Definition
A continuous broadcast of recorded non-control aerodrome information in busy terminal areas. ATIS provides arriving and departing aircraft with current, routine information such as runway in use, surface wind, visibility, ceiling, temperature, dew point, altimeter setting, and any other operationally significant details, so this material does not have to be repeated on the air traffic control frequency.
Plain English
A looped recording at busy airports that tells pilots the current weather and runway information before they call the tower or approach. Listening to it first means the controller does not have to read everything out for each aircraft.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this before contacting tower, approach control, or ground control at airports that provide the service.
Derivation
From the idea that the service runs automatically (a continuous loop) and serves the terminal area (the airspace and airport surface around a busy airport). The [ICAO] tag means this is the international definition, used in the same way worldwide.
Why Pilots Care
It lets every pilot receive identical, up-to-date airport information without adding to radio congestion and helps them plan their arrival or departure safely and efficiently.
Intuition Check
“Terminal” does not mean a passenger building here. It means the airport area used by arriving and departing aircraft. “Automatic” does not mean the pilot stops checking or thinking; it means the information is delivered without a controller repeating it each time.
Example Sentence 1
Before taxi, the pilot tuned in ATIS and noted that Information Charlie reported runway 27 in use with a 10-knot wind.
Example Sentence 2
After listening to the latest Automatic Terminal Information Service [ICAO], the crew confirmed the active runway and altimeter setting matched the broadcast.