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Airline / AWB Prefix Lookup

airline_lookup
Read-onlyIdempotent

Search 6,356 airlines by name, IATA code, ICAO code, AWB prefix, or country. AWB prefixes are the first 3 digits of an air waybill number and identify the issuing carrier (e.g. 176 = Emirates).

Provide ONE parameter: query is a ranked fuzzy search across names and codes; iata / icao / prefix / country are exact filters.

Behavior: read-only; fuzzy query hits report their match quality through the envelope's confidence (basis match_quality, score 0-1) with a FUZZY_BEST_MATCH advisory naming the matched field; a query that contains no name falls back to the closest names in the dataset ("Emirats" → Emirates). A query or country answer is a list: summary rows, 25 per page, with total, truncated and next_offset (full: true for full records); an iata / icao / prefix answer is the holder records in full. Rate-limited: a limit error carries reset_at, the UTC time the allowance resets.

Returns: count and results[] — per airline: airline_name, iata_code, icao_code, awb_prefix[], callsign, country, has_cargo and verification fields (aliases and sources in full records); prefix_shared + prefix_holders on every record with a prefix; on cargo records operational_status (active / ceased / unknown) with operational_status_basis, restrictions[] when the EU or UK Air Safety List names the carrier, and carrier-published cargo_website / tracking_url_template / dg_acceptance_url where they exist — under result, plus confidence, _source and citation (the FreightUtils v1 response envelope).

Limitations: this dataset's provenance is pending independent verification (the envelope's provenance_status says so) — confirm operationally critical codes with IATA/ICAO or the carrier.

Related: airport_lookup (searches AIRPORTS, not carriers), validate (checks an AWB number's check digit and names its airline from this dataset when one record holds the prefix, otherwise lists the candidates).

Identifiers: Each record carries fu_id, a stable FreightUtils identifier (and fu_version_id where the dataset has editions); resolve_reference resolves one to exactly its record.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
fullNoLists only: true returns full records (provenance, sources, rationale) instead of summary rows. A single-record call always returns the full record.
iataNoExact IATA code (2 alphanumeric chars)
icaoNoExact ICAO code (3 letters)
codesNoBatch: up to 50 airline codes — 2 characters IATA, 3 letters ICAO, 3 digits AWB prefix — answered as results[] in input order, each with its own status. Send alone.
limitNoLists only: rows per page (default: every row for summaries; 5 with full: true).
queryNoGeneral search (name, code, prefix or country — 2 to 200 chars)
offsetNoLists only: rows to skip (default 0). The response gives total and next_offset.
prefixNoAWB prefix (3 digits)
countryNoFilter by country name (min 2 chars)

