SITA's own site, where registration is offered, is sita.aero.

International airlines, airports and major aerospace firms are flocking to sign up for a new master internet domain created to provide a haven for the civil aviation industry, the firm managing the project has claimed.

The domain, .aero, will go live from September 2nd and will provide an umbrella for companies and groupings involved in flying - from the biggest players down to small airfield clubs.

"There has been fantastic interest right across the board and it is clear this was just what the industry wanted," said Mr Martin Gaskell, director in charge of the project at global aviation information technology provider SITA.

This is the first time a specific industry grouping has developed its own domain on the internet.

Mr Gaskell said that since .aero registration was opened in March, 1,711 names - including sites for sector giants like German airline Lufthansa, New York's Kennedy Airport and engine-maker Rolls Royce - have been approved. Links from their present websites under other domains will take internet users into the new ones.

Until creation of .aero, the multiple branches of the aviation industry were spread widely across the Web under various domain names including the catch-all .com, as well as .int, .org and .net

Part of the problem was that almost anyone could register a site under those domains, leaving the way open to "cybersquatters" using well-known brand-names and then demanding a high payment for giving it up.

"Large numbers of aviation companies missed out on registering their brands as .com domain names and will now want to protect them under .aero," said Mr Gaskell.