You’re at the airport, perhaps returning to Abu Dhabi from holiday or for work, and standing at the check in desk.
The airline worker checks your passport, issues a boarding pass and asks you to put the bags on a conveyor belt.
Finally, a printer whirrs and the baggage tag appears. But why does the label on the bag for Abu Dhabi International Airport read “AUH”?
It’s almost as confusing with Dubai International Airport which is known as “DXB”. Where the X did that come from?
In fact, these apparently weird airport labels make perfect sense. But you have to know how to crack the code, with the code masters in this case being the International Air Transport Association — or IATA for short — trade association of the world's airlines
IATA was founded in Havana, Cuba, in 1945, to promote co-operation among the world’s airlines. One of its roles is to issue airports with a unique three letter code, otherwise known as the location identifiers, which are printed on baggage tags.
The letters should represent, as closely as possible, the airport name. So, London’s Heathrow Airport is LHR and John F Kennedy in New York is JFK.
To avoid confusion, the codes are never changed. They are also issued in date order. And that’s when problems can occur.
Abu Dhabi International Airport should surely be ABU. Except that was already owned by Haliwen Airport — now known as A A Bere Tallo Airport — in Indonesia. So, what about ABD or AUD? Those are Abadan Airport in Iran and Aldan Airport in Russia, respectively.
So, the next best thing is the code AbU dHabi. Or AUH.
Dubai is slightly different. DUB is already taken by Dublin in Ireland. DBA is Dalbandin in Pakistan. The letter X is commonly used in airport codes as a filler letter and so, DXB was chosen.
Sometimes cities change names. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport serves Mumbai, but has the code BOM, after Bombay. Likewise, Beijing Capital International Airport is still PEK after the old name Peking.
Airports also change names after a code has been chosen. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, is named after Edward “Butch” O’Hare, a famous fighter pilot from the Second World War. But the airport was originally called Orchard Field, and so, the airport code is ORD, or ORcharD.
Dubai’s other airport is Al Maktoum International. But it is also referred to as Dubai World Central, after the wider cargo and logistics hub that surrounds the airport, and given the code DWC.
The permutations of codes are limited to the mathematic permutations of three letters, with 17,576 the maximum possible. At present, IATA says it has issued 11,026 codes.
The UAE has more airport codes that you might think. There are 12 in total.
Al Ain International Airport has AAN, Sharjah International Airport is SHJ and Fujairah International Airport FJR. Ras Al Khaimah International Airport uses RKT, since RAK is the Marrakech Menara Airport in Morocco.
Al Bateen Executive Airport was the original Abu Dhabi International Airport, opening in 1969. It still uses the code AZI, since Abu Dhabi was often written as Abu Zabi in those days.
Small airports without multiple commercial airlines often begin with the letter X. Sir Bani Yas Airport is a popular tourist destination and has the code XSB for its airport.
The others are military airbases. DHF is Al Dhafra Air Base and NHD is Al Minhad Air Base in Dubai.
Understanding the airport code on your baggage tag, of course, does not guarantee its arrival at your destination. But at least it shows it is heading in the right direction.
A version of this article was first published on August 2, 2022
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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