Flight information display system facts for kids

Flight information display LCD board at Munich International Airport

Flight information display system at the airport showing delayed flights.

A Flight Information Display System (FIDS) is a special computer system used in airports. Its main job is to show passengers important details about flights. It tells them about planes arriving and planes leaving, all in real-time. This system uses computers to control large screens, like big TVs or electronic boards, that you see all around the airport.

In bigger airports, you might find a FIDS for each part of the airport, called a terminal. Some airports even have different FIDS screens for each major airline. These systems are super helpful for people traveling by plane. They also help friends and family who are at the airport to pick up passengers.

What You See on a FIDS Screen

Each line on a FIDS screen shows details for a different flight number. Here's what you can usually find:

Flight Details and Destinations

• The name or logo of the airline. Sometimes it shows a special code for the airline, like IATA or ICAO codes.
• The city where the plane started its journey or where it is going. It might also show other cities the plane will stop at along the way.

Times and Gates

• When the plane is supposed to take-off or land. This time can change if the plane is running late.
• The gate number. This is where passengers go to get on their plane.

Check-in and Status Updates

• The numbers for the check-in counters. This tells you where to go to drop off your bags.
• The current status of the flight. This could be "Landed" (the plane has arrived), "Delayed" (the plane is late), or "Boarding" (passengers are getting on the plane).
• Whether the flight is an arrival (coming to the airport) or a departure (leaving the airport).

LED FIDS at Charles De Gaulle Airport

Understanding Code Sharing

Sometimes, a single flight might be shown with many different flight numbers. This is because of something called "code sharing." It means that different airlines sell tickets for the same plane. For example, a flight might be called LH474 by Lufthansa and AC9099 by Air Canada, even though it's the exact same plane flying.

The flight lines on the FIDS can be organized in different ways. They might be sorted by the time the plane arrives or leaves, by the airline name, or by the city it's going to or coming from. This helps passengers quickly find the information they need.

Images for kids

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  Split flap display at Tokyo International Airport

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  Modern FIDS display utilising multiple monitors at Melbourne Airport

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  FIDS at Changi International Airport Terminal 2

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  Part of FIDS display at Hong Kong International Airport

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  Digital flight information display system in Jeddah Airport