Not really an issue, because of the international phonetic alphabet. The numbers could be read individually. The Aeronautical Information Manual reference for ATC communications can be found at http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/aim/Chap4/aim0402.html. Always a good read...LOL. Walter DCA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matthew Montano" <mmontano@direct.ca> To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 13:23 Subject: Re: United's flight number scheme (was Re: AC's 3xxx flight #s) > Insightful. > > United's 7xxx are now Express flights. > > Another curious question, though I have no direct evidence of it myself. = > Are there any flight numbers that due to linguistic reasons are not = > used? For example manufacturers of products with serial numbers with = > either use 1's or I's, but never both (same goes with O's and 0's.) > > Matthew > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of = > Michael C. Berch > Sent: January 25, 2002 12:31 PM > To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Subject: United's flight number scheme (was Re: AC's 3xxx flight #s) > > > As of a year or two ago, United's scheme was approximately this: > > UA1-UA2 Round-the-world flights (gone = > now?) > UA3-UA799 General domestic and = > Canada flights > UA800-899 Pacific flights (incl. = > US continuation segments) > UA900-999 Atlantic flights (incl. = > US continuation segments) > UA1000-1999 General domestic and Canada = > flights > UA2000-2999 Shuttle by United (gone now) > UA3000-3999 Code shares on other carriers > UA4000-6999 United Express (operated by = > contractors) > UA7000-7999 Unused? Charters? Cargo? > UA8000-8999 Reserved for ATC renumbering* > UA9000-9999 Special flights - charters, = > extra "passenger > protection" sections, > delivery and = > repositioning flights, etc. > > Normally even numbers are eastbound, odd are westbound. > > * When flights with a similar or the same number would overlap in an ATC = > sector, one of the flights is renumbered, usually flight number + > 8000. For example, let's say UA921 operates LHR-ORD-LAX (with a change > of equipment in ORD). If the inbound from London is seriously delayed, = > UA may dispatch the domestic continuation (most of whose pax have no = > idea "their" flight is delayed inbound, since there's an empty 767 = > sitting there at the gate), and the inbound LHR-LAX pax will be > accommodated on other flights. The domestic leg will be redesignated > UA8921 for ATC purposes so it does not get confused with the "real" = > UA921 coming in from LHR. > > These schemes have been upset by the termination of Shuttle by United; = > it would be nice to know UA's current scheme, although I'm sure it is = > somewhat similar. > > -- > Michael C. Berch > mcb@postmodern.com