Just like airports, every licensed commercial airline holds dual organizational designations, complemented by an official telephony Call Sign used during radio communications with Air Traffic Control.
The Triad of Airline Identification
| Airline Name | 2-Letter IATA (Commercial/Tickets) | 3-Letter ICAO (Air Traffic Control) | Telephony Call Sign (VHF Radio) |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways | BA |
BAW |
SPEEDBIRD |
| Delta Air Lines | DL |
DAL |
DELTA |
| Emirates | EK |
UAE |
EMIRATES |
| Air France | AF |
AFR |
AIRFRANS |
| Royal Air Maroc | AT |
RAM |
ROYALAIR MAROC |
| Pan American (Historical) | PA |
PAA |
CLIPPER |
When an air traffic controller communicates with a British Airways flight on radio frequency, they never say "BA 178"—they state: "Speedbird 178, descend and maintain flight level 100." Call signs carry historical prestige and reflect national aviation heritage.