Reason why some airports have an 'X' in their name - and it's not what you think
The letter 'X' is included in the international code of some of the world's busiest airports - but the reason why may not be what you think
Have you ever wondered why some airports have an 'X' in their international code? The answer is probably less satisfying than what you've imagined.
The Express reveals how millions of travelers passing through the world's airports every day may have a mistaken understanding of why certain airports contain the letter 'X' in their international code, while others don't.
Well-known examples of such airports include the main airport in Los Angeles - commonly known as LAX - or Birmingham Airport - which has the code BHX.
A recent Reddit thread questioned the meaning of the mysterious 'X' in certain airport names and it has generated thousands of comments as some suggest that it refers to 'express' or 'international'. But that is not the case, reports the Irish Mirror.
According to Airport Luxury Transfer experts, SCS Chauffeur, the reality is that the 'X' has no secret aviation meaning whatsoever.
Hadleigh Diamond, Luxury Airport Transfer provider, said: "It's a leftover from the 1930s and 1940s, when the aviation industry expanded airport codes from two to three letters to improve communication across telex and radio systems.
"Los Angeles was originally assigned 'LA', and Birmingham 'BH'-but when the global coding system required three letters, both airports simply added an 'X' to fill the gap.
"It's not an abbreviation or a secret symbol, just a historical quirk from the early days of international aviation."
International airport codes appear on everything from luggage tags to boarding passes and passport stamps. So now you know that the mysterious 'X' really doesn't stand for anything significant at all.
Hadleigh added: "Travelers often assume the 'X' stands for something technical, but it's really a relic from a much simpler time."
"LAX and BHX are perfect examples of how aviation history quietly lives on in the details we see every day - even on our boarding passes.
"Knowing where these codes come from is a fun reminder of how fast air travel evolved."
Recently, rideshare company Uber, announced a revolutionary advancement in the aviation industry. A new partnership with Joby Aviation will allow riders to book Blade helicopter rides starting next year.
The news comes during a year where several fatal aviation disasters shifted many travelers view of air travel. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed increased media coverage of recent plane accidents for fueling public concerns about the safety of flying.