IATA delay codes

The following IATA delay codes (from “AHM 780 Aircraft Movement Message” (Wikipedia 2015; IATA 2012) specification”) standardise the reporting of commercial flight departure delays by airlines.

IATA delay codes
ID Code Description
Others
00 ( ) 00 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
01 ( ) 01 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
02 ( ) 02 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
03 ( ) 03 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
04 ( ) 04 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
05 ( ) 05 ... AIRLINE INTERNAL CODE
06 (OA) 06 OA NO GATE/STAND AVAILABILITY DUE TO OWN AIRLINE ACTIVITY
09 (SG) 09 SG SCHEDULED GROUND TIME LESS THAN DECLARED MINIMUM GROUND TIME
Passenger and Baggage
11 (PD) 11 PD LATE CHECK-IN, acceptance after deadline
12 (PL) 12 PL LATE CHECK-IN, congestions in check-in area
13 (PE) 13 PE CHECK-IN ERROR, passenger and baggage
14 (PO) 14 PO OVERSALES, booking errors
15 (PH) 15 PH BOARDING, discrepancies and paging, missing checked-in passenger
16 (PS) 16 PS COMMERCIAL PUBLICITY/PASSENGER CONVENIENCE, VIP, press, ground meals and missing personal items
17 (PC) 17 PC CATERING ORDER, late or incorrect order given to supplier
18 (PB) 18 PB BAGGAGE PROCESSING, sorting etc.
19 (PW) 19 PW REDUCED MOBILITY, boarding / deboarding of passengers with reduced mobility.
Cargo and Mail
21 (CD) 21 CD DOCUMENTATION, errors etc.
22 (CP) 22 CP LATE POSITIONING
23 (CC) 23 CC LATE ACCEPTANCE
24 (CI) 24 CI INADEQUATE PACKING
25 (CO) 25 CO OVERSALES, booking errors
26 (CU) 26 CU LATE PREPARATION IN WAREHOUSE
27 (CE) 27 CE DOCUMENTATION, PACKING etc (Mail Only)
28 (CL) 28 CL LATE POSITIONING (Mail Only)
29 (CA) 29 CA LATE ACCEPTANCE (Mail Only)
Aircraft and Ramp Handling
31 (GD) 31 GD AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTATION LATE/INACCURATE, weight and balance, general declaration, pax manifest, etc.
32 (GL) 32 GL LOADING/UNLOADING, bulky, special load, cabin load, lack of loading staff
33 (GE) 33 GE LOADING EQUIPMENT, lack of or breakdown, e.g. container pallet loader, lack of staff
34 (GS) 34 GS SERVICING EQUIPMENT, lack of or breakdown, lack of staff, e.g. steps
35 (GC) 35 GC AIRCRAFT CLEANING
36 (GF) 36 GF FUELLING/DEFUELLING, fuel supplier
37 (GB) 37 GB CATERING, late delivery or loading
38 (GU) 38 GU ULD, lack of or serviceability
39 (GT) 39 GT TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT, lack of or breakdown, lack of staff, e.g. pushback
Technical and Aircraft Equipment
41 (TD) 41 TD AIRCRAFT DEFECTS.
42 (TM) 42 TM SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, late release.
43 (TN) 43 TN NON-SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, special checks and/or additional works beyond normal maintenance schedule.
44 (TS) 44 TS SPARES AND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT, lack of or breakdown.
45 (TA) 45 TA AOG SPARES, to be carried to another station.
46 (TC) 46 TC AIRCRAFT CHANGE, for technical reasons.
47 (TL) 47 TL STAND-BY AIRCRAFT, lack of planned stand-by aircraft for technical reasons.
48 (TV) 48 TV SCHEDULED CABIN CONFIGURATION/VERSION ADJUSTMENTS.
Damage to Aircraft & EDP/Automated Equipment Failure
51 (DF) 51 DF DAMAGE DURING FLIGHT OPERATIONS, bird or lightning strike, turbulence, heavy or overweight landing, collision during taxiing
52 (DG) 52 DG DAMAGE DURING GROUND OPERATIONS, collisions (other than during taxiing), loading/off-loading damage, contamination, towing, extreme weather conditions
55 (ED) 55 ED DEPARTURE CONTROL
56 (EC) 56 EC CARGO PREPARATION/DOCUMENTATION
57 (EF) 57 EF FLIGHT PLANS
58 (EO) 58 EO OTHER AUTOMATED SYSTEM
Flight Operations and Crewing
