KIAC

This article is about the computer reservations system. For the athletic conference formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, see River States Conference. For the Klondike Institute for Arts and Culture, see Yukon School of Visual Arts.

KIAC, an abbreviation of Key Information for Air Cargo, is a computer reservations system owned and used by FedEx for booking cargo space on their freighter aircraft. It is an old IBM PO4 system and was brought to FedEx with the purchase of Flying Tigers in 1989.

History

KIAC was initially designed as a tracking/tracing system with Unit Load Device (ULD) control and shipment movement data appended to each airbill/air waybill, but subsequently grew to include several other facets in order to remain competitive with growing automation in the industry. Flying Tigers played a major role in the development and implementation of interfaces with Customs systems worldwide, and with many other aspects of developments in the airline cargo world through its participation in IATA and ATA.

Support

KIAC is supported by the company's KIAC System Support Group (KSSG) based in Los Angeles. Mainframe support is operated by Network Operations Control (NOC) in Memphis, Tennessee.

Future

KIAC is due to be replaced in the near future by a server-based system and taken off of the mainframe. It will be more user friendly by using English commands as opposed to the present three-letter acronyms.