# Nicknames



## Montreal Ltd

There is an amusing topic of train nicknames (LateSureLimited) on the main board, so here are some off topic airline versions. United = Untied Airlines, Air Chance, Air Chaos, PWA = Please Wait Awhile, Doubt Ever Leaves The Airport, CPAir=Can't Predict Arrival. Have fun with the names I left out.


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## edjbox

Northworst airlines


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## SarahZ

The one I always hear for Delta is Doesn't Ever Leave The Airport. I also like Departing Even Later Than Anticipated and Deliver Everyone's Luggage To Atlanta.

U.S. Scareways is my favorite nickname, though.

AA = American't


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## railbuck

SarahZ said:


> U.S. Scareways is my favorite nickname, though.


Also known as USeless Air.

The predecessor of Brussels Airlines, SABENA: Such A Bad Experience, Never Again


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## Bob Dylan

The old Allegheny Airways was known as Agony Airlines! ( became US Air)


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## Palmetto

Mohawk for upstate New Yorkers was Slohawk.


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## PRR 60

US Airways predecessor: Allegheny Airlines - "Agony Air."

US Airways three-letter carrier code USA - *U*nfortunately *S*till *A*llegheny

The official FAA nickname for US Airways was carried over from predecessor American West (based in Phoenix) - "Cactus." Cactus disappeared with the merger with American Airlines.

Regional carrier Republic Airlines, based in Indianapolis, has the official FAA nickname "Brickyard." - get it? Indy 500?


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## jis

As for official ICAO nickname - British Airways is Speedbird.

Unofficial nickname for Air France is Air Chance.


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## MARC Rider

El Al -- Every Landing Always Late


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## MARC Rider

Bob Dylan said:


> The old Allegheny Airways was known as Agony Airlines! ( became US Air)


Otherwise known as "U.S. Scare."


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## MARC Rider

This has been done in other forums:

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/205604/

American Airlines (AA) -- "Always Awful" "Abort! Abort!"

1. A Miracle Each Rider Is Currently Alive Now
2. Airline Meals Eaten Regularly Induces Cramps And Nausea (Remember Airline meals and how we used to complain about them?)

BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.):
1. Better- Off On A Camel
2. Bloody, Old And Careless
3. Better On A Camel
4. Blast Off And Crash

BWIA:
1. Baggage Wandering In Africa
2. Better Walk If you're Able
3. Born to Wait In Airports
4. But Will I Arrive?

DELTA:
1. Doesn't Even/ Ever Leave The Airport
2. Don't Even Let Them Aboard
3. Departing Even Later Than Anticipated
4. Damaged Engines Limit Take-off Ability
5. Departures Extra- Late, Tardy Arrivals
6. Directed Everybody's Luggage To Atlanta
7. Doesn't Ever Let Terrorists Aboard
8. Doesn't Experiences Like This Andrenalize?
9. Drunken Engineers Land Too Abruptly EAA:



PAN AM:
1. Plan On Arriving Nervewracked And Mad
2. Passengers Always Need A Mortician
3. Pilots Are Not A Must
4. Poor Airline Needs Any Money

This is just a sample. Some nicknames are not suitable for a family forum.


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## Montreal Ltd

LIAT ( Leeward Islands Air Transport) is Leave Islands Any Time. Useless Air is also US Awful. TWA is They Will Aggravate or Try Walking Across. My favourite: Pan Am is Pandemonium World Airways.


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## edjbox

which airlines are "Air Chaos" and "PWA"?


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## Montreal Ltd

Air Chaos is Air Canada, and PWA was Pacific Western Airlines aka Please Wait Awhile. It was never on time.


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## edjbox

Cantinental

TWA = "The Worst Airline"

(heard from others on this back in the 90s)


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## RSG

PRR 60 said:


> The official FAA nickname for US Airways was carried over from predecessor American West (based in Phoenix) - "Cactus." Cactus disappeared with the merger with American Airlines.


It was actually "Americ*a* West". Also the airline where once all drinks (even ethyl) were free.


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## dipalipatil

TSA - Transportation Security Administration


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## Palmetto

ATC has some interesting names for airlines as well. Air Canada Rouge service is called out on the radio as "Rouge xxx"; Express Jet is "Acey" and on it goes.


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## jis

British Airways has and before that BOAC had the ATC call sign Speedbird. Pan Am was Clipper AFAIR.


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## railiner

Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....

The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....


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## Bob Dylan

railiner said:


> Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....
> 
> The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....


Not to slight the Marines as in "Marine One" being the Presidents Chopper! 
When the President isn't aboard the 747 becomes "Flight 27000" unless it's changed since I was in Washington?

Thanks for the update on the Tail Numbers, I guess 27000 is in the Ronnie Raygun Museum in California?

!


