|
A |
A&P
Airframe and powerplant. A&P technicians keep aircraft in safe
flying condition and are licensed by the FAA.
A-Scale
Pay scales for those hired before deregulation. Pay scales are higher
than those hired after deregulation.
Aft
The rear of an aircraft.
Air Traffic Control
The government employees directing takeoffs, landings, and flight
plans for all aircraft. |
|
B |
B-Scale
Pay scales for those hired after deregulation. Pay scales start
at a lower rate than A-scale and increase with seniority.
Bank
A group of aircraft waiting to land at the same airport at the same
time.
Base
The airport from which flight crews are assigned.
Belt Loader
The machine used to load and unload luggage from an aircraft.
Bidding
The process of requesting a flight schedule for flight attendants.
Requests are filled according to seniority.
Blackout
The seasonal period when special fares or employee discounts are
not honored for travel on airlines.
Boarding Pass
The coupon containing passenger and flight information which a passenger
must present in order to board a flight.
Block Hours
The time period from when an aircraft leaves the gate to its arrival
to the destination gate.
Buddy Pass
A discounted travel ticket for the friend of an employee. |
|
C |
Cabin
The interior of an aircraft where the passengers sit.
Cattle Call
A group interview process primarily used for hiring flight attendants.
Charter
A flight that has been contracted to fly from one city to another.
Chocks
A block of wood or rubber to stabilize the wheels when parking an
aircraft.
Cockpit
The forward section of the airplane where the pilots sit during
a flight. |
|
D |
Deadhead
A crew member flying as a passenger to reach an assignment in another
location.
De-icing
The process of spraying a glycol solution on the wings of an aircraft
to prevent the formation of ice during inclement weather conditions.
Deregulation
The 1978 lifting of government regulation of fares and route assignments.
Direct Flight
A flight from one destination to another with stops between but
no change of aircraft.
Domicile
The city where flight crews are based. |
|
F |
FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration is the government agency that
regulates the airline industry.
Flight Coupon
The part of an airline ticket that serves as the boarding pass.
Flight Hours
Same as block hours.
Fuselage
The main body of an aircraft. |
|
G |
Gate
The area where passengers board and deplane an aircraft. |
|
H |
Hub
A city that serves as a major intersection for connections to other
destinations. |
|
I |
Inbound
A flight coming into the airport.
Interline
The use of more than one airline for an itinerary.
J-line
A painted line to direct aircraft from the runway to the gates. |
|
J |
Jetway
The mobile walkway that connects the plane and the terminal used
to transport passengers. |
|
L |
Layover
An overnight stay for a flight crew member in a city other than
the home base city. |
|
M |
Marshalling
The process of using hand signals to direct an aircraft to park.
Maximum Take-off Weight
The maximum weight allowed for an aircraft to take off safely. |
|
N |
Nonstop
A flight from one destination to another without any stops between. |
|
O |
Offload
The process of unloading cargo and luggage from an aircraft.
Outbound
A flight going out of an airport. |
|
P |
Per Diem
A regulated daily allowance for crew members for time spent away
from the home base.
Plucker
The person that collects tickets at the gate.
Power Back
When the plane backs up under its own power.
Pushback
When the plane is pushed backwards by a ramp agent in a push tug
vehicle. |
|
R |
Ramp Stand
The portable stairs positioned at the door of the airplane for exiting
and entering of passengers.
Recruiter
The facilitator in a group interview session.
Reserve
Flight crew members who do not have regularly scheduled shifts,
but are still working on an on-call basis.
Runway
The strip on the airfield where airplanes takeoff and land. |
|
S |
Scheduled
Flights that are regularly scheduled and available to the general
public.
Standby
A passenger who does not have a confirmation on a flight and is
allowed to board only after the confirmed passengers have been seated. |
|
T |
Taxi
When an aircraft moves under its own power on the ground.
Tow Bar
The equipment used to push an aircraft away from the gate.
Tug
The vehicle used to pull carts of luggage and cargo.
Turn Time
The amount of time an aircraft has on the ground before it must
depart.
Turnaround
A flight that leaves and returns to the original city in the same
day. |
|
W |
Wide Body
An aircraft which has dual aisles.
Wing Walker
The term for a ramp agent who walks beside the aircraft to watch
for traffic. |
Airline Employment
Glossary