Airport Glossary
Common aviation and airport terms explained
- Boarding Pass
- A document issued by the airline that authorises a passenger to board a specific flight, showing seat number, gate and departure time.
- Check-in
- The process of confirming attendance for a flight, dropping off luggage and receiving a boarding pass — online, at a kiosk or at a counter.
- Connecting Flight
- A flight that requires the passenger to change planes, usually at a hub airport, en route to the final destination.
- Duty Free
- Retail shops in the airport’s international zone where goods are sold without local import taxes for travellers leaving the country.
- Gate
- The designated boarding area within a terminal where passengers wait before being allowed onto the aircraft.
- Hub
- A central airport that an airline uses to route many of its flights, allowing efficient connections between cities.
- IATA Code
- A three-letter code assigned by the International Air Transport Association that identifies an airport (e.g. HER for Heraklion).
- Jet Bridge
- An enclosed, movable connector that extends from the terminal gate to the aircraft door, allowing passengers to board without going outside.
- Layover
- A scheduled stop between connecting flights. Short layovers are typically 1–3 hours; long layovers may exceed 6 hours.
- PRM
- Passenger with Reduced Mobility. Airports provide free assistance including wheelchairs, priority boarding and accessible facilities.
- Stopover
- A layover lasting more than 24 hours, often used to visit a city briefly while in transit.
- Tarmac
- The paved surface of an airport runway, taxiway or apron where aircraft move and park.
- Transit
- Passing through an airport without leaving the international zone, typically while connecting between flights.
- Visa
- Official permission required to enter certain countries. Many travellers transiting through Heraklion Airport without leaving the international zone do not need one.
- Schengen Area
- A group of European countries, including Greece, with no internal border checks. Flights within the Schengen Area have no passport control; flights to or from outside it do.
- E-gate
- An automated passport-control gate that reads your biometric passport, usually faster than a staffed desk. Available to eligible travellers at passport control.
- KTEL
- The regional bus network in Greece. KTEL city buses connect Heraklion Airport with the centre, and intercity coaches serve the rest of Crete.
- Fraport Greece
- The operator that manages Heraklion Airport and thirteen other Greek regional airports under a concession agreement.
- Apron
- The area of an airport where aircraft park, are loaded and unloaded, refuelled or boarded, also called the ramp.
- FIDS
- Flight Information Display System — the screens showing live departure and arrival times, gates and status throughout the terminal.