Gg190 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2005, 160 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 3624 times:
What airlines use callsigns which bear no relation to airlines name? Are there any explantations as to why they use that callsign?
One I can think of is British Airways using the "Speedbird" callsign. As is well known this dates back to the BOAC days. And BOAC used it becuase "speedbird" was the name given to their logo.
Kiwiandrew From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8435 posts, RR: 14 Reply 2, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 3605 times:
Air Florida used to be "Palm" IIRC - while America West was ( maybe still is until the HP designator disappears completely ) "Cactus" - neither related to their operating names - but both related to their geographical bases I guess .
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
LeonB1985 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 3591 times:
I've heard a number of 'unusual' ones... Netjets Europe recently started using 'Fraction' (which makes sense, fractional ownership) instead of 'Skyshare' (was being confused with Ryanair in some places). Others include 'Batman' (G5 Executive Switzerland), 'Snoopy' (Air Traffic GmbH Germany), 'Twinstar' (Daimler Chrysler Aviation). None of these callsigns really appear to link to the name of the aircraft operators!
WAH64D From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2005, 966 posts, RR: 14 Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 3548 times:
From the UK
Airtours - Kestrel
Air 2000/First Choice - Jetset
Others
Trans State (American Connection) - Waterski
Air One (Italy) - Heron
UNI Airways Corporation (Taiwan) - Glory
Potomac Air, Inc. (USA) - District
Braathens ASA (Norway) - Scanor
Chicago Express Airlines, Inc. (USA) - Windy City (Geographic)
MyTravel Airways A/S (Denmark) - Viking
C5onknees From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 153 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 3477 times:
This isnt an odd callsign, but it's my fav: Atlas Air - Giant
Jetmatt777 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2662 posts, RR: 36 Reply 14, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3416 times:
SLUAviator From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 357 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3397 times:
Polar1 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 150 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3277 times:
Former UAX carrier Atlantic Coast = Blue Ridge but now Independence. Shuttle America for Delta Connection = Shuttlecraft. AirTran Airways = Citrus. Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) now owned by SkyWest = Candler. Pinnacle (NW Airlink) = Flagship.
Jetmatt777 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2662 posts, RR: 36 Reply 18, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3262 times:
Ilovenz From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 149 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3239 times:
Was there ever an airline that used "Silverbird" as their callsign? For years I thought American did, but maybe I was told that by a drunk.... Critter was my all-time favorite! And the "Critter" was cute too. Too bad he's not around anymore.
Btriple7 From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 1139 posts, RR: 9 Reply 20, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3232 times:
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 10): EI - Shamrock (not linked to the name but certainly the heritage of the country)
Boeing747_600 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 1259 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3217 times:
Yegger From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 66 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3192 times:
"ooops - edited to add another one
CP - Empress ( from their days as a shipping company when their ships were all "Empress of _________ " )"
The callsign "Empress" has now been taken by Canadian North. There was a lot of debate about this in aviation circles at the time as some felt that the name was still property of Air Canada which CP is now a part of.
"One callsign that always baffeled me was from Canada300, they used "Elite"."
Not sure how they initially got this callsign, but having known several people who worked for that airline when it was around, I can certainly say that it fit the airline well. Canada3000 was a superbly run airline, with excellent employees. However, they only hired people who fit a very particular image/personality - the "elite," so to speak!
Yegger From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 66 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3183 times:
I forgot to add my personal favorite - "Dynasty." It's the callsign of China Airlines (the one from Taiwan as opposed to mainland China's "Air China").
25 FI642: Icelandair = Ice Air BWIA = West Indian FI642
26 Kohflot: You know you work for an airline with an obscure callsign when you call center on the phone, identify yourself as being from "*callsign* dispatch" and
28 TrappedInMKG: "Waterski" is Trans States Most of the controllers around here refer to Midwest Airlines as "MidEx".
29 Jetlagged: Kalitta Air's callsign is Connie, unrelated until you realise it's the first name of the airline's owner. Miami Air's callsign is Biscayne (local geog
30 Tjwgrr: More.... AirTran = Citrus China Airlines Cargo = Cargo King Atlantic Coast (ACA)= Blue Ridge Atlantic Southeast (ASA) = Candler Continental Express =
32 IflyI: More..... Air Paridise - Radisair Blue Line - Blue Berry dBa - Speedway Easy Jet (CH) - Top Swiss (Just like that one!) Helvetic - Arabella Kulula - C
33 EGTESkyGod: Flybe uses Jersey, which doesn't bear any resemblance, until you delve a bit deeper and realise that before they were Flybe or British European, they
34 AirEuropeUK733: I also understand that before that they were SpaceGrand. Wonder what call-sign they used then? AE733
35 WAH64D: Hardly suprising, BWIA is the abbreviated form of British West Indies Airways. Its "Channex", Jet2 is owned by Channel Express.
38 Iberiadc852: If the ATC was a female, it could sound a kind of "invitation"
39 WAH64D: Also a favourite hand off line when crossing into the French Brest control FIR is "roger, baby to brest, good day"
40 FaroeFlyer: This is probably because Braathens has recently merged with SAS ("Scandinavian") and is responsible for all Norwegian SAS flights. SCAndinavian NORwa
41 N766UA: I would hope so! MidEx is their callsign! As for Waterski, when TSA started they used to fly junkets for lots of waterskiers on vacation, thus the ca
42 Lijnden: I remember some: Polar Air Cargo: Polar Tigers TMA Cargo: Tango Lima CargOman: Hotel Charlie Affretair: Afro Air Excel Tanzania: Tinga-Tinga African S
43 SA006: Comair is their callsign since they're owned by Comair LTD SA. One weird one I've never figured out : Inter Air South Africa - "E-Line" And one last
44 WAH64D: That one had me wondering. They say you learn something new every day, thats my piece of knowledge for today then. A couple more: Zambian Airways - M
47 SkyexRamper: And ExpressJet is Jetlink, whats everyone's point... ACA use to be Blueridge.[Edited 2005-10-18 06:50:40][Edited 2005-10-18 06:51:10]
48 FlyXJT: and ExpressJet is one word, whats yours
49 Scanwing: No, Nordic Regional use Northrider. Britannia Nordic = Bluescan (this airline was Blue Scandinavia some years ago) Novair = Navigator Viking Airlines
50 United_fan: I just heard 'Newdawn 2 ' depart JFK . That's a new one . I also heard 'Brickyard' last month.
51 Rikkus67: LeonB1985... TWinstar comes from the fact Daimler-Chrysler both use stars in their respective logos... Daimler (-Benz): 3 point star, Chrysler (Corp.)
52 JCS17: "Critter" was a pretty odd one for Valujet, referring to the weird smiling, waving plane on the tail. All callsigns that don't refer to their 3-letter
53 Rampkontroler: While not an "airline" callsign per se, one of my favorites is a tiny local carrier flying a Cessna Skymaster in the Cleveland area that goes by the n
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