GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS) 1

Chapter 1

Encoding & Decoding

GDS – Amadeus

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IATA has developed unique codes for each recognized city, country, state, airline, airport, aircraft type for
quick, smooth and efficient working of Airline Industry. These codes remain irrespective of whichever
reservation system you use. These codes developed by IATA remain same for entire Airline Industry.

Many cities have same name but are located in different countries. Many cities have more than one
Airport. Hence each city has its unique code and each airport has its unique code.

IATA has assigned unique 2 letter codes to countries and 3 letter codes to Cities/Airports.

It is nearly next to impossible to remember all the codes. Hence with commands you can Encode and
Decode city, country, airport, airline, state very easily within fraction of seconds.

Encode – Means to convert NAME to CODE

Decode – Means to convert CODE to NAME

FR
France
Encode
Delhi DEL

Paris PAR
Decode
Berlin BER

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Encoding City and Airport Names

To display three letter codes for City and Airport Names, command is

DAN City Name/Airport Name

For Example :

DANParis
PAR : Code of Paris
System Response:
C:City

Distance of Airport from City Country Code

Explanation of System Response :

Code Explanation

A:APT Airport

B:BUS Bus Station

C:CITY City

G:GRD Ground Transportation

H:HELI Heliport

O:OFF-PT City has IATA Code that is not an Airport

R:RAIL Railway Station

S: Assoc Town Airport Code associated to city

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Decoding City and Airport Names

To display name of three letter city or airport code, command is

DAC City Name/Airport Name

For Example :

DACHYD India - Telengana

System Response

City and City Name against Code Distance of Airport from City

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Decoding and Encoding Country Name

To display two letter code of country from name or to display country name from two letter code
,command is

DC Country Name

Example :

DC Singapore

Or

DC SG

Explanation of response received by Amadeus System

Component Explanation

SG Country Code

Singapore/SE/ASIA Country Name/Sub Area and Location

TC3 IATA Traffic Conference Area

SGD Singapore Dlr Singapore Dollar Currency

Local/Int Published Currency published is local and International

SGP Citizen Code

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 GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS) 6

Decoding and Encoding Airlines

To display two letter code of Airline name or to display Airline name from two letter code ,command is

DNA Airline Name/Airline Code

Example:

DNA Air France

Or

DNA AF

Explanation of response received by Amadeus System

Component Explanation

AF/AFR Two letter and three letter airline code

057 Three- digit ticket code/Airline No.

Air France Name of Airline

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 GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS) 7

Decoding and Encoding States/Provinces

Display two letter code of state/province or display list of all states in specific country

DNS State Name/Province Name/Country Code

For Example

DNS California
System Response: Displays information about California, which country it is part of as well Country and
State Code of California.

Another Example: DNS IN

System Response : Displays list of all of the IATA recognized states of India (as IN is the IATA country code
for India)

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 GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS) 8

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