Gaya International Airport has been unsuccessful in changing its GAY airport code.
India’s civil aviation ministry rejected the request even though it’s been deemed “offensive” by Bharatiya Janata Party politicians. According to the government, IATA codes can only be changed for safety reasons, but that is not true. While IATA codes are generally meant to be permanent,
- Baltimore went from BAL to BWI and New York Idlewild went from IDL to JFK!
- Under Saddam Hussein, Baghdad International Airport used Saddam’s name and code SDA After the 2003 U.S. occupation, this was changed to BGW.
Gaya is considered a sacred city, and a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. Gautama Buddha obtained enlightenment nearby. But just wait until they BJP politicians learn the 3-letter airport code for Kochin International Airport in Kerala, India…
Credit: Rashid_Jorvee via Wikimedia Commons
Meanwhle, “LGBTQ rights activists argue that the call to change the airport code is a symptom of homophobia.”
Enilria points out,
Fukuoka (FUK) attempted to change to FUN in 2019 and failed. Interestingly, the GAY airport opened in 2002. Prior to it being assigned, the GAY code was unused. In 1998 and 2002 Sioux City (SUX) attempted to change their own airport code, also because politicians (the Mayor of Sioux City) thought the IATA code was uncomfortable and embarrassing.
Indeed, Sioux City was actually offered the GAY code before Gaya, but declined the honor. Better to just lean into it, Fly SUX!
- Airport codes beginning with N are reserved for naval air stations
- Codes beginning with W and K are reserved to avoid confusion with radio stations which is why MCI – Kansas City International – isn’t KCI (but local media refers to it frequently as KCI)
- Some airports kept National Weather Service codes when moving to 3 letter codes, and added an X (PDX, LAX, PHX)
- Two airports within the same region cannot have the same first and second, or second and third letters. The idea is to avoid confusion between DCA and IAD, IAH and HOU, DFW and DAL, etc.
- The FAA has 3 letter codes that are usually the same as IATA codes, but in the case of Phpenix Mesa Gateway the IATA code is AZA but that’s not what the FAA uses. The FAA code, used for general aviation, is IWA.
While it’s difficult to change an airport code, not only complying with the rules above but also making sure the code isn’t taken, it’s something that’s certainly been done.
However when Fresno Air Terminal (FAT) changed its name to Fresno Yosemite International, to market the airport as a gateway to Yosemite National Park, they were unsuccessful in getting their code changed to FYI. They can call themselves FYI if they wish, of course, even if it’s not used officially.
Denver (DEN) isn’t DIA, but local media refers to it as DIA. Why on earth I sometimes see Orlando news media referring to MCO as ‘OIA’ though I do not understand.
I’ve always been amused by airport codes, possibly because I lived in Fresno (FAT) for a time. I always wanted to ticket an itinerary from Fresno, California to Fukuoka, Japan. Or from Fresno to Pensacola, Florida.
Ain’t too bad… Fukuoka’s still got the best one: FUK.
Yes, Gary, someday… nonstop, FAT-FUK!
“Gay” means happy. It’s sad that this word has come to be associated with a concept that is problematic to some people. My religion forbids what it stands for today, but I don’t have an issue with an airport having this code which has absolutely nothing to do with the word’s alternative meaning.
@1990 – Sioux City, Iowa would beg to differ.
@Denver Refugee — Yup, Sioux City, IA, to Dickinson, ND… SUX-DIK.
I thought you’d be up-in-arms over the DIA vs. DEN discourse in the post!
COK represent!
Yeah BJP politicians can go themselves.
Unfortunately, all of our Canadian codes begin with Y. Not a lot of words do, however.
@1990 – Nah. I have too many other things to be indignant about these days, although I could argue that DEN is the city, DIA is the airport and which abbreviation is used depends on the circumstances.
@IsaacM — So, Allen Army Airfield to Kochi, BIG-COK.
People are so stupid.
@IsaacM — Or, if traveling from Lille-Lesquin Airport… LIL-COK.
@1990 that routing sound like it’s gonna be a painful ride.
@Parker — Which one, FAT-FUK, SUX-DIK, BIG-COK, or LIK-COK? Back-to-back does sound a bit brutal. Like, probably several redeyes…
*LIL, but, then again, Likiep, Marshall Islands to Kochi, LIK-COK, makes sense, too; though, that leg should probably go first. Like, start with LIK-COK, then SUX-DIK, and BIG-COK; finish with FAT-FUK. Nice itinerary.
Ha-haa! Classics all around, well done! Keep ’em coming
Id say to satisfy the ongoing SFO OAK trademark dispute…..SFO should take the GAY airport code……Im all for it! Afterall, one of our terminals is named for Harvey Milk…..
Kidding aside…this is pure grandstanding and making something that it isnt…..Gaya and the surrounding region isnt judged by the airport code…..get over it….its sacred and the airport GAY will not change or infringe on that.
If you believe as I do, like Terump, it’s not if it’s right/wrong Left/right… as long as it gets eyeballs. Like this post. Oh yeah, I met Terump, I don’t like him as a human being. But many of his tactics work- they get eyeballs to watch, just like Gary is doing.
So what. If they’re gay they’re gay. No need to do pearl clutching.
@L737 — Did you mean keep ’em CUM-ing, as in, Antonio Jose de Sucre airport in Venezuela, or did you mean KUM-ing, as in, Yakushima Airport, Japan?
@Christian — Well said, love who and how you love.
I mean… LUV… which is Karel Sadsuitubun Airport in Indonesia. @Jack the Ladd, have you been?
Not to be confused with, DAL, Dallas Love Field, which some do refer to as ‘LUV’ but it’s not IATA.
@1990 all good inspirations. Next time I’m in COK I’ll try to see what’s the funniest route I can book from there.
I flew COK-DOH last week but doesn’t really have a ring to it.
@Jon Biedermann — What?! Do you mean to say that Gary’s post above isn’t a serious topic? How dare… I can’t believe… why I never… now, I’m PIS-sed. As in, Poitiers-Biard Airport, France.
@IsaacM — So… you’re telling us… your COK… doesn’t have… a ring… All good. We don’t discriminate on here. Pick whichever airports you want and need. All airports are good airports here. COK, too!
@1990
LOL. Sadly I’m back to my routine of shuttling between MSP and ATL on your favorite airline and paying a premium for the privilege.
This plane is extra hot today out of ATL. They promise it’ll get better when it hits 10,000 feet. We’ll see. The air conditioning so far has been anything but premium.
By the way as some of y’all suggested I switched to Hyatt from this trip. Got Explorist on a promotion and just needs ten nights in the next 90 days to keep it. If I not it enough I might stick with this.
Planning to stay at the Grand Hyatt at COK in December so I’m looking forward to it.
My flight attendant wife still doesn’t understand my chuckle when she flies between Pensacola and Charlotte…
@1990 — BAH! (As in Bahrain International)
@IsaacM — Oh no! Much less ‘fun.’ Hope you’re cooling down by now. If it’s DL1026, I see it’s at 33,000 feet, and it’s expected early! *fingers crossed* (and ideally that ‘free WiFi’ for SkyMiles members on the 739 is working!)
Were you doing the status match AA-Hyatt? That’s a great one. I’m Platinum Pro with AA, and I saw that Hyatt’s matching to Globalist, just need to time it right, because 20-nights to keep it is a lot. Perhaps the 10 nights is actually more do-able. Hope it goes well!
And wow, that Grand Hyatt is in a great spot. Right on the river! I’ve wanted to visit Kerala for a while now. Will keep that place in mind!