The airline reservation systems computer language was orginally written in 6-bit ALC (airline code). As travel agents, we had to know long and complicated entries to even access availability. One of the limitations of 6-bit code was there were only 64 character that could be used. Because of this, three letter city codes were given to airports around the world. Some of these were easy to remember - FLL for Fort Lauderdale, MIA for Miami, SFO for San Francisco, SEA for Seattle. But, what about BNA, MSY, TYS, LGA, JFK, DCA, ORD, MDW, CDG, LHR, or FCO??? These are the city codes for Nashville, New Orleans, Knoxville, New York La Guardia, New York Kennedy, Washington Reagan, Chicago O'Hare, Chicago Midway, Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Rome. We had to go to airline reservation schools for a week at a time, and learn these city codes as well as a myriad of other codes in order to make or access reservations.
Now, anyone can book an airline or hotel room on-line by point and click. However, before you jump into this, there are some travel speak terms you need to know.
Non-stop Flights - Just as this implies, you get on a plane in one city and without stopping anywhere, you get off at your destination.
Direct Flights - These originate in your home city, land at some point without your getting off the plane, deplane some passengers, pick up additional ones, and eventually get you to your destination. Think train travel only less time in getting where you want to go. You stay on your originating plane and don't get off until you reach where you are going.
Connecting Flights - You are planning a trip from Nashville to Los Angeles. You originate in your home city, for instance BNA (Nashville), get off the plane in LAS (Las Vegas), go to a different gate and board another plane for LAX (Los Angeles).
Single/Double/Triple/Quad - This denotes the occupancy of the room - 1 person, 2 people, 3 people or 4 people in the same room. Some hotels charge one rate regardless the number of people you have in the room. A room that would sell for $210 per night would equate to single occupancy ($210 per person per night), double occupancy ($105 per person per night), triple occupancy ($70 per person per night), and quad occupancy ($42 per person per night). Cruise lines also use the same formula for single and double occupancy cabins. On cruises you pay not by the night, but for the duration of the cruise.
Twin Rooms - These are rooms that have two twin beds in them and can only accommodate two people. It's unusual to find these in the U.S. They are more common in Europe and other parts of the world.
Double/Double Rooms - These rooms have two double or queen-size beds in them. They can accommodate up to four people.
Bow or Forward - This is the "pointy end" of the ship. As "forward" implies, it is the front of the ship.
Stern or Aft - Obviously if "forward" is the front of the ship, then "aft" or the stern must mean the back of the ship.
Port and Starboard - These terms denote which side of the ship you are on if you are facing forward. Easy way to remember - port and left have four letters in them. If the port side is the left side of the ship, then the starboard side is the right side.
Boat/Ship - Another easy way to distinguish the difference - there are lifeboats on ships. There are no lifeships on boats. So if your vessel has lifeboats, she is a ship. And, a word of caution, don't talk with a crew member on a ship and refer to the vessel as a boat.
There are hundreds of other terms that we use daily in the travel industry. So, before you jump off the deep end and try to be your own travel agent, consult one of us who can understand "travel speak". Just remember - without a travel agent, you're on your own.
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