US immigration stamps

[Gareth Blackstock]

I have just been to the USA, and I wondered why that when you clear immigration and your passport is stamped the code on the stamp is different to the airport code,

Tampa is TAM in the stamps where the airport code is TPA.
Miami is the same MIA on both.

Is there anyway of finding out the list of codes that immigration use?

Gaz

[Farrell]

Just call the "Department of Homeland Security" in America and ask them.

Make sure you speak clearly and give them your full address and telephone number.....

....then just sit back and wait for the doorbell to ring! :E

[FakePilot]

I've always wondered where the airport codes come from, for instance, is Luiz Munoz (Puerto Rico) SJU (VOR) or TJSJ (ICAO). How do these codes get picked? Why is BWI BWI (KBWI) and not BAL (VOR) then?
My head....

[411A]

Well, if you were old enough, you would realise that BWI, is Baltimore Washington International...BWI.

Simple really...:ok: :E :E

[Gareth Blackstock]

Can I ask why this has moved to the PAX & Self Loading Frieght section? I am asking a question here? and therefore it was suited to the Questions forum.

Gaz

[Jetdriver]

Of course you can ask Gareth, and here is the reply.

Immigration passport stamps and the codes contained therein are an issue related to passenger travel, in this case to the United states. Answers may be generated from other travellers and or aircrew. As a subject it seemed to originate as a Passenger travel related topic and although it may have a wider level of interest, this is probably the best forum to generate a response.

The questions forum ( if you read the sub text) is primarilly for questions that are directed to professional pilots and other aviation professionals. "Questions" is in a group of forums labelled "Flight Deck Forums" and it is targetted at that group, although it often has a wider interest base.

A common misconception is that a question on any subject is appropriate to that forum when in fact that is not necessarily the case. That is why your thread was moved here.

[lexxity]

I have just been to the USA, and I wondered why that when you clear immigration and your passport is stamped the code on the stamp is different to the airport code,

simple really, say you land at chicago o'hare it's 3 letter code is ORD, but for immigration purposes they use the city code CHI, it really is that simple, BTW it's 3 letter code is ORD because it used to be called chicage Orchard airport.

cheers
Lexxity :ok:

[DaveCSWLon]

simple really, say you land at chicago o'hare it's 3 letter code is ORD, but for immigration purposes they use the city code CHI, it really is that simple, BTW it's 3 letter code is ORD because it used to be called chicage Orchard airport.


But the stamp in my passport when entering at Newark is "NEW", and at JFK is "JFK".

I've always wondered about this too.

[Gareth Blackstock]

Thanks for the replies, and for the "moved" explanation Jetdriver.

Is there anyway of getting hold of a list of City Codes?

Gaz

[FakePilot]

Well, maybe some day when I grow up I'll understand how it is that airports get their codes. Until then, I'll just suppose it's something arbitary that adults do. And don't tell my Mommy I've been talking to strangers like 411A.:p

[Tinstaafl]

The codes used for aviation purposes ie ICAO aren't necessarily the same as the codes used for travel ie IATA, or commonly used abbreviations for a place.

ICAO uses a 4 letter code, IATA uses 3 letters. The first ICAO code letter is specific to a geographic region eg 'Y' for Australia, 'E' for parts of Europe, 'K' for the US. The remaining 3 letters must then be unique to that location. Bear in mind that there can be a number of airports serving a particular city, not all concerned with airline travel, but all must have a unique identifier - hence the large variety of ICAO codes.

IATA, on the other hand, is only concerned with airports used for airline travel. They tend/try to use a contraction of the city/town served by the airport (apart from historical anomalies such as Orlando International's 'MCO' taken from its original name of McCoy Field). IATA also has to allow for different terminals within a particular airport hence 'LHR' is Heathrow but 'LH1' is Heathrow's Terminal 1.

The US, by & large, manages to keep ICAO & IATA similar if they can. This gives the ICAO code of KMCO for Orlando Int'l, and the IATA code of MCO. It's made more difficult when all the navaids in an area must also be named. Can't use the same name for everything so some alterations/renaming is done to ensure they can be distinguished from each other.

The US does a better job of it than say, the UK. the UK makes no attempt to keep the two codes similar. For example Sumburgh is ICAO 'EGPB', IATA is 'SUM'.

Immigration has more than just aviation ports to name & code for. They have to include sea ports, land border crossings etc so they may desire or need additional or different codes again.

[nwaflygirl]

These websites should help you out:

www.airportcitycodes.com/aaa/

www.skygod.com/asstd/abc.html

[FakePilot]

Actually MCO stands for "Mickey Controls Orlando"

[Romeo Delta]

And ORD stands for "Our Richard Daley" (Mayor and former mayor of Chicago).

[seacue]

If you are really old you'll remember that BWI (Baltimore Washington International) used to be called Friendship Airport, presumably with the BAL identifier moved from Harbor Field which it replaced.

Harbor Field became the Dundalk Marine Terminal and is a major container ship and automobile importing port.

[Dog Driver]

I really hate the latest trend to rename navaids after local sports teams.
If you are not a local, good luck finding anything in a hurry. I can find a city by name but I could not care less about your college team. Example TLH (Tallahassee, Florida) was changed to SZW (Seminole, The College football team). Gainsville, Florida is now Gator ... same poop. Is there something wrong with just using the NAME of the CITY ?!? Now I have to check the weather channel and ESPN before I fly. Will future ATP tests include a section on basketball teams ?