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A.CRS.
1. Availability; will display flights with seats available. 2. An arunk
(qv) or surface segment of a trip. 3. American plan (qv). 4. Code for a
class of service, usually superior.
a la carte.
Fr. Literally, "from the menu." Indicates that each dish
ordered will have a separate price. Also, used in tour literature to
indicate a choice of dishes will be available.
AA.
1. American Airlines. 2. Alcoholics Anonymous.
AAA. American
Automobile Association.
AAAE.
American Association of Airport Executives.
AAD.
CRS. Agent automated deduction. AAR. Association of American Railroads.
AARP. American Association of Retired Persons.
AATTA.
African-American Travel and Tourism Association.
ABA.
American Bus Association.
abaft. adj. On a
ship, behind. For example, "abaft the bridge."
ABC.
1. CRS. Advanced booking charters. 2. Slang. The islands of the
Netherlands Antilles -- Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
abeam.
Off to the side of a ship or at right angles to its length.
above board.
On a cruise ship, cabins above water level.
ABTA.
Association of British Travel Agents.
AC.
1. Abr. Alternating current. 2. CRS. Access card.
ACAP. Aviation
Consumer Action Project.
a/c.
Abr. 1. Air conditioned. 2. Additional collection.
acceleration
clause. A provision in a promissory note
(qv) calling for the immediate payment of the balance in the event of a
default (qv) by the borrower.
access code.
Password to gain entry into a computer or a computer file.
ACCL.
American Canadian Caribbean Line.
accommodation.
Any seat, berth, room, or service sold to a passenger.
accommodation
ladder. A portable, external ladder on
the side of a ship, used for shore or tender (qv) access.
accountable
document. Any piece of paper that, when
validated by a travel agency, has a monetary value and which must be
accounted for to the ARC (qv).
accountable manual
documents. Blank ARC (qv) ticket stock used to hand-write tickets.
accreditation.
Approval given by various trade associations to a travel agency allowing
the sale of tickets and other accommodations.
accrual method.
An accounting system in which the recording of income and expenses is
adjusted to reflect the time periods to which they apply, as opposed to
the time monies were received or disbursed. See also cash method.
ACI.
Assist Card International.
ACI-NA.
Airports Council International, North America.
ACK.
CRS. Acknowledge.
ACON.
CRS. Air conditioned.
ACRA.
American Car Rental Association.
acrophobia.
Fear of heights.
act of God. A
meteorological or seismic event over which a travel provider has no
control and, hence, no legal responsibility. See also, force majeure.
ACTA.
Alliance of Canadian Travel Associations.
ACTE.
Association of Corporate Travel Executives.
actual flying
time. Total time spent in the air, as
opposed to scheduled flight time or time spent waiting on the ground.
ACV.
Abr. Air cushioned vehicle. Hovercraft (qv).
AD.
1. CRS. Agent's discount. When followed by a number, indicates the
percentage amount of the discount. For example: AD75 indicates a
discount to travel agents of 75% off unrestricted coach fares. 2. Abr.
Lat. Anno Domini, "year of our Lord."
ADA room. A hotel
room that complies with the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
ad hoc.
Lat. Of tours, put together on a customized or one-time basis, usually
from existing options.
ADB.
CRS. 1. Advise if duplicate booking. 2. Air discount bulletin.
add/coll.
Abr. Additional collection. add-on fare. Amount added to a gateway fare
(qv) to arrive at a through fare (qv). Sometimes called a proportional
fare.
add-on(s).
Anything optional purchased by a passenger, as in tour arrangements.
adiabatic rate.
Rule of thumb which holds that temperature decreases as altitude
increases (3.5ˇF per 1,000 ft.).
adjoining rooms.
Hotel rooms which, while next to each other, have no connecting doors.
See also connecting rooms.
ADNO.
CRS. Advise if not okay.
ADOA.
CRS. Advise on arrival.
ADR.
CRS. Average daily rate.
ADT.
Abr. Atlantic Daylight Time; Alaska Daylight Time.
ADTK.
CRS. Advise if ticketed.
aduane.
Fr. Customs.
ADV.
CRS. Advise.
advertised tour.
Specifically, a travel package meeting the airline requirements needed
to be assigned an IT (inclusive tour) number.
advance purchase rate.