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## the_traveler

TSA = Thousands Standing Around


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## Devil's Advocate

RSG said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> 
> The official FAA nickname for US Airways was carried over from predecessor American West (based in Phoenix) - "Cactus." Cactus disappeared with the merger with American Airlines.
> 
> 
> 
> It was actually "Americ*a* West". Also the airline where once all drinks (even ethyl) were free.
Click to expand...

Cactus is such an appropriate name. Prickly attitudes running one of the more dysfunctional US airlines. In my experience every trip on America Worst came with a free technical delay. Unfortunately there were no free cocktails during our six hour wait in PHX.


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## CCC1007

Bob Dylan said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....
> 
> The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....
> 
> 
> 
> Not to slight the Marines as in "Marine One" being the Presidents Chopper!
> When the President isn't aboard the 747 becomes "Flight 2700" unless it's changed since I was in Washington?
Click to expand...

They use the tail number of the aircraft, currently 28000 and 29000.


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## demelzareveley

The "Happy" by ATC airlines,Capital Cargo International Airlines (Cappy).


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## BCL

Bob Dylan said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....
> 
> The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....
> 
> 
> 
> Not to slight the Marines as in "Marine One" being the Presidents Chopper! When the President isn't aboard the 747 becomes "Flight 27000" unless it's changed since I was in Washington?
> 
> Thanks for the update on the Tail Numbers, I guess 27000 is in the Ronnie Raygun Museum in California?
> 
> !
Click to expand...

Not sure what it becomes. However, "Air Force One" is hardly a nickname. It's an official call sign for any plane carrying POTUS.

Also, the AF calls it a VC-25.


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## CCC1007

BCL said:


> Bob Dylan said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....
> 
> The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....
> 
> 
> 
> Not to slight the Marines as in "Marine One" being the Presidents Chopper! When the President isn't aboard the 747 becomes "Flight 27000" unless it's changed since I was in Washington?
> 
> Thanks for the update on the Tail Numbers, I guess 27000 is in the Ronnie Raygun Museum in California?
> 
> !
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what it becomes. However, "Air Force One" is hardly a nickname. It's an official call sign for any plane carrying POTUS.
> Also, the AF calls it a VC-25.
Click to expand...

It's a VC-25 because of the heavy modifications to make it better suited for potus to use. Some of the lesser known but publicly available modifications include the communications suite and the airborne refueling capabilities built into the aircraft.


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## railiner

BCL said:


> Bob Dylan said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Some other ATC nicknames....a medevac or air ambulance flight is called "Lifeguard"...could also apply as a prefix to an airline carrying urgent cargo, such as an organ for transplant.....
> 
> The most famous nickname...."Air Force One".....
> 
> 
> 
> Not to slight the Marines as in "Marine One" being the Presidents Chopper!When the President isn't aboard the 747 becomes "Flight 27000" unless it's changed since I was in Washington?
> 
> Thanks for the update on the Tail Numbers, I guess 27000 is in the Ronnie Raygun Museum in California?
> 
> !
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what it becomes. However, "Air Force One" is hardly a nickname. It's an official call sign for any plane carrying POTUS.
> 
> Also, the AF calls it a VC-25.
Click to expand...

It's the ATC call sign for an AIR FORCE aircraft carrying the POTUS....not ANY aircraft, as Bob Dylan has pointed out, as in "Marine One".....


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## jis

These days apparently Marine One may be either a chopper or an Osprey.


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## railiner

Wonder what they call the Prevost motorhome the Prez sometimes travels in, Secret Service One?  As well as any limo he happens to ride in.


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## Bob Dylan

railiner said:


> Wonder what they call the Prevost motorhome the Prez sometimes travels in, Secret Service One?  As well as any limo he happens to ride in.


Not sure if it's a media or Secret Service nickname, but the Armored tank,er Cadillac that is THE Presidential Limo is called "The Beast".


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## BCL

Bob Dylan said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wonder what they call the Prevost motorhome the Prez sometimes travels in, Secret Service One?  As well as any limo he happens to ride in.
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure if it's a media or Secret Service nickname, but the Armored tank,er Cadillac that is THE Presidential Limo is called "The Beast".
Click to expand...

The official Secret Service code name is "Stagecoach".


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## saxman

Some regional airlines:

Comair=Comedy Air

Skywest=Skypest

GoJet=Blowjet

Chautauqua=Sheniqua

Pinnacle=Peanuckle

Great Lakes=Great Mistakes

ExpressJet and ASA merged and was actually about to be called "SureJet." It was quickly changed back to ExpressJet.

Pinnacle later merged with Mesaba and Colgan to make "Peñacolaba."

PSA's FAA callsign is "Blue Streak," and is sometimes changed to "Brown Streak." 

Airports:

LaGarbage and JFn'K


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