IATA Delay Codes
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To determine why an aeroplane left late, IATA created a list of delay standardized codes. An aircraft on ground only costs money, and airlines tend to minimize ground time a maximum. Very often, airlines and ground handling have contracts based on a bonus-malus system, penalizing the handling agent for delays caused by his staff. Several groups of delay codes are qualified as station delays or airport delays. Therefore every minute delay costs somebody money.
As every airline has its own system, IATA standardized the format of transmission of delay information into these delay codes, which are used to find out who is responsible for the delay and who will be penalised.
Normally theses codes are used in movement messages sent by SITA Telex from the Departure Station to Destination.
Most airlines use the 2-digit numeric codes, but some prefer the alpha-numerical format.
Delay Codes starting with 0 Delay Codes starting with 0 are used for internal airline purposes. Every airline is free to use these codes and to determine particular application fields.
Anyhow, following codes are standard, even if some airlines do not use them: 06 No gate/stand availability due to own airline activity 09 Scheduled ground time less than declared minimum ground time
Delay Codes starting with 1 These Codes are used to describe delays caused by Passenger and Baggage handling.
11 Late Check-in, acceptance of passengers after deadline 12 Late Check-in, congestion in check-in area 13 Check-in error 14 Oversales, booking errors 15 Boarding, discrepancies and paging, missing checked-in passenger at gate 16 Commercial Publicity, Passenger Convenience, VIP, Press, Ground meals and missing personal items 17 Catering order, late or incorrect order given to supplier 18 Baggage processing, sorting, etc.
Delay Codes starting with 2 These Codes are used to describe delays caused by Cargo (21-26) and Mail Handling (27-29).
21 Documentation, errors, etc. 22 Late positioning 23 Late acceptance 24 Inadequate packing 25 Oversales, booking errors 26 Late preparation in warehouse 27 Mail Oversales, packing, etc. 28 Mail Late positioning 29 Mail Late acceptance
Delay Codes starting with 3 These Codes are used to describe delays caused by aircraft and ramp handling
31 Aircraft documentation late or inaccurate, weight and balance (Loadsheet), general declaration, passenger manifest, etc. 32 Loading, Unloading, bulky/special load, cabin load, lack of loading staff 33 Loading Equipment, lack of or breakdown, e.g. container pallet loader, lack of staff 34 Servicing Equipment, lack of or breakdown, lack of staff, e.g. steps 35 Aircraft Cleaning 36 Fuelling, Defuelling, fuel supplier 37 Catering, late delivery or loading 38 ULD, Containers, pallets, lack of or breakdown 39 Technical equipment, lack of or breakdown, lack of staff, e.g. push-back
Delay Codes starting with 4 These Codes are used to describe technical delay reasons
41 Aircraft defects 42 Scheduled maintenance, late release 43 Non-scheduled maintenance, special checks and / or additional works beyond normal maintenance 44 Spares and maintenance equipment, lack of or breakdown 45 AOG (Aircraft on ground for technical reasons) Spares, to be carried to another station 46 Aircraft change for technical reasons 47 Standby aircraft, lack of planned standby aircraft for technical reasons 48 Scheduled cabin configuration and version adjustments
Delay Codes starting with 5 These Codes are used to describe damage to aircraft and automated equipment failure.
51 Damage during flight operations, bird or lightning strike, turbulence, heavy or overweight landing 52 Damage during ground operations, collisions (other than during taxiing, loading/offloading damage, contamination, towing, extreme weather conditions
55 Departure Control System, Check-in, weight and balance (loadcontrol), computer system error, baggage sorting, gate-reader error or problems 56 Cargo preparation/documentation system 57 Flight plans 58 Other computer systems
Delay Codes starting with 6 These Codes are assigned to Operations and Crew caused delays
61 Flight plan, late completion or change of flight documentation 62 Operational requirements, fuel, load alteration 63 Late crew boarding or departure procedures 64 Flight deck crew shortage, Crew rest 65 Flight deck crew special request or error 66 Late cabin crew boarding or departure procedures 67 Cabin crew shortage 68 Cabin crew error or special request 69 Captain request for security check, extraordinary
Delay Codes starting with 7 These Codes explain weather caused delays.
71 Departure station 72 Destination station 73 En-route or Alternate 75 De-Icing of aircraft, removal of ice/snow, frost prevention 76 Removal of snow/ice/water/sand from airport/runway 77 Ground handling impaired by adverse weather conditions
Delay Codes starting with 8 These Codes are used for Air Traffic Control (ATC) Restrictions (81-84) and Airport or Governemental Authorities caused delays.
81 ATC restriction en-route or capacity 82 ATC restriction due staff shortage or equipment failure en-route 83 ATC restriction at destination 84 ATC restrictin due weather at destination
85 Mandatory security 86 Immigration, Customs, Health 87 Airport Facilities, parking stands, ramp congestion, buildings, gate limitations, ... 88 Restrictions at airport of destination, airport/runway closed due obstruction, industrial action, staff shortage, political unrest, noise abatment, night curfew, special flights, ... 89 Restrictions at airport of departure, airport/runway closed due obstruction, industrial action, staff shortage, political unrest, noise abatment, night curfew, special flights, start-up and pushback, ...
Delay Codes starting with 9 Codes uses for reactionary reasons or Miscellaneous.
91 Passenger or Load Connection, awaiting load or passengers from another flight. Protection of stranded passengers onto a new flight. 92 Through Check-in error 93 Aircraft roation 94 Cabin crew rotation 95 Crew rotation (entire or cockpit crew) 96 Operations control, rerouting, diversion, consolidation, aircraft change for reasons other than technical 97 Industrial action within own airline 98 Industrial action outside own airline 99 Miscellaneous, not elsewhere specified
