IATA Telex Types Definition

Updates about the online telex processor here

Working in the airport IT industry you are always challenged with integration tasks at each airport. Usually you face a heterogeneous landscape of home-brew or taylored solutions and standard software running on anything from mainframe to virtual instances in a private clouds. Using an ESB we can tackle a lot of interfacing work and focus on the data integration part. One interface that you will find on all airports that operate commercial flights, is a link to the SITA network to send and receive IATA Telexes.

It is hard to find any information online, so I summarised the available message types here. Btw, these telex types are often referred to as SITA Telex types, which is not correct, IATA (Air Transport Association) defines the available telex types and SITA is operating the network to distribute the messages between airlines, airports, ATC, groundhandling agents and other relevant members of the airport community.

This list should be almost complete, giving you the type, the description and the AHM (Airport Handling Manual) or RP (Recommended Practice) reference. The AHM that you can purchase from IATA gives you all the syntax and details for most of the available types.

 MVT  AIRCRAFT MOVEMENT MESSAGE IATA AHM 780
 LDM  LOAD MESSAGE IATA AHM 583
 PTM  PASSENGER TRANSFER MESSAGE IATA RP 1718
 PSM  PASSENGER SERVICE MESSAGE IATA RP 1715
 DIV  AIRCRAFT DIVERSION MESSAGE IATA AHM 781
 BSM  BAGGAGE SERVICE MESSAGES IATA RP 1745
 CPM  CONTAINER/PALLET DISTRIBUTION MESSAGE IATA AHM 587
 UCM  ULD CONTROL MESSAGE IATA AHM 388
 SCM  ULD STOCK CHECK MESSAGE IATA AHM 385
 SLS  STATISTICAL LOAD SUMMARY IATA AHM 588
 ASM  ADHOC SCHEDULED MESSAGE IATA AHM 785
 PAL  PASSENGER ASSISTANCE LIST IATA RP1707b, 1708
 LPM  LOAD PLANNING MESSAGE IATA AHM 580
 ALI  ABBREVIATED LOAD INFORMATION MESSAGE IATA AHM 584
 SOM  SEATS OCCUPIED MESSAGE IATA RP 1712
 TPM  TELETYPE PASSENGER MANIFEST IATA RP 1717
 RQL  REQUEST LIST MESSAGE IATA RP 1709
 PNL  PASSENGER NAME LIST IATA RP 1708
 PFS  PASSENGER FINAL SALES MESSAGE IATA RP 1719
 IDM  INDUSTRY DISCOUNT MESSAGE IATA RP 1714
 ASL  ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS LIST IATA RP 1708
 SAL  SEATS AVAILABLE LIST IATA RP 1713
 RQM  REQUEST INFORMATION MESSAGE IATA AHM 783
 UWS  ULD/BULK LOAD WEIGHT SIGNAL IATA AHM 581
 FMM  FUEL MONITORING MESSAGE IATA AHM 782

Disclaimer: The list might not be correct or complete. It is for educational purpose only. For reliable information please refer to the IATA manuals.

MVT, LDM, PTM, TPM, CPM, PSM, UCM are among the most common telexes from my experience. If you implement a telex interpreter you definitely need to implement these types first.

I am working on an online telex processor, a demo version I will put online soon.

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7 thoughts on “IATA Telex Types Definition

  1. Hi Sven, thank you for a comprehensive list. I am looking forward to seeing your online processor.

    Kind regards,
    Thomas

  2. Hi Sven.

    I’ve found your page when I looked for sita telex, so you’re developing an online telex processor! I’am (and we are) very interested about it, becouse we are going to develop one as well. Maybe we can cooperate late. I’m waiting for your first demo and than we can talk about the future if you are interested about it as well!

    Thanks

    Good Luck: Zoltan Nagy

  3. Hi Sven
    Thanks for the list. Do you know any link to the RP descriptions

    IATA RP 1707b,1708, 1709, 1715, 1717, 1718.. ?

    Best regards Hans

    • I gave up on searching for it online. I look into printed versions from customers. Or you buy it from IATA…

  4. Thanks full for the information, Now can you help me something about this. ?

    Can you help me to write the order in a form of Telex message about…

    The order..

    please send the telex to the relevant agencies to prepare a wheelchair (WCHR) for a passenger before on board.

    Detail..

    1. Name of passenger : MR.Smith Johnson, 70 years old (Elderly Passenger)

    2. Flight : CX700/CX356/11FFB/BKKHKGLAX

    3. Departure : BANGKOK (BKK)

    4.Transit : HONGKONG (HKG)

    5. Arrival : LOS ANGELES (LAX)

    6.TELEX sent from Ground Staff : KP

    How to write these all in form of TELEX ?

    This is my homework but i don’t understand about this lesson because i couldn’t go to a class for awhile cause an accident by a motorbike.

    Please help me if possible.

    I’m a girl from Thailand. I’m studying about Airlines Business Management. I want to be a ground staff or maybe a cabin crew if it possible. :)

    Thanks for your help :)

    • You need to create a PAL message (Passenger Assistance List) according to IATA PSCRM RP1707b.

      Should be similar to this, not to sure about transit:
      QK HKGTGKP LAXTGKP
      .BKKTGKP 110230
      PAL
      CX700/11FEB BKK PART1
      1SMITH/JOHNSON
      .R/WCHR HK1
      ENDPAL

      • Thank you so much :D
        I though that maybe i send a paper with out an ink to a teacher cause i can not do it and lose my points (just 2 points but it’s important for me so much)

        Thank you a lot Devdude :D

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