B777 flight crew reports ATC confusion when an extra flight section uses the same flight number with...

Attributes
ACN	1091242
Time
Date	201305
Place
Locale Reference	EHAA.ARTCC
State Reference	FO
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Check Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown

Narrative:

Dispatch assigned two flights similar call signs (xyyx and xyyxa). These flights had the same departure airport; same destination airport; and similar routes. These two flights departed within about 30-45 minutes of one another. ATC did not like the similar call signs and asked for our flight to be re-named nxxxxx; which was also our tail number. Every controller from germany all the way home; questioned our call sign; questioned our departure and destination airports; and wanted an explanation why our call