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
okYes
_metaNo
as_ofNo
resultYes
statusNo
_sourceYes
editionNo
citationYes
validityNo
warningsNo
confidenceYes
missing_inputsNo
blocking_errorsNo
envelope_versionYes
normalized_inputNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / upstream
      Added value: +{
      +  "additionalProperties": {},
      +  "properties": {
      +    "datasets": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {
      +        "additionalProperties": {},
      +        "properties": {
      +          "kind": {
      +            "anyOf": [
      +              {
      +                "enum": [
      +                  "watched",
      +                  "checksum-only",
      +                  "manual"
      +                ],
      +                "type": "string"
      +              },
      +              {
      +                "type": "null"
      +              }
      +            ]
      +          },
      +          "last_success": {
      +            "type": [
      +              "string",
      +              "null"
      +            ]
      +          },
      +          "reason": {
      +            "type": "string"
      +          },
      +          "stale": {
      +            "type": "boolean"
      +          },
      +          "state": {
      +            "enum": [
      +              "in_step",
      +              "changed_upstream",
      +              "schema_drift",
      +              "unreachable",
      +              "window_missed",
      +              "unknown"
      +            ],
      +            "type": "string"
      +          },
      +          "window_days": {
      +            "type": [
      +              "number",
      +              "null"
      +            ]
      +          }
      +        },
      +        "required": [
      +          "state",
      +          "kind",
      +          "last_success",
      +          "window_days",
      +          "stale"
      +        ],
      +        "type": "object"
      +      },
      +      "propertyNames": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "stale": {
      +      "type": "boolean"
      +    },
      +    "state": {
      +      "enum": [
      +        "in_step",
      +        "changed_upstream",
      +        "schema_drift",
      +        "unreachable",
      +        "window_missed",
      +        "unknown"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "state_read_at": {
      +      "type": [
      +        "string",
      +        "null"
      +      ]
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "state",
      +    "stale",
      +    "state_read_at",
      +    "datasets"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / ids
      Added value: +{
      +  "additionalProperties": false,
      +  "properties": {
      +    "pattern": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "scheme": {
      +      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
      +      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
      +      "type": "integer"
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "scheme",
      +    "pattern"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  3. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • removedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / receipt / properties / reason / const
      Removed value: -"key_required"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / receipt / properties / reason / enum
      Added value: +[
      +  "key_required",
      +  "quota"
      +]
  4. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / receipt
      Added value: +{
      +  "additionalProperties": {},
      +  "properties": {
      +    "created_at": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "dataset_version": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "propertyNames": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "engine_version": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "inputs": {},
      +    "reason": {
      +      "const": "key_required",
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "receipt_hash": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "result": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {},
      +      "propertyNames": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "schema_version": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "stored": {
      +      "const": false,
      +      "type": "boolean"
      +    },
      +    "tool": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "stored",
      +    "reason",
      +    "schema_version",
      +    "receipt_hash",
      +    "created_at",
      +    "tool",
      +    "inputs",
      +    "dataset_version",
      +    "engine_version",
      +    "result"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  5. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta / properties / edition_basis
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  6. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / codes
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Batch: up to 50 airline codes — 2 characters IATA, 3 letters ICAO, 3 digits AWB prefix — answered as results[] in input order, each with its own status. Send alone.",
      +  "items": {
      +    "maxLength": 4,
      +    "type": "string"
      +  },
      +  "maxItems": 50,
      +  "minItems": 1,
      +  "type": "array"
      +}
  7. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _meta
      Added value: +{
      +  "additionalProperties": {},
      +  "properties": {
      +    "check_id": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "receipt_url": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  8. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / as_of
      Added value: +{
      +  "pattern": "^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / edition
      Added value: +{
      +  "anyOf": [
      +    {
      +      "additionalProperties": false,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "applies_from": {
      +          "type": [
      +            "string",
      +            "null"
      +          ]
      +        },
      +        "may_apply_until": {
      +          "type": [
      +            "string",
      +            "null"
      +          ]
      +        },
      +        "name": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "name",
      +        "applies_from",
      +        "may_apply_until"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    {
      +      "type": "null"
      +    }
      +  ]
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / envelope_version / enum
      Previous value: -[
      -  "1",
      -  "1.1"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "1",
      +  "1.1",
      +  "1.2"
      +]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / missing_inputs
      Added value: +{
      +  "items": {
      +    "type": "string"
      +  },
      +  "type": "array"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / status
      Added value: +{
      +  "enum": [
      +    "ok",
      +    "partial",
      +    "not_found",
      +    "unsupported",
      +    "ambiguous"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  9. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"General search (name, code, prefix or country — min 2 chars)"New value: +"General search (name, code, prefix or country — 2 to 200 chars)"
    • addedInput schema / properties / query / maxLength
      Added value: +200
  10. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • removedOutput schema / properties / validity / properties / effective_to / anyOf
      Removed value: -[
      -  {
      -    "type": "string"
      -  },
      -  {
      -    "type": "null"
      -  }
      -]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / validity / properties / effective_to / type
      Added value: +[
      +  "string",
      +  "null"
      +]
  11. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
  12. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / full
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Lists only: true returns full records (provenance, sources, rationale) instead of summary rows. A single-record call always returns the full record.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / limit
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Lists only: rows per page (default: every row for summaries; 5 with full: true).",
      +  "maximum": 100,
      +  "minimum": 1,
      +  "type": "integer"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / offset
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Lists only: rows to skip (default 0). The response gives total and next_offset.",
      +  "maximum": 9007199254740991,
      +  "minimum": 0,
      +  "type": "integer"
      +}
  13. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _source / properties / authority_current_edition
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _source / properties / checked_at
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / _source / properties / dataset_edition
      Added value: +{
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / envelope_version / const
      Removed value: -"1"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / envelope_version / enum
      Added value: +[
      +  "1",
      +  "1.1"
      +]
  14. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
      +  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
      +  "additionalProperties": false,
      +  "properties": {
      +    "_source": {
      +      "additionalProperties": false,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "checked": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "name": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "provenance_status": {
      +          "enum": [
      +            "verified",
      +            "pending-verification",
      +            "computed",
      +            "live"
      +          ],
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "source_url": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "name",
      +        "checked",
      +        "provenance_status"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "blocking_errors": {
      +      "items": {
      +        "additionalProperties": false,
      +        "properties": {
      +          "code": {
      +            "type": "string"
      +          },
      +          "message": {
      +            "type": "string"
      +          },
      +          "recovery": {
      +            "additionalProperties": false,
      +            "properties": {
      +              "action": {
      +                "type": "string"
      +              },
      +              "params": {
      +                "additionalProperties": {},
      +                "propertyNames": {
      +                  "type": "string"
      +                },
      +                "type": "object"
      +              },
      +              "tool": {
      +                "type": "string"
      +              }
      +            },
      +            "required": [
      +              "action"
      +            ],
      +            "type": "object"
      +          }
      +        },
      +        "required": [
      +          "code",
      +          "message",
      +          "recovery"
      +        ],
      +        "type": "object"
      +      },
      +      "type": "array"
      +    },
      +    "citation": {
      +      "additionalProperties": false,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "qualifier": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "text": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "text"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "confidence": {
      +      "additionalProperties": false,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "basis": {
      +          "enum": [
      +            "deterministic",
      +            "provenance",
      +            "match_quality",
      +            "freshness"
      +          ],
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "level": {
      +          "enum": [
      +            "high",
      +            "medium",
      +            "low"
      +          ],
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "score": {
      +          "maximum": 1,
      +          "minimum": 0,
      +          "type": "number"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "level",
      +        "basis"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "envelope_version": {
      +      "const": "1",
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "normalized_input": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {},
      +      "propertyNames": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "ok": {
      +      "type": "boolean"
      +    },
      +    "result": {
      +      "additionalProperties": {},
      +      "propertyNames": {
      +        "type": "string"
      +      },
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "validity": {
      +      "additionalProperties": false,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "as_of": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "effective_from": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "effective_to": {
      +          "anyOf": [
      +            {
      +              "type": "string"
      +            },
      +            {
      +              "type": "null"
      +            }
      +          ]
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "as_of"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "warnings": {
      +      "items": {
      +        "additionalProperties": false,
      +        "properties": {
      +          "code": {
      +            "type": "string"
      +          },
      +          "details": {
      +            "additionalProperties": {},
      +            "propertyNames": {
      +              "type": "string"
      +            },
      +            "type": "object"
      +          },
      +          "message": {
      +            "type": "string"
      +          }
      +        },
      +        "required": [
      +          "code",
      +          "message"
      +        ],
      +        "type": "object"
      +      },
      +      "type": "array"
      +    }
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "envelope_version",
      +    "ok",
      +    "result",
      +    "confidence",
      +    "_source",
      +    "citation"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  15. Changed9 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / country / description
      Previous value: -"Filter by country"New value: +"Filter by country name (min 2 chars)"
    • addedInput schema / properties / country / minLength
      Added value: +2
    • changedInput schema / properties / iata / description
      Previous value: -"Exact IATA code (2 chars)"New value: +"Exact IATA code (2 alphanumeric chars)"
    • addedInput schema / properties / iata / pattern
      Added value: +"^[A-Za-z0-9]{2}$"
    • changedInput schema / properties / icao / description
      Previous value: -"Exact ICAO code (3 chars)"New value: +"Exact ICAO code (3 letters)"
    • addedInput schema / properties / icao / pattern
      Added value: +"^[A-Za-z]{3}$"
    • addedInput schema / properties / prefix / pattern
      Added value: +"^\\d{3}$"
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"General search"New value: +"General search (name, code, prefix or country — min 2 chars)"
    • addedInput schema / properties / query / minLength
      Added value: +2
  16. First observed

