View Full Version : Same flight number eastbound and westbound?
Mark in CA
27th Jan 2009, 22:36
Today I had my first experience with two flights traveling in opposite directions with the same flight number. United 6591 goes from DEN to SGF, and United 6591 goes from SGF to DEN. In more than 50 years of flying, I've never encountered this before. I even called United just to confirm it wasn't a mistake, and they tell me it's correct. I thought all eastbound flights were odd numbered, and all westbound flights even numbered. Has something changed recently?
Besides confusing me, it apparently also confused the United.com computer. After booking the flights (for my wife), I used the links on the confirmation page to download the flight segments to my Outlook calendar. The two links for the two 6591 flights both returned the same flight info! Couldn't get it to recognize the return flight with the same number.
Michael SWS
28th Jan 2009, 05:43
Strictly, this isn't two separate flights but a single flight with two segments - Denver to Springfield and then from Springfield to Denver. Probably something to do with the fact that it's a codeshare operated by SkyWest.
Mark in CA
4th Feb 2009, 18:23
Ah. That would explain it. Thanks.
frnikolai
4th Feb 2009, 19:12
I always thought it would be number-coordinated. outbound 8363 - inbound 8364?
US carriers have done this (always on just a few odd flights in their schedules) for years. Can't explain it.
Hartington
8th Feb 2009, 03:18
I suspect the answer is actually quite simple - the airlines are running out of flight numbers. This method "saves" a flight number.
I've just come across a slightly different oddity - one flight number, two aircraft. The airline is "Stewart Island Flights" and I just flew Invercargill (New Zealand) to the island and back. Aircraft were Islanders. One flight number was called and as we approached the gate they handed out different coloured boarding passes; one pilot then called for the yellow group to follow him and the other called for the blue group. We boarded the two planes in our groups and taxied out one after the other and simply followed one another across the Foveaux Strait. I was priveleged to get the seat next to the pilot and as the other islander led us across he told me his aircraft had shorter props than the one in front so it went slightly slower! Result was almost home made separation because the first aircraft was neatly tucked away just off the runway as we landed. No terminal as such - just two minibuses to meet us with large trailers and a two minute drive down into "town". Brilliant operation.
Oh, and no security anywhere in sight.