L, then and idividual country letter (e.g. spain is alway LE – LEPA Palma, LEMH Mahon, LEMG Malaga, LEIB Ibiza, LEGE Girona and El pPrat LEBL. In Spain the last 2 letters seem to correspond somehow to the airport name – LEMG, MG MalaGa, LEIB IBiza.

In the uk a differant system is used

e.g – Northern England
EGNM – Leeds,
EGNJ, Humberside,
EGNT, Newcastle
EGNV, Teeside
EGNX, East MIds – starting to notice a pattern – all EGN? N is the UK north designator.

The larger airports wjhen this system was introduced in the UK got double letters to show this

EGCC – Manchester,
EGLL – Heathrow,
EGSS – Stansted
EGKK – Gatwick,

Patterns the same in Scotland and NI

EGPF – Glasgow
EGPH Edinburgh
EGPD – Aberdeen

EGAA – Aldergrove
EGAC – Belfast City.

Hope its clearing this up for you a bit!

Don’t have an answer as to WHY they have two codes, but the second, four letter one is used as flight planning by pilots etc.

Can’t give you a full list but off the top of my head:

EGLL – LHR
EGKK – LGW
EGCC – MAN
EGBB – BHX
EGNX – EMA

Think
EGNN – NCL?
EGSS – STN?