Flight Tracker

Track any flight worldwide using AviationStack API and display in a clean, Flighty-style format.

Quick Start

Track a flight by its IATA code:

scripts/track_flight.py AA100
scripts/track_flight.py UA2402
scripts/track_flight.py BA123

First-Time Setup

Before using this skill, you need an API key (one-time setup):

Get a free API key at https://aviationstack.com/signup/free (100 requests/month)

Set environment variable:

export AVIATIONSTACK_API_KEY='your-key-here'

Install dependencies:
```
pip3 install requests
```

For detailed setup instructions, see api-setup.md.

Output Format

The skill displays flight information in a clean, readable format with:

✈️ Airline and flight number
🛩️ Aircraft type and registration
🛫 Departure airport, terminal, gate, times
🛬 Arrival airport, terminal, gate, times
📊 Flight status with visual indicators
⏱️ Delay calculations (if applicable)
🌐 Live position, altitude, speed (when airborne)

Status indicators:

🟢 Active/Airborne/En-route
✅ Landed/Arrived
🟡 Scheduled
🟠 Delayed
🔴 Cancelled

Advanced Usage

Get raw JSON data:

scripts/track_flight.py AA100 --json

Check help:

scripts/track_flight.py --help

Workflow

When a user asks to track a flight:

Extract the flight number from the request
Run the tracking script with the flight number
Present the formatted output to the user
If data is needed for further processing, use --json flag

Flight Number Formats

Accept IATA flight codes:

AA100 (American Airlines)
UA2402 (United)
BA123 (British Airways)
DL456 (Delta)

The script automatically converts to uppercase and handles the lookup.

Error Handling

The script handles common errors:

Missing API key → Shows setup instructions
Flight not found → Suggests verification
API errors → Displays error message
Rate limit exceeded → Indicates limit reached

API Limits

Free tier: 100 requests/month. Track usage to stay within limits. For heavy usage, consider upgrading or alternative APIs (see references/api-setup.md).

Notes

Uses AviationStack free tier (no HTTPS on free plan)
Real-time data updated frequently
Historical flight data available
Worldwide coverage (250+ countries, 13,000+ airlines)

flight-tracker