Carrier Identification Plate
The Carrier Identification Plate (CIP; to about German: identification plate of the carrier ) is a small, usually coated with a protective plastic plate in the shape and size of a credit card. Similar to a credit card, the international airline prefix number, the name of the airline and mostly also the logo are embossed on it.
Validation
In the computer age, airline tickets are usually printed or they are not used at all ( Etix , ticketless flying). In the event that flight tickets have to be written by hand (manual tickets, so-called NTs - neutral tickets ), their validation is necessary. This turns a blank, neutral ticket into a flight ticket issued for the airline concerned.
The validation is carried out by means of CIP, which is inserted into a validation machine ( validator , also within the industry, Vali); the machine is similar to the machines used for credit cards. With a left-right movement and after a typical noise, the embossing of the CIP is printed through on all those sides of the manual ticket that are self-inking on the reverse. In the validator there is also a fixed plate that contains the name and IATA number of the respective user of the validation device. These data are also transferred to the ticket pages during validation.
Because of the noise, this device is also called a " ratchet " in the industry.
pads
The validator and the corresponding CIPs are also used to make other documents valid for the respective airline . A CIP remains the property of the respective airline and its use and custody is strictly regulated. Only a fully-fledged IATA agency has access to CIPs . Since a CIP could also be used to validate stolen (and not yet blocked) manual flight tickets, which would then be submitted to an airline for cash reimbursement using industry-internal knowledge, there is a risk of improper or fraudulent use. Therefore, CIPs and validation devices and their storage are subject to strict requirements.
Web links
- Description and use (English) (PDF file; 20 kB)