Flight Numbers: A Quick Guide for Beginners
Is this your very first flying experience? It can be a thrilling as well as a terrifying experience. Airfarebooking is here to inform you about your flight number. We will assist you in check-in, finding the correct gate, and tracking your flight. Here is guidance on what a flight number is, how it can be found, and everything that every traveller should know about it.
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How Is a Flight Number Defined?
A flight number is generally a unique number assigned to a flight to identify them. It comprises:
A two-letter airline code (issued by the International Air Transport Association, IATA).
A 1-4 digit number indicating the flight route. For example, AI 144 is Air India’s flight from Newark to Mumbai. Flight numbers are very important for air traffic management and air traffic control.
How to Spot Your Flight Number?
You can find your flight number in a variety of ways:
On your ticket – Your booking confirmation carries your flight number.
On your boarding pass – It is mentioned on the pass you get on check-in.
In airline emails – Airlines provide confirmation emails that carry flight details such as flight number.
On airport departure screens – Airport departure screens carry flight numbers along with destination and gate information.
Through airline websites or mobile apps – You can look up your flight status by providing your booking information.
Flight numbers
Flight numbers vary by airline and route. Some examples are:
AI 126- Air India flight operating from Chicago to Delhi.
AA 150- American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Delhi.
SG 4001-SpiceJet flight from Hyderabad to Goa.
Each flight number is unique for a given airline on that route.
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How Do Airlines Assign Flight Numbers?
Airlines have specific patterns for the assignment of flight numbers, and there seems to be a very complex system behind it.
Even-numbered flights go east and north.
Odd-numbered flights go west and south.
Lower numbers are usually assigned to flights with the utmost importance.
Very important routes might carry single or double-digit numbers.
But these rules are not always strictly applied. Each airline has its procedure for assigning flight numbers.
Are Flight Numbers and PNR the Same?
Flight numbers are different from PNR numbers.
A PNR, i.e. Passenger Name Record, is a code for six characters that a booking is assigned to. Passenger information, flight itinerary, and booking status are all contained within the PNR. The PNR is available on your ticket and is used during check-in and reservation.
The flight number is used to identify a specific flight rather than a singular booking.
What a Flight Ticket Contains?
Your flight ticket holds valuable travel information, including:
Passenger name
Details of issuing agency
Ticket issue date
Period of validity
Flight number
Origin and destination information
Departure time and date
Payment type
Allowance on baggage
Refund and cancellation policy
Understand how to read your ticket to have a trouble-free trip.
Why Flight Numbers Are Significant?
Flight numbers assist agents and airline personnel in managing air travel. They:
Let air traffic control monitor flights and prevent confusion for that very reason.
Assist the passenger in finding the gate and departure time.
Enable airport personnel to coordinate boarding and handling of baggage.
Assist in tracking the flights through apps and websites.
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FAQs
- Are flight numbers synonymous with call signs?
Not so; flight numbers and call signs are not the same.
Tickets, boarding passes and the screens in the airport will show flight numbers.
The “call sign” refers to the word that the pilot uses to speak with the air traffic control.
Some airlines may use special call signs, for example, Speedbird for United Airlines.
- Is a flight number associated with a particular aircraft?
No, the flight number does not belong to a particular aircraft.
Airplanes fly different aircraft on the same airway route. A flight number simply represents the journey and is not related to the actual aircraft.
- Do flight numbers keep changing?
A flight number can be changed due to: Route changes, Changes in scheduling and
Company mergers. Nevertheless, most airlines leave the same number for charter routes.
- Why do certain flights bear a number that begins with zero?
Flight numbers that begin with 0 are mostly for: Charter flights, Relocation flights
and Non-commercial operations