AEP Colour Codes — What the Pass Colours Mean
Last updated: 6 Jul 2026Reviewed by Ms. Rubab Nizami, Lead AVSEC Faculty
In short
AEP colour codes show, at a glance, which airport zones a staff pass allows. The colours map to zones — such as terminal, apron or all-areas — so security can see instantly whether a person is in a zone they are cleared for. The exact colour-to-zone scheme is set by each airport under BCAS rules, so always follow your own airport's key.
- Purpose
- Show which zones a pass allows
- Set by
- Each airport, under BCAS rules
- Read together with
- The zone the person is in
What do AEP colours mean?
Each colour on an AEP maps to a set of zones the holder may enter — for example a colour for the terminal, another for the apron, and one for all areas. A screener can glance at the colour and the zone and know instantly whether the person belongs there.
Are AEP colours the same at every airport?
Not exactly. The colour-coded zone concept is standard, but the precise colour-to-zone mapping is set locally by each airport under BCAS rules. That is why staff are trained on their own airport's colour key rather than assuming a single national palette.
At a glance
- AEP colours map to the zones a pass allows.
- They let security check access at a glance.
- The exact colour scheme is set per airport under BCAS rules.
Quick answers
Do AEP colours mean the same thing everywhere in India?
The concept is standard, but the exact colour-to-zone mapping is set per airport — follow your airport's key.
Why are AEPs colour-coded?
So security can see at a glance whether someone is in a zone their pass allows.