61 (FP) 61 FP FLIGHT PLAN, late completion or change of, flight documentation
62 (FF) 62 FF OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, fuel, load alteration
63 (FT) 63 FT LATE CREW BOARDING OR DEPARTURE PROCEDURES, other than connection and standby (flight deck or entire crew)
64 (FS) 64 FS FLIGHT DECK CREW SHORTAGE, sickness, awaiting standby, flight time limitations, crew meals, valid visa, health documents, etc.
65 (FR) 65 FR FLIGHT DECK CREW SPECIAL REQUEST, not within operational requirements
66 (FL) 66 FL LATE CABIN CREW BOARDING OR DEPARTURE PROCEDURES, other than connection and standby
67 (FC) 67 FC CABIN CREW SHORTAGE, sickness, awaiting standby, flight time limitations, crew meals, valid visa, health documents, etc.
68 (FA) 68 FA CABIN CREW ERROR OR SPECIAL REQUEST, not within operational requirements
69 (FB) 69 FB CAPTAIN REQUEST FOR SECURITY CHECK, extraordinary
Weather
71 (WO) 71 WO DEPARTURE STATION
72 (WT) 72 WT DESTINATION STATION
73 (WR) 73 WR EN ROUTE OR ALTERNATE
75 (WI) 75 WI DE-ICING OF AIRCRAFT, removal of ice and/or snow, frost prevention excluding unserviceability of equipment
76 (WS) 76 WS REMOVAL OF SNOW, ICE, WATER AND SAND FROM AIRPORT
77 (WG) 77 WG GROUND HANDLING IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
AIR TRAFFIC FLOW MANAGEMENT RESTRICTIONS
81 (AT) 81 AT ATFM due to ATC EN-ROUTE DEMAND/CAPACITY, standard demand/capacity problems
82 (AX) 82 AX ATFM due to ATC STAFF/EQUIPMENT EN-ROUTE, reduced capacity caused by industrial action or staff shortage, equipment failure, military exercise or extraordinary demand due to capacity reduction in neighbouring area
83 (AE) 83 AE ATFM due to RESTRICTION AT DESTINATION AIRPORT, airport and/or runway closed due to obstruction, industrial action, staff shortage, political unrest, noise abatement, night curfew, special flights
84 (AW) 84 AW ATFM due to WEATHER AT DESTINATION
AIRPORT AND GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES
85 (AS) 85 AS MANDATORY SECURITY
86 (AG) 86 AG IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS, HEALTH
87 (AF) 87 AF AIRPORT FACILITIES, parking stands, ramp congestion, lighting, buildings, gate limitations, etc.
88 (AD) 88 AD RESTRICTIONS AT AIRPORT OF DESTINATION, airport and/or runway closed due to obstruction, industrial action, staff shortage, political unrest, noise abatement, night curfew, special flights
89 (AM) 89 AM RESTRICTIONS AT AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE WITH OR WITHOUT ATFM RESTRICTIONS, including Air Traffic Services, start-up and pushback, airport and/or runway closed due to obstruction or weather (Restriction due to weather in case of ATFM regulation only, else refer to code 71 (WO)), industrial action, staff shortage, political unrest, noise abatement, night curfew, special flights
Reactionary
91 (RL) 91 RL LOAD CONNECTION, awaiting load from another flight
92 (RT) 92 RT THROUGH CHECK-IN ERROR, passenger and baggage
93 (RA) 93 RA AIRCRAFT ROTATION, late arrival of aircraft from another flight or previous sector
94 (RS) 94 RS CABIN CREW ROTATION, awaiting cabin crew from another flight
95 (RC) 95 RC CREW ROTATION, awaiting crew from another flight (flight deck or entire crew)
96 (RO) 96 RO OPERATIONS CONTROL, re-routing, diversion, consolidation, aircraft change for reasons other than technical
Miscellaneous
97 (MI) 97 MI INDUSTRIAL ACTION WITH OWN AIRLINE
98 (MO) 98 MO INDUSTRIAL ACTION OUTSIDE OWN AIRLINE, excluding ATS
99 (MX) 99 MX OTHER REASON, not matching any code above

References

IATA. 2012. Airport Handling Manual - Standard IATA Delay Codes (AHM730). IATA.
Wikipedia. 2015. IATA Delay Codes.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IATA_delay_codes.