OST_R | BTS | Transtats

Terms and Definitions

Air Traffic Liabilities

The value of transportation sold but not used or refunded; i.e., (1) liabilities to passengers, or (2) liabilities to others. These include payables to other airlines for portions of interairline passenger trips - amounts the ticketing carrier owes the performing carrier. Also included are amounts the ticketing carrier owes to passengers prior to flights - which remain unearned revenue until air transportation is provided.

Aircraft And Traffic Servicing Expenses

Compensation of ground personnel, in-flight expenses for handling and protecting all non-passenger traffic including passenger baggage, and other expenses incurred on the ground to (1) protect and control the in-flight movement of the aircraft, (2) schedule and prepare aircraft operational crew for flight assignment, (3) handle and service aircraft while in line operation, and (4) service and handle traffic on the ground after issuance of documents establishing the air carrier's responsibility to provide air transportation.

Aircraft Operating Expenses

Expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft.

Airline ID

An identification number assigned by US DOT to identify a unique airline (carrier). A unique airline (carrier) is defined as one holding and reporting under the same DOT certificate regardless of its Code, Name, or holding company/corporation. Use this field for analysis across a range of years.

Carrier Code

Code assigned by IATA and commonly used to identify a carrier. As the same code may have been assigned to different carriers over time, the code is not always unique.

Certificate Of Public Convenience And Necessity

A certificate issued to an air carrier under 49 U.S.C. 41102, by the Department of Transportation authorizing the carrier to engage in air transportation.

Commercial Operator

A person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage by aircraft in air commerce of persons or property, other than as an air carrier or foreign air carrier or under the authority of 14CFR375. Where it is doubtful that an operation is for compensation or hire, the test applied is whether the carriage by air is merely incidental to the person's other business or is, in itself, a major enterprise for profit.

Flight Equipment

All types of property and equipment used in the in-flight operation of aircraft.

Flying Operations Expenses

Expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft and expenses related to the holding of aircraft and aircraft operational personnel in readiness for assignment for an in-flight status.

Form 41 Financial Statistics

The statistics collected on the financial forms submitted monthly, quarterly, semiannually, and annually to BTS by each large certificated air carrier subject to the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. The four classes of financial and operating statistics collected on individual schedules of the Form 41 Report are grouped as follows: (A) Certification, (B) Balance Sheet Elements, (P) Profit and Loss Elements, and (T) Traffic and Capacity Elements.

Form 41 Report

The schedule of forms submitted monthly, quarterly, semiannually, and annually to BTS by each large certificated air carrier subject to the Federal Aviation Act of 1958.

Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE)

The number of full-time equivalent employees equals the number of employees on full-time schedules plus the number of employees on part-time schedules converted to a full-time basis. Two part-time employees are counted as one full-time employee. An airline's number of full-time equivalent employees will be less than the number of its total employees unless it has no part-time employees.

Large Certificated Air Carrier

An air carrier holding a certificate issued under 49 U.S.C.41102, as amended, that: (1) Operates aircraft designed to have a maximum passenger capacity of more than 60 seats or a maximum payload capacity of more than 18,000 pounds; or (2) conducts operations where one or both terminals of a flight stage are outside the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (same as Large Certified U.S. Air Carriers)

Large Certified U.S. Air Carriers

An air carrier holding a certificate issued under 49 U.S.C.41102, as amended, that: (1) Operates aircraft designed to have a maximum passenger capacity of more than 60 seats or a maximum payload capacity of more than 18,000 pounds; or (2) conducts operations where one or both terminals of a flight stage are outside the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (same as Large Certificated Air Carrier)

Maintenance Expense

All expenses, both direct and indirect, specifically identifiable with the repair and upkeep of property and equipment.

Non-Scheduled Service

Revenue flights, such as charter flights, that are not operated in regular scheduled service.

Nonoperating Income And Expense

Interest income and expense, unusual foreign exchange gains or losses, and capital gains or losses in disposition of property and equipment.

Operating Expenses

Expenses incurred in the performance of air transportation, based on overall operating revenues and overall operating expenses. Does not include nonoperating income and expenses, nonrecurring items, or income tax.

Operating Revenues

Revenues from the performance of air transportation and related incidental services. Includes (1) transport revenue from the carriage of all classes of traffic in scheduled and nonscheduled services, and (2) nontransport revenues consisting of Federal subsidy (where applicable) and revenues for services related to air transportation.

Other Transport-Related Revenue

Revenues from services such as in-flight sales, rentals and sales or services, supplies and parts.

Passenger Service Expenses

Cost of activities contributing to the comfort, safety, and convenience of passengers while in flight or when flights are interrupted. Includes salaries and expenses of flight attendants and passenger food expenses.

Promotion And Sales Expenses

Cost incurred in promoting the use of air transportation generally and creating a public preference for the services of particular air carriers. Includes the functions of selling, advertising, and publicity, space reservations, and developing tarrifs and flight schedules for publication.

Scheduled Service

Transport service operated persuant to published flight schedules, including extra sections and related nonrevenue flights.

Traffic Related Expenses

Expenses incurred due to traffic solicitor salaries, traffic commissions, passenger food expense, traffic liability insurance, advertising and other promotion and publicity expenses, and the fringe benefit expenses related to all salaries in this classification.

Transport-Related Expenses

All expense items applicable to the generation of transport-related revenues.

Transport-Related Revenues

Revenues from the transportation by air of all classes of traffic in scheduled and nonscheduled service.

Unique Carrier

Unique Carrier Code. It is the Carrier Code most recently used by a carrier. A numeric suffix is used to distinguish duplicate codes, for example, PA, PA (1), PA (2). Use this field to perform analysis of data reported by one and only one carrier.

Unique Carrier Entity

Unique Carrier Entity. This field distinguishes entities used by two or more carriers with a numeric suffix, for example, 06038 and 06038 (1).

Unique Carrier Name

Unique Carrier Name. It is the name most recently used by a carrier. If two or more carriers have the same most recent name, a numeric suffix is used to distinguish them, for example, Air Caribbean, Air Caribbean (1).

USA Banner

Site Notification

Site Notification