Company is an informal term used on the radio to identify another aircraft operated by the same carrier. Pilots use it to ask air traffic control about the ride conditions experienced by their colleagues ahead of them on the same route. It saves time on frequency by avoiding the need to read out full callsigns when referencing sister ships.
Heard on the job
Center, can you check with company ahead and see if they're still getting chopped up at flight level three three zero?
Insider tip
You will often hear pilots ask ATC for company ride reports to figure out if they need to change altitude to avoid turbulence.
Also heard as
- company traffic