Definition
An INREQ is a message transmitted by air traffic control or a flight service station to request information about an overdue or unreported aircraft. It is the first stage of alerting action, sent to facilities along the aircraft's route to determine whether the flight has been seen, heard from, or has landed.
Plain English
When an aircraft is overdue and no one knows where it is, controllers send out a message asking other facilities, 'Have you heard from this flight?' That message is called an INREQ.
Context Anchor
Seen in overdue-aircraft and search-and-rescue procedures, especially when a filed flight plan has not been closed or an expected report has not been received.
Derivation
Short for 'Information Request.' The contraction is used in teletype and message traffic where short, standard codes are needed for speed and clarity.
Why Pilots Care
Prompts quick location and assistance for overdue or missing aircraft, directly supporting safety and rescue efforts.
Intuition Check
Do not read Inreq as a distress call by itself. It is a request for information that may happen before a situation is confirmed as an emergency.
Example Sentence 1
When the aircraft was 30 minutes overdue at its destination, the flight service station issued an INREQ to facilities along the route.
Example Sentence 2
An INREQ was issued to confirm the pilot's position and fuel status.