Aviation Standards

APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) is the data system and legal framework requiring airlines to transmit passenger passport and identity information to the border security authorities of the destination country prior to departure. It is governed by ICAO Doc 9944 and national legislation.

BCBP (Bar Coded Boarding Pass) is the IATA standard that defines the data format for barcoded boarding passes. Whether on paper or mobile device, it encodes passenger and flight data in a 2D barcode (PDF417 or Aztec) readable by gate scanners, SBD units and kiosk systems.

Juliet is the ICAO phonetic alphabet code word for the letter J. Spelled with a double-t (Juliett in ICAO documentation) to ensure non-English speakers stress the second syllable. Used in callsigns, registrations and any aviation radio communication requiring the letter J.

Kilo is the ICAO phonetic alphabet code word for the letter K. It is also the standard aviation unit prefix for thousands — kilofeet (altitude), kilograms (weight) — making K one of the most functionally versatile letters in aviation communications.

The ICAO Phonetic Alphabet is the standardised set of 26 code words — Alpha through Zulu — assigned to each letter of the Latin alphabet to ensure unambiguous voice communication over radio between pilots, controllers and ground personnel worldwide.

Quebec is the ICAO phonetic alphabet code word for the letter Q. In aviation, Q also appears as a prefix in the Q-code system — a set of three-letter codes (QNH, QFE, QNE) historically used in radio communications and still standard in altimeter settings and weather reports.

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is the IATA XML-based communication standard that enables airlines to distribute rich content — ancillaries, personalised offers, dynamic pricing — directly to travel agents and booking tools without routing through traditional GDS intermediaries.