Price for a product or service purchased or guaranteed a specified
number of days prior to arrival or use.
ADVN. CRS.
Advise as to names.
ADVR. CRS.
Advise as to rate.
aerospace.
Concerning the earth's atmosphere and its immediate environs, as in
"Aerospace Museum."
AF. CRS.
Added phone.
AFA.
Association of Flight Attendants.
affinity card.
A credit card marketed by a company, charity, or other group in
association with the credit card company.
affinity charter.
A charter (of an airplane, ship, etc.) arranged by or for an affinity
group.
affinity group.
A group of people linked by a common bond, such as ethnicity or
membership in an organization.
affinity group
airfare. A fare set aside specifically
for affinity groups.
AFT.
CRS. Actual flying time (qv).
aft.
Toward the rear of a ship.
agency.
1. A legal relationship in which one person acts for another in a
business dealing with a third party. 2. A travel agency.
Agency Agreement,
The. The contract used by IATAN (qv) to
govern its dealings with travel agencies.
agency check.
A check drawn on the business account of a travel agency and bearing the
agency's name.
agency list. The
list maintained by ARC (qv) and IATAN (qv) of appointed travel agencies.
agency manager.
The person in a travel agency who holds appointment from ARC (qv), IATA
(qv), etc. The person who runs an agency's day-to-day affairs.
agent.
1. A person who represents another to a third party. 2. A travel agent.
agent bypass.
The practice of suppliers dealing directly with the public See also
agentless booking.
agent eligibility
list. A list prepared by the travel
agency and submitted to ARC (qv) or IATAN (qv) of agency employees
eligible for travel benefits. Also referred to as "the ARC
list."
Agent Reporting
Agreement, The. The contract used by ARC
(qv) to govern its dealings with travel agencies.
agent sine.
CRS. An agent's two-letter personal identification code.
agentless
booking. A booking made by a consumer
using an automated system and bypassing a travel agent.
agoraphobia.
Fear of open spaces or public places.
AGT.
CRS. Agent. ahead. In front of the ship's bow.
AHMA.
American Hotel and Motel Association.
air courier.
A person who accompanies time-sensitive cargo being shipped as
passengers' baggage, usually in exchange for a deep discount on the air
fare.
air mile. A
unit of distance measuring approximately 6,076 feet.
air piracy. The
forcible appropriation or hijacking of an aircraft.
air rage. A
phenomenon in which airline passengers become unruly or violent toward
crew members or fellow travelers.
air taxi.
An aircraft with a limited seating capacity (19 or fewer), operating
within a limited range (250 miles).
air traffic controller.
Person in the control tower of an airport charged with monitoring and
directing the takeoff and landing of planes.
Air Travel Card.
An airline-sponsored credit card, good for airline tickets only. Also
known as the Universal Air Travel Plan Card.
air walls.
Moveable panels used to subdivide a larger area, such as a hotel
ballroom, into smaller rooms.
airdrome.
Airport, now generally obsolete.
AIRIMP.
CRS. ARC/IATAN reservations interline message procedures/passenger.
airline appointed
agency. A U.S. travel agency that holds airline ticket stock or has
e-ticketing capabilities.
airline codes.
Specifically, the unique two- or three-digit indicators that identify
specific airlines in CRS systems. More loosely, all such unique
indicators, including those that identify airports.
airline
designator. Two- or three-digit
alphanumeric code for an air carrier, administered by IATA (qv).
airline plate.
A metal plate given to travel agencies by airlines for the purpose of
imprinting and thereby validating tickets. See also plates.
Airlines
Reporting Corporation (ARC). An
autonomous corporation created by the domestic airlines. Appoints travel
agencies to sell airline tickets and oversees the financial details of
tracking payments to airlines and the disbursement of commissions to
travel agencies.
airport access
fee. The fee paid to an airport
management by a car rental company for the privilege of operating its
vans and buses on the airport grounds, usually passed on to the
consumer.
airport codes. Three-letter
codes used to uniquely identify all airports.
airport tax. A
local tax imposed on air tickets and passed along to passengers,
ostensibly used to fund airport maintenance, expansion, and similar
expenditures.
airport transfer.
Transportation provided by a tour
operator to a passenger to/from an airport, usually to/from a hotel.
air/sea. Trips,
tickets, or fares that include both air and sea components, as in a
cruise package.
airsickness.