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well past the annotations: pagination shape (summary rows, 25 per page, total/truncated/next_offset), the asymmetry between list answers and full holder records for iata/icao/prefix, fuzzy fallback behavior with a concrete example ('Emirats' → Emirates), and rate-limit semantics (limit error carries reset_at in UTC). The 'stale/no warranty' caveat (provenance_status pending verification) is exactly the kind of risk context annotations cannot convey.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded and labeled (Behavior, Returns, Limitations, Related, Identifiers), which helps scanning. However, the long 'Returns' paragraph enumerates output fields one by one even though an output schema exists, so a sizeable portion of the text is redundant with structured data rather than adding to it.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Covers everything an agent needs for a 9-parameter, zero-required lookup: how to choose the one parameter, what each answer shape looks like, paging, rate limits, provenance risk, and identifier resolution via resolve_reference. Nothing material is missing given the annotations and output schema already in place.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning: the fuzzy-vs-exact split between query and the code filters, why prefix is three digits, and that a query without a name falls back to closest names. That is interpretive guidance the schema patterns alone do not provide.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Opens with a specific verb and resource plus dataset scale ('Search 6,356 airlines by name, IATA code, ICAO code, AWB prefix, or country') and immediately explains what an AWB prefix is. It explicitly separates itself from airport_lookup ('searches AIRPORTS, not carriers') and validate, so an agent can pick it without opening a schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives a clear routing rule for its own parameters ('Provide ONE parameter: query is ranked fuzzy... iata / icao / prefix / country are exact filters') and names two alternatives with their triggering conditions (airport_lookup for airports, validate for check-digit validation). It stops short of stating when not to use the tool at all, but the alternative routing is explicit.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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