Rampguy From United States, joined Apr 2006, 458 posts, RR: 1 Posted (5 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3900 times:
Why is a Delta Connection using a 3-digit flight number? This has never been done before. DL 902 operates MCI-ATL-TLH. In the fall it will change to ATL-LEX-ATL..
Apodino From United States, joined Apr 2005, 2059 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (5 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3560 times:
This maybe a theory out of left field, but if Regional flights have always been four digits, this may be an effort to hide that from passengers who aren't doing a lot of research. Lets face it, Regional Airlines have taken a pounding in the press lately, and Pinnacle being the parent company of Colgan doesn't exactly help them in the PR department.
FlyASAGuy2005 From United States, joined Sep 2007, 2203 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (5 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3479 times:
Here's the sad part. Aside from the actual size of the a/c, I can no longer tell the difference between connection and mainline. You know, they always wanted the service to be "seamless" but both sides "suck" equally now-a-days.
CAM2:"Lightning coming out of that one." CAM1: "What?"
Extspotter From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 865 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (5 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3426 times:
Get to europe then. FR seems to be running out of numbers; ATM in the Air is FR9988 on Pisa - Trapani, I have gone on FR3124/3125 STN - VLL. Its not just FR either, U2 goes up into the 9XXXs. I have gone on the U2 6267/6270 BRS - PRG and U2 6035/6036 BRS - MAD. Flightnumbers are as good as random for working out equipment unless its longhaul and there is only 1 type which can cover the range.
Skibum9 From United States, joined Nov 2001, 1214 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (5 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3332 times:
Quoting Apodino (Reply 3): This maybe a theory out of left field, but if Regional flights have always been four digits, this may be an effort to hide that from passengers who aren't doing a lot of research. Lets face it, Regional Airlines have taken a pounding in the press lately, and Pinnacle being the parent company of Colgan doesn't exactly help them in the PR department.
That can't be legal. I believe the flights have to be registered under the certificate of whomever is doing the flying. So a Pinnacle flight has to be filed as a pinnacle flight, much like the NW flights have to be filed as NW flights even though DL owns them.
MPDPilot From United States, joined Jul 2006, 706 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (5 months 3 days ago) and read 3232 times:
Quoting Skibum9 (Reply 9): That can't be legal. I believe the flights have to be registered under the certificate of whomever is doing the flying. So a Pinnacle flight has to be filed as a pinnacle flight, much like the NW flights have to be filed as NW flights even though DL owns them.
The flight number used by Delta are chosen by Delta. The FAA just cares who is operating the flight and the callsign used. There are numerous times when the flight number and the callsign do not match. It is perfectly legal for the airline that dictates the flight number to have any aircraft they want operate the flight. Regional contracts usually include an agreement that says that Delta will dictate the schedule and the flight numbers. The callsigns usually match those flight numbers but they are not governed by the FAA.
One mile of highway gets you one mile, one mile of runway gets you anywhere.
Pilotboi From United States, joined Sep 2007, 2245 posts, RR: 10 Reply 12, posted (5 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3083 times:
Quoting Apodino (Reply 3): This maybe a theory out of left field, but if Regional flights have always been four digits, this may be an effort to hide that from passengers who aren't doing a lot of research. Lets face it, Regional Airlines have taken a pounding in the press lately, and Pinnacle being the parent company of Colgan doesn't exactly help them in the PR department.
I think you're totally out of the park on that one. A) There's nothing to "hide" when they always indicate the regional operator when searching for flights. and B) If the passengers aren't "doing a lot of research", then they probably don't even know what the flight number indicates anyways, let alone even realize it's a different operator then Delta. On top of that C) A little hard to keep it a "secret" once they arrive to the airport and see a tiny jet with the word CONNECTION on it.
Eraugrad02 From United States, joined Nov 2005, 1028 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (5 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3059 times:
Maybe DL is in the works to impliment mainling style flights numbers to regional flights that have F/C onboard which is inline with a more mainline like product.
Soxfan From United States, joined Mar 2008, 632 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (5 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3041 times:
In a similar vein, has there ever been a case in which say, hypothetically, a mainline 737-300 has gone tech and replaced by a CRJ operated by a regional airline DBA the mainline? If so, has this changed the flight number? I would think that this would not happen very often as, for one thing, the paperwork would be a nightmare.
BOS2LAF From United States, joined Sep 2004, 263 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2854 times:
Quoting Soxfan (Reply 14): In a similar vein, has there ever been a case in which say, hypothetically, a mainline 737-300 has gone tech and replaced by a CRJ operated by a regional airline DBA the mainline? If so, has this changed the flight number?
Yes, this does usually change the flight number, as the replacement flight would be an 'extra section' on the part of the regional airline, and airlines usually have a range of flight numbers designated for extra sections, just like they have flight numbers for maintenance ferries, charters, etc.
For example, where I work, there was one night flight 7689, operated by our regional carrier was cancelled due to mechanical, and replaced with a mainline section operated as flight 2689, or in reverse, when one of our mainline flights cancel and is replaced with a regional, it operates as a flight number designated by the regional as an extra section.
Asuflyer05 From United States, joined Feb 2004, 2150 posts, RR: 3 Reply 17, posted (5 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2661 times:
Maybe it's there way of trying to convince the passengers that there's a grown up pilot up front who actually gets paid something to show up and fly your airplane?
XFSUgimpLB41X From United States, joined Aug 2000, 3317 posts, RR: 40 Reply 18, posted (5 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2583 times:
Quoting Asuflyer05 (Reply 17): Maybe it's there way of trying to convince the passengers that there's a grown up pilot up front who actually gets paid something to show up and fly your airplane?
DeltaRules From United States, joined Sep 2001, 3202 posts, RR: 17 Reply 19, posted (5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2433 times:
Quoting DLX737200 (Reply 1): There is also a Delta 850 that goes MCI-ATL-GSP operating by Pinnacle! That's crazy. I've never seen this either!
I noticed DAY-ATL has a couple of the three-digit CR9 flights coming up soon as well.
I also noticed that DL has also moved around some of the regional four-digit flight numbers. Comair flights are up to the 6800s when they all used to be 5000s. Something related to the merger, maybe?
Pilotboi From United States, joined Sep 2007, 2245 posts, RR: 10 Reply 20, posted (5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2410 times:
Quoting Eraugrad02 (Reply 13): Maybe DL is in the works to impliment mainling style flights numbers to regional flights that have F/C onboard which is inline with a more mainline like product.
Now that sounds like a valid reason. Not sure if it's true, but it's possible.
FlyASAGuy2005 From United States, joined Sep 2007, 2203 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2359 times:
Quoting Soxfan (Reply 14): I would think that this would not happen very often as, for one thing, the paperwork would be a nightmare.
Not really.
Quoting DeltaRules (Reply 19): I also noticed that DL has also moved around some of the regional four-digit flight numbers. Comair flights are up to the 6800s when they all used to be 5000s. Something related to the merger, maybe?
Has to be. bear in mind we now have the addition on NW Connection carriers.
CAM2:"Lightning coming out of that one." CAM1: "What?"
Jayspilot From United States, joined May 2001, 253 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (5 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 1063 times:
Could it be a sign the airlines are finally realizing the callsigns were confusing before and teh fact that Air Traffic controllers have been going nuts with similar sounding call signs on regional carriers with people answering the wrong call causing a problem. I flew for a small commuter back in '02 and our call signs were all 86.. and we had a micro hub in ALB. The controllers and pilots were both tounge tied and screwing up left and right..
KingAir200 From Palau, joined May 2006, 1189 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (5 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 926 times:
Quoting DeltaRules (Reply 19):
I also noticed that DL has also moved around some of the regional four-digit flight numbers. Comair flights are up to the 6800s when they all used to be 5000s. Something related to the merger, maybe?
It's not just DL coded flights either. They switched up the 9E and XJ NW coded flight numbers too.
XFSUgimpLB41X From United States, joined Aug 2000, 3317 posts, RR: 40 Reply 24, posted (5 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 815 times:
Quoting Jayspilot (Reply 22): Could it be a sign the airlines are finally realizing the callsigns were confusing before and teh fact that Air Traffic controllers have been going nuts with similar sounding call signs on regional carriers with people answering the wrong call causing a problem. I flew for a small commuter back in '02 and our call signs were all 86.. and we had a micro hub in ALB. The controllers and pilots were both tounge tied and screwing up left and right..
That's doubtful in this situation. The flight numbers are getting shuffled around significantly every schedule change... this just has to do with bean counters.
DurangoMac From United States, joined Dec 2006, 496 posts, RR: 0 Reply 25, posted (5 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 759 times:
You should see the flight range worksheet from DL, it's a mess because of the merger. The quicker they can get everyone onto DLTerm the quicker these flight number changes will come to an end. It hasn't been fun trying to keep up.
26 DeltaMD90: I flew DL858 yesterday, MEM-ATL on a Pinnacle CR9. I think since they have a first class they are considering them kind of main line aircraft.
27 FlyASAGuy2005: I really doubt it has anything to do with having an F cabin. As stated by many, DL has plenty of flight numbers with 4 digits (mainline). I highly do
28 Azjubilee: These flight number changes are in preparation for the combination in res systems. IT has a monumental task ahead of them to shift all flights from NW
29 Cubsrule: FWIW, though, there's nothing regulatory stopping DL mainline from operating Flight 7689 with a 772. Internal airline issues are, obviously, a differ
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