why is newark airport called ewr?

Factual Questions
1

Thats my entire question

2

It’s just an abbreviation, kinda like Tampa is TPA. And Fort Lauderdale is FLL. Some airport codes are abbreviations of the actual airport name, like Orlando is MCO (MCCoy).
Honey (Former Eastern Airline Employee)

3

Apparently, the Navy reserved codes beginning with N, while W and K are for radio stations, so there were few options left when these were removed from ‘Newark’.

4

Yes, radio station call leters (in the US) do start with W or K, but that does not preclude them from being used in airport codes. There are lots of codes that start with K or W.

5

So it rhymes with “sewer”.
Sorry…couldn’t resist.

6

And plenty that begin with N.

7

Nitpick: It’s not really an abbreviation, but an airport identifier code.

8

In general there is no set system for airport codes, that’s why you have DCA for Reagan National, LAX for Los Angeles, and even weirder ones.

9

Okay, name some airport codes that start with K, W, or N. I can’t think of any myself.

Ed

10

EWR own FAQ says nothing about it
http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/ehisfram.htm

I have Email **IATA ** with hopes they will reply.

Jim

11

http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/LID/CH1.htm#1

12

Here’s a list of codes for you.

KIN- Kingston, Jamaica
WBU-Boulder, Co
NAS-Nassau, Bahamas

13

“Ewr” sums up my opinion of the Newark airport, where I once spent an unhappy night in transfer en route to Cancun from Detroit. On preview, sewer also works well. :wink:

14

Jamaica? Bahamas? I know we laugh about Americans and geography, but I think you missed a crucial point along the way. No idea how Boulder gets to be an expection, though!

15

Sorry, I missed the (in the US) part of your post. Here’s one for K. I don’t see one for N (in the US).

KCL - Chignik, AK, USA

16

Or was that a naval base? Now I’m confused too. :wink:

17

Looks like Alaska has a separate system, going by the Ks on this stupidly-large page. There are a few municipal airports on that list with W codes, but Boulder isn’t one of them.

18

Chicago’s O’Hare airport is ORD. It has something to do with “Orchard” something something. It goes back to the '50s. There’s a definite meaning to it that has nothing to do with O’Hare (who was some big-shot test pilot, I believe).

19

Orchard Field, originally.

20

Yeah, there must be something up with Alaska because I just found another site with a bunch of US codes starting with N, and they’re all in Alaska. I wonder why that is…