flight numbers
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 329
Likes: 21
From: Oz
Err - that is except for the odd numbered ones that go west and also except for the even numbered ones that go east.
AFAIK flight numbers are entirely company specific and company assigned, but do follow some conventions within companies. Perhaps that is the case with the east/west thing in Junk's company.
Also some marketing involvement - a lot of flights to and from HKG for instance have one or more 8s in their number (8 is seen as a lucky in that part of the world).
Hope that helps.
Esrev.
AFAIK flight numbers are entirely company specific and company assigned, but do follow some conventions within companies. Perhaps that is the case with the east/west thing in Junk's company.
Also some marketing involvement - a lot of flights to and from HKG for instance have one or more 8s in their number (8 is seen as a lucky in that part of the world).
Hope that helps.
Esrev.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 454
Likes: 3
From: Georgia, USA
PPRuNeaholic
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Cairns FNQ
The numbering system might be based on railway practice, where the determining factor is whether the train is travelling away from, or toward, the country or provincial capital city. From my own somewhat limited observation of flight numbering, it seems that odd numbers are used for flights away from the main base and even numbers used for flights to the main base. This might change a bit when a company has several bases.
As to the allocation of numbers, I'm sure that it's company-specific, perhaps with the lowest numbers used on flights to the operator's most significant destinations. And, as has already been said, it's possible that operators include an "8" in flight numbers for those flights which go to South East Asia.
As to the allocation of numbers, I'm sure that it's company-specific, perhaps with the lowest numbers used on flights to the operator's most significant destinations. And, as has already been said, it's possible that operators include an "8" in flight numbers for those flights which go to South East Asia.
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 3
From: on the golf course (Covid permitting)
In BA there is a system of sorts (I'm talking mainline).
Flight numbers 1-299 = Long Haul, 300 + = shorthaul. 1000 series = LHR domestic, 2000 series = LGW. There are more for different franchises, codeshares etc.
Interestingly, LHR SH = even numbers outbound and odd inbound. In LH this is the other way round, ie odd out, even in. This is baked in history, I think, dating from BEA and BOAC days.
There are other rules of thumb, 300 series flights tend to be France, 400 Spain, 500 Italy, 700 Austria/Switzerland, 800 Eastern Block, 900 Germany.
Flight numbers 1-299 = Long Haul, 300 + = shorthaul. 1000 series = LHR domestic, 2000 series = LGW. There are more for different franchises, codeshares etc.
Interestingly, LHR SH = even numbers outbound and odd inbound. In LH this is the other way round, ie odd out, even in. This is baked in history, I think, dating from BEA and BOAC days.
There are other rules of thumb, 300 series flights tend to be France, 400 Spain, 500 Italy, 700 Austria/Switzerland, 800 Eastern Block, 900 Germany.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
Likes: 5
From: Wor Yerm
Here's a big question! In my company, we have blocks of flight numbers, odds outbound and evens inbound. Unfortunately, this leads to lots of opportunities with callsign confusion having the 1808, 1008, 1508 etc. in the same piece of air at the same time. So to get round the confusion, we have introduced random two digit plus one alpha callsigns which are different from the flight numbers. This is helps but unfortunately, this device cannot be used with the three figured numbers used for long haul. Apparently, the international ATC system can't use these for overflight permissions as many third world countries can't handle the alpha element of the callsign.
But to cut the answer short, they are generally creations of the logic of marketing departments, therefore company controlled. Then, when safety gets to be an issue (like callsign confusion), the Operations (ATM) departments of the company produce a "fix".
PM
But to cut the answer short, they are generally creations of the logic of marketing departments, therefore company controlled. Then, when safety gets to be an issue (like callsign confusion), the Operations (ATM) departments of the company produce a "fix".
PM
