# Counterintuitive Airport Codes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 26, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539 "2009-02-26T18:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/1 "2009-02-26T18:39:09Z")
One of my regular email buddies sent this today as part of his ongoing campaign to provide as much meaningless trivia as he can: The ORD abbreviation for Chicago’s O’Hare Airport comes from the airport’s original name Orchard Place Airport. The airport was renamed for WWII ace pilot and Medal of Honor winner Edward “Butch” O’Hare. Nashville’s BNA seems odd at first glance until you learn it’s for Berry NAshville, as explained at [Nashville International Airport - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_International_Airport) Does/do your nearby airport(s) have a TLA that defies understanding until you know the lore? Does anybody have one that just doesn’t make sense ever – even after the explanation for why it’s called that? ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/2 "2009-02-26T18:42:23Z")
Lester B Pearson near Toronto - YYZ. Why? Why?? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/3 "2009-02-26T18:42:57Z")
One code that is completely arbitrary is that for Lester B. Pearson International, Toronto, Ontario: YYZ. (Well, the first Y can be explained – most airport codes in Canada start with Y – but the rest suggests they were running out of letters for codes). ETA: Simulpost! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/4 "2009-02-26T18:43:46Z")
The airport in Kansas City MO is MCI – it was originally Mid-Continental International Airport, so this code at least makes sense in that context. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/5 "2009-02-26T18:49:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Why? Why?? Zee? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/6 "2009-02-26T18:52:52Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > One code that is completely arbitrary is that for Lester B. Pearson International, Toronto, Ontario: YYZ. (Well, the first Y can be explained – most airport codes in Canada start with Y – but the rest suggests they were running out of letters for codes). At least Vancouver got Y **VR**. :: mutter grumble :: [Listing of Canadian airport codes](http://www.avacation.com/airportcodes.html#canada). It looks like in a few cases they tried to make the two letters after the Y make some sort of sense, but soon gave up. The Soo is YAM. I believe that the _Island_ airport in Toronto is YTO, which makes sense because it was there first, and YYZ in Malton was intended to be a relief airport. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/7 "2009-02-26T18:56:28Z")
All of the Canadian Airport codes are nonsensical: YYZ (Toronto) YUL (Montreal) YYG (Charlottetown) YYC (Calgary, slightly more logical than the rest) YYT (St Johns) YVR (Vancouver, again easier to guess) YEG (Edmonton) YHM (Hamilton; Munroe Airport, guessable) YHZ (Halifax) I don’t remember any more offhand! I’m kind of impressed I’ve gotten this many on my own! hehe ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/8 "2009-02-26T18:59:36Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Lester B Pearson near Toronto - YYZ. > > Why? Why?? > > 😉 It’s a RUSH thing? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/9 "2009-02-26T19:04:45Z")
Louisville International Airport is SDF, for the original name of Standiford Field. Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport is CVG, which is truly nonsensical as it’s short for Covington, Kentucky. But the airport is 10 miles from Covington, in Erlanger, and has never been in Covington. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/10 "2009-02-26T19:09:26Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > The airport in Kansas City MO is MCI – it was originally Mid-Continental International Airport, so this code at least makes sense in that context. Worse yet - when the KC airport changed its name, Wichita, which isn’t that far away, grabbed the “Mid-Continent” name for its own. Travelers just have to remember that Mid-Continent is ICT, not MCI. On occasion, the “sensible” code for a city does exist, but is still held by an older, smaller airport that used to be the mainline one. Orlando still has ORL, even though airline traffic goes through MCO (the former McCoy AFB) now. Houston still has HOU, even though the airlines mostly go to IAH (Intercontinental) now. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/11 "2009-02-26T19:13:14Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Louisville International Airport is SDF, for the original name of Standiford Field. > > Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport is CVG, which is truly nonsensical as it’s short for Covington, Kentucky. But the airport is 10 miles from Covington, in Erlanger, and has never been in Covington. Is WCKY still in operation? Talk about a blast-from-the-past! I’m not even sure which synapse jumped for that connection. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/12 "2009-02-26T19:16:13Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Is WCKY still in operation? Talk about a blast-from-the-past! I’m not even sure which synapse jumped for that connection. It looks that way: > **[WCKY (AM)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCKY_(AM))** > > WCKY (1530 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and serving the Cincinnati metropolitan area with a sports radio format known as "ESPN 1530". Owned by iHeartMedia, its studios are located in the Kenwood section of Sycamore Township, while its transmitter site is in suburban Villa Hills, Kentucky. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WCKY is available online via iHeartRadio. > WCKY is a class A clear channel station, sharing the frequency with co-owned statio... although I’ve only lived here 3 years (but know enough about the history of the airport to say it was never in Covington) and don’t listen to AM radio so i have no other information for you. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/13 "2009-02-26T19:23:00Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > All of the Canadian Airport codes are nonsensical \ > > I don’t remember any more offhand! I’m kind of impressed I’ve gotten this many on my own! hehe Here’s another one for you: Lethbridge is YQL. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/14 "2009-02-26T19:57:07Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Zee? **Zed.** ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/15 "2009-02-26T20:51:51Z")
There’s one in the UK that baffles me: Durham Tees Valley Airport, formerly Teesside Airport, originally RAF Middleton St George. **MME**. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/16 "2009-02-26T21:03:03Z")
At least the Ottawa airport code makes some kind of sense: YOW. See, it starts with O…and there’s a W in there…well, it makes more sense than YYZ, at least. Also it’s a nicer airport than YYZ, so it’s pretty much winning all around. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/17 "2009-02-26T21:45:15Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > **Zed.** Hoser 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/18 "2009-02-26T21:48:38Z")
Harrisburg International Airport is MDT, which is short for Middletown, the suburb where the airport is located. The natives don’t call it MDT, we call it HIA. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/19 "2009-02-26T22:39:30Z")
Maui’s main airport, OGG, is named for Bertram J. Hogg, who was an early pilot for Hawaiian Airlines, and not, sadly, for Og. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539/20 "2009-02-26T22:44:33Z")
[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport](http://www.flyavp.com/) is listed as AVP. It’s located in Avoca, so I’m guessing it’s short for **AV** oca, **P** ennsylvania. Much easier to say, in any case. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counterintuitive-airport-codes/487539.md?page=2)