View Full Version : MAN Reports Thomson Callsign Query
Hey folks
Noticed some of the TOM fleet on MAN Reports Arr/Dep have callsigns such as TOM4CM, TOM9GT etc. Our flight back from ALC was TOM2214 Operated by G-FDZS (New 738) but on MAN Reports showed as TOM9GT
Is there any way to fathom all of these out to an actual flight number in order to find the routing of the Arr/Dep airports? Im at a loss as typing them into google which is a rather fruitless experience.
Cheers
CentreFix25
1st May 2009, 20:09
My understanding is TOM2214 is the flight number (on your ticket), TOM9GT is the callsign. How to link the two is beyond me.
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
2nd May 2009, 06:44
The two letter suffixes are callsigns used with ATC to prevent confusion and should be of no concern to passengers or other members of the public.
He isn't concerned, he is curious...big difference !
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
2nd May 2009, 08:56
OK, sorry... I used the wrong word. Blame it on my age!
Skipness One Echo
2nd May 2009, 11:26
other members of the public.
That's a wonderfully exclusive expression. Very modern and New Labour, like the Police use the expression "members of the public" as if we were a bloody minor subset.
Anyhoo, across much of the world the flight number and the callsign are one and the same. Some airlines, recently First Choice ( Charter ops but not scheduled flights ) , British Airways Connect ( aka BA Citiexpress ), some Ryanair, easyJet UK domestic and some international, Eastern Airways, some BMI, some BA etc use random alphanumeric callsigns.
The best example is Lufthansa short haul who do this and change the callsign every season when the flight number remains the same. Is all done to prevent callsign confusion which confuses me as the US has more callsigns but less confusion. Even Loganair, the only airline on the frequency on most of their routes now do this as well....