Nausea or other discomfort caused by the motion of an aircraft.
airway. See jetway.
airworthy. Capable
of being flown. Safe, of an aircraft.
aka.
Abr. Also known as.
alcove.
A small section of a room, indented into the wall or otherwise set
apart.
alfresco. It. In
the open air, as in alfresco dining.
all inclusive.
One price covers all listed elements of the package.
alleyway.
A corridor or passage on a ship.
alliance fare. A
round-the-world fare offered by a group of airlines (an
"alliance"). See also construction fare.
all-in.
Slang. All inclusive, as a tour.
allotment. The
number of seats, cabins, berths, etc. available for sale by a supplier
or agent.
all-suite. Adj.
Describing a hotel in which all rooms have a separate living room and/or
kitchen facilities.
all-terrain
vehicle. A one- or two-person motorized
vehicle with large wheels designed for recreational use on uneven ground
or sand.
aloha.
The Hawaiian word for both "hello" and "good-bye."
alongside.
Describing a ship when next to a pier or another vessel.
ALPA.
Airline Pilots Association. alphanumeric. Composed of both letters and
numbers, as in a record locator number (qv).
alternate distribution
system. Any system that
bypasses travel agencies in selling travel arrangements. Usually used to
refer to the distribution of tickets through personal computers and
ETDNs (qv).
alternate restaurant.
On a cruise ship, a restaurant at which the passenger must pay either
the full cost of the meal or a service charge, as opposed to those
dining rooms whose meals are included in the price of the cruise.
altiport.
An airport or airstrip in a high, mountainous region.
altitude.
Height above sea level.
alumni rates. Fares
reserved for passenger who have previously sailed with a cruise line.
a.m.
Abr. Lat. Ante meridian. Morning; between midnight and noon.
Amadeus¨ .
A computerized reservations system (qv).
ambassador.
The highest ranking diplomatic representative of one country to the
government of another. The executive in charge of an embassy, typically
located in the capitol city.
ambiance. n. The
overall look and feel of a restaurant, hotel, destination, or the mood
or atmosphere it creates.
amenities. The
facilities and features of a property, usually a hotel.
American plan.
A meal plan at a hotel or resort in which three meals a day are included
in the price. Sometimes referred to as Full American Plan.
AMEX, AMEXCO.
American Express.
amidships. Toward
the middle of a ship; the imaginary line that runs down the center of a
ship.
amphibious.
Capable of operating on land as well as sea.
Amtrak.
Trade name of the U. S. National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
amusement park.
A recreational attraction featuring mechanical rides and other forms of
active entertainment. See also theme park.
AN.
CRS. Added name.
anchor ball.
A black ball hoisted over a ship's bow to indicate that it is anchored.
antebellum.
Built or in existence prior to the American Civil War. Used primarily to
describe historic buildings.
antipodean day.
The day gained by crossing the International Date Line (qv). Also,
called meridian day.
AP.
Abr. American plan (qv).
apartheid.
The former racist policy of South Africa, mandating the rigid separation
of peoples by race.
APEX. CRS.
Advance purchase excursion fare.
APHIS.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Apollo.
A computerized reservation system owned by United Airlines and the Covia
Corp.
appointment.
The process whereby an air carrier or other supplier certifies a travel
agency to act as its agent.
apres-ski.
Fr. Any activity that is scheduled after skiing.
APT. CRS.
Airline passenger tariff.
aqueduct.
A bridge-like structure, usually raised, designed to carry water or a
canal.
arbiter, travel
agent. An individual selected by a
committee representing travel agents and air carriers and charged with
the responsibility of settling disputes between travel agents and ARC (qv)
and enforcing terms of the Agent Reporting Agreement (qv).
arbitrary fare.
See add-on fare.
arbitration.
A method of dispute resolution intended to avoid the high costs of legal
action, typically conducted under rules established by the American
Arbitration Association.
arbitration
clause. A provision in a contract
requiring any disputes between the parties involved to be submitted to
arbitration, typically under rules established by the American
Arbitration Association.
ARC. Airlines
Reporting Corporation (qv).
ARC list.
A list prepared by a travel agency and submitted to ARC (qv) or IATAN (qv)
of agency employees eligible for travel benefits. Also referred to as
"the agent eligibility list."
archipelago.
A string of islands.
architectural
bias. The tendency of a CRS (qv) to make
it easier to find and book the flights of its sponsor by virtue of the
way the system is designed.
archive.
1. v. To store in computerized form, as travel records. 2. n. A
repository for documents or records. area bank. See Area Settlement
Plan.
Area Settlement
Plan. System administered by ARC on a
regional basis to handle the processing of airline tickets, payments,
and the disbursement of commissions to travel agencies. Also referred to
as a Bank Settlement Plan.
ARINC. An
airline-owned corporation providing communications and other services to
the airline industry. Originally called Aeronautical Radio, Inc.
ARNK.
CRS. (Pronounced "arunk.") Arrival unknown. Used to indicate
the land portion of an air itinerary. ARR. CRS. Arrival.
ARTA.
Association of Retail Travel Agents.
articles of
incorporation. The formal legal
description of a business' activities required for registration by the
state.
arunk.
Pronunciation of the acronym, ARNK (qv).
AS. CRS.
Added segment.
ASAP.
Abr. As soon as possible.
ASC. CRS.
Advising schedule change.
ASP.
Abr. Area Settlement Plan.
asset. Any
property, real (i.e. real estate), personal, or intellectual (e.g. a
trademark or copyright), which has a cash value.
AST.
Abr. 1. Atlantic Standard Time (qv). 2. Alaska Standard Time.
ASTA.
American Society of Travel Agents.
ASTAPAC.
ASTA Political Action Committee.
astern. Toward
the back of a ship.
asylum.
See political asylum.
AT. CRS.
Travel to be via the Atlantic Ocean.
ATA.
Air Transport Association.
ATB.
Abr. Automated ticket/boarding pass. An electronically generated ticket
which also includes the boarding pass.
ATC. Air
Traffic Conference of America, the predecessor to ARC.
ATFDS.
Abr. Automated ticket and fare determination system.
athwart. adj. At
right angles to a ship's keel.
Atlantic Standard
Time. A Canadian time zone. Also called
Provincial Standard Time.
ATM. Automated
teller machine.
ATME.
Association of Travel Marketing Executives.
ATO.
Abr. Airport ticket office.
atoll. A
ring-shaped tropical island or coral reef with a lagoon in the middle.
ATP.
Airline Tariff Publishing Company.
atrium.
A large open space in a building, usually topped by a glass roof,
sometimes containing elaborate landscaping and ponds. A popular style of
hotel lobby.
ATV. Abr.
All-terrain vehicle (qv).
ATW.
Around the world.
au pair. Fr.
A young person, usually foreign, hired to provide child care and
household help in exchange for room, board, a modest salary, and a
chance to learn a new language.
audit.
1. v. To examine financial or performance records. 2. n. Any such
examination.
auditorium style.
In a meeting, a configuration in which seats are arranged in rows,
facing front, as in a theat
aurora australis.
"The Southern Lights." A colorful geomagnetic and electric
display visible near the South Pole.
aurora borealis.
"The Northern Lights." The Northern hemisphere's equivalent of
the aurora australis.
Australasia.
The region including Australia, New Zealand, and the major South Pacific
islands.
auto drop PNR. A
passenger name record (PNR) that has been flagged for automatic queuing
on a CRS.
Autobahn.
A network of high-speed superhighways in Germany and other European
countries.
automated
reservation system. Computerized
reservation system (qv).
avail.
Slang. Availability.
availability. The
current inventory of seats, rooms, cabins, etc that can be sold or
reserved.
available rooms.
In a hotel, the number of rooms actually available for use on a given
day, eliminating rooms not available due to damage, repairs, and so
forth.
available seat
miles. One seat, occupied or not, moved
one mile. Used as a measure of airline capacity.
average daily
rate. Statistical unit used to measure a
hotel's pricing scale. Figure derived by dividing actual daily revenue
by the total number of available rooms (qv).
Aviation Trust
Fund. A federal reserve of tax monies
levied on airline tickets and operations and set aside to improve the
U.S. air transportation system.
AVIH. CRS.
Animal in hold.
AVS. CRS.
Availability status messages.
AWOL.
Abr. Absent without leave. Pronounced both as individual letters and as
an acronym. Term used to indicate the unauthorized absence of a crew
member, as on a cruise ship.
AX.
CRS. American Express.
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