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A comment on Airlines Are Running Out of Flight Numbers, and They Don't Know What to Do.

Re:Airlines Are Running Out of Flight Numbers, and They Don'... by usr1106 on Sunday August 04, 2024 @10:44PM (#41157729)
I remember my wife was on a charter flight with 3 initial letters many years ago (in Europe). And when I tried to look up the arrival, many systems could not handle the flight number.

Now slightly unsure whether I did not dream up the whole episode, I did a web search and found https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/157429/what-is-th...

So IATA seems to have formally introduced that in 1994. (Whether they have abandoned it again later I don't know.) So big airlines could just get a additional 3rd letter(s). The first 2 would not have to change, which makes it easier for humans.

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Re:Airlines Are Running Out of Flight Numbers, and They Don'... by cett on Monday August 05, 2024 @01:44AM (#41158438)
It's more likely that the flight in question was using the three letter ICAO code in its passenger facing flight number. I have never known a three character IATA code to be used despite it technically being within the specification.
[ Parent | on HN ]