BMI Flight Plan Numbers

[egll 28r]

Just curious why some Midland flights, flight plan as their normal Joe Public Flight Numbers while others file as different. eg the Madrid flight BD480 incoming through Hurn in the morning files as Midland 4M7 and the morning BD481 outgoing Ortac files as Midland 8G9? What's the logic in the numbering scheme?

Thanks

[cowboy]

probably call sign conflicts with some of their other flight numbers. normally the call sign will be the same as the commercial flight number. sometimes, however, if there are flights at similar times with similar numbers it can get a little confusing with atc - hence the alpha numerics to differentiate them.

[moleslayer]

Nearly correct cowboy........

To avoid callsign confusion...Yes, but "normally" the callsign is "never" the same as the Flight No. However the French do not yet accept the new alpha-numeric callsigns, so you will continue to hear the published Flight No. used when the destination is in France.

[ 01 March 2002: Message edited by: moleslayer ]</p>

[cossack]

[quote] However the French do not yet accept the new alpha-numeric callsigns, so you will continue to hear the published Flight No. used when the destination is in France.. .<hr></blockquote>

Is this is a blanket refusal by the French (most unlike them really :) ) or just anti-Midland? Why do BA flights to CDG from MAN have callsigns 16MP and 606B to name just two?

I know the Midland ones can be particularly challenging even to a native English speaker! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Edited to correct the spelling of this native English speaker! :)

[ 01 March 2002: Message edited by: cossack ]</p>