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Thread: Same flight number going and returning?
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Old Aug 12, 2021 | 8:40 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by kale73
Okay. So making the final 'character' alphanumeric should solve the problem.

Four numerical characters yields 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10,000 potential flight numbers.

Three numerical characters + a fourth alphanumerical (omit O and I to avoid confusion with 0 and 1) yields 10 x 10 x 10 x 34 = 34,000 potential flight 'numbers'.

"Delta flight 123Z is now departing for Timbuktu from Gate E17" wouldn't cause me to have a mental meltdown.
One would confuse lots of passengers. Two, again computer systems. As I stated before it's not just ATC. There's also legacy reservation and ticketing systems. Adding a digit or two isn't as simple as it sounds from a coding perspective.
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