An Interesting Casual Observation about an Airline's Flight Numbering Scheme

N918KT

N918KT

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I just realized that a pattern forms with how airlines number their flight numbers. I noticed that a 2-digit flight number is reserved for long-haul/international flights, 3-digits for medium-haul/transcontinental flights, and 4-digits for short-haul/regional flights. Has anyone noticed this kind of flight numbering scheme?
 
I hadn't paid that any attention, I did know that the 4 digit codes used to be for "commuter" flights, which are now just short haul regular flights.
I did find out this week that on Delta Business class they take the food orders from the front on even numbered flights and start at the rear on odd numbered flights. Good to know so you don't get stuck with the steak salad, which looked horrible! :D

N918KT said:
I just realized that a pattern forms with how airlines number their flight numbers. I noticed that a 2-digit flight number is reserved for long-haul/international flights, 3-digits for medium-haul/transcontinental flights, and 4-digits for short-haul/regional flights. Has anyone noticed this kind of flight numbering scheme?
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Not sure that is entirely true. Delta for example has plenty of long haul US flights with 4digit flight numbers. All of the San Diego to ATL flights are 4 digit.
 
AA#1 and AA#2... JFK-LAX and back. It's been this way for at least 35 years, probably more. -Skip
 
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I fly BA flight 227 tomorrow from Heathrow to Hartsfield, I'd consider that a long haul.
 
Henning said:
I fly BA flight 227 tomorrow from Heathrow to Hartsfield, I'd consider that a long haul.
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It's 226 going the other way. Enjoy F concourse. I forget the DAL code share flight number.

DAL295 is the daily ATL-NRT flight.

99XX & 88XX are the ferry flights for DAL. That's all I really care to remember working at ATL.

I tried to put some logic behind the flight numbers but the theories never held.
 
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Cpt_Kirk said:
It's 226 going the other way. Enjoy F concourse. I forget the DAL code share flight number.

DAL295 is the daily ATL-NRT flight.

99XX & 88XX are the ferry flights for DAL. That's all I really care to remember working at ATL.

I tried to put some logic behind the flight numbers but the theories never hold.
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Delta & British Airways don't codeshare, different alliances.
 
I've been curious about the numbering for a awhile, just haven't thought to ask the lead flight coordinator about their origination. The patterns I see so far is that each of our stations have a different series number that's sub-divided according to the leg. Ie: All DEC routes are 25XX, all JBR routes are 27XX, but as always, there's an exception to that where all our BRL routes are 26XX, except for one with which is a 2904? :dunno: Then there are the aforementioned subdivisions such as as an STL-DEC 2500/02/04... and DEC-ORD 2510/12/14... With the evens being the Northbound legs and the odds being Southbound legs.

Then add in the specialties, such as night currency being 999, training flights are 520, and checkrides are 728...
 
us AAirways said:
Are any flights numbered 666 ?
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iron-maiden-flight-666-467500.jpg
 
I think there is an ICAO standard for that. Its mandatory for mode s to broadcast Flight numbers on transponder squitters in Europe since 2005. I believe flight id is a replacement for 4096 codes, because handling things with so few codes became a problem in Europe.
 
The UAL flight route ORD-CMH used to always have the flight number 1492.

AWE and COA had a PIT-LAS and a EWR-LAS flight with the number 777.

Get it? :)
 
N918KT said:
I just realized that a pattern forms with how airlines number their flight numbers. I noticed that a 2-digit flight number is reserved for long-haul/international flights, 3-digits for medium-haul/transcontinental flights, and 4-digits for short-haul/regional flights. Has anyone noticed this kind of flight numbering scheme?
Click to expand...

United runs a bunch of 3 digit flights across the oceans. Both Pacific and Atlantic. And I've got a 4 digit pair of flights on Friday - SEA-IAH-EWR. I'm not sure what the logic is for the number of digits, but they do define the number ranges for various code shares.
 
MarkZ said:
The UAL flight route ORD-CMH used to always have the flight number 1492.

AWE and COA had a PIT-LAS and a EWR-LAS flight with the number 777.

Get it? :)
Click to expand...

Slot machines?
 
N918KT said:
I just realized that a pattern forms with how airlines number their flight numbers. I noticed that a 2-digit flight number is reserved for long-haul/international flights, 3-digits for medium-haul/transcontinental flights, and 4-digits for short-haul/regional flights. Has anyone noticed this kind of flight numbering scheme?
Click to expand...

It varies and there is not firm rule on how an airline chooses to number their flights. BA recently started using flight 1 and 2 again. They were previously exclusive to the Concorde. Now they are flights between New York and London City airport.

Many long haul flights are actually 3 digits, as are many domestic flights. Just look at flightstats for any large airport like JFK, LAX, SFO to look at all departing or arriving flights. The majority are 3 digits.

The thing that can confuse people are the codeshare flight numbers. That's when one airline (e.g. UA) flies the actual route (e.g. EWR-FRA), but it's partners like Lufthansa, Swiss, Singapore, etc. also list/sell the same flight on their schedule with a large 4 digit number, often in the 5xxx-8xxx range.

And don't get me started on the practice of using one flight number for a multi-segment trip (e.g. PHL-ORD-SFO) where each leg is a totally different aircraft, and involves switching gates, transferring luggage, etc. In the old days, a single flight number meant you stayed on the plane and it continued onto the next destination.... But I digress. It's not the old days any more....
 
United specifically, they have a bunch of rules behind the numbering. Something like 0-99 UAL, 100-199 former CO, 200-999, former UA, 1000-1999 former CO, 2000 + code shares. I probably have that mucked up a bit, but I aim for sub-1000 when traveling because I prefer old school unites, whatever is left of it.
 
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