Superstition in the world of aviation: when (and why) airlines change flight numbers
Superstition is very much present in the aviation world. To be superstitious are not only the passengers - some of whom, [...]
American Airlines
La superstition is very much present in the aviation world. To be superstitious are not only the passengers - some of whom, as Barbone has recounted in these pages, perform real rituals when they travel - but also the airlines themselves. Suffice it to say, in fact, that among them many don't have row number 13 in their aircraft and do not choose as their flight number the 666.
In this article:
When, then, accidents happen, the superstition increases even more and carriers act accordingly. This is the case with the flight American Eagle AA5342, operated with a Mitsubishi CRJ700, which last Jan. 29 was involved in a airplane collision with a military helicopter. The toll was tragic: no survivors.
Therefore, in the wake of the disaster, as reported by simpleflying.com, American Airlines (which owns the regional carrier American Eagle, ed.) since last Jan. 31 has changed the flight number: Whereas until the accident the flight connecting Wichita (ICT) and Washington (DCA) airports was AA5342, now has been changed to AA5677.
What if your next trip was because of points?
Join the Training Center and improve your knowledge in the world of travel reward
Generally, when an aircraft is involved in a fatal accident, the flight number is permanently withdrawn. Think, for example, of the 4 flights hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists on theSeptember 11, 2001: American Airlines flight numbers AA11, AA77, and United UA175 and UA93 are no longer used. The same happened with the Air France flight AF447 (crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009), and with Malaysia Airlines connections MH17 e MH370 (the former, shot down by a missile; the latter, mysteriously disappeared without a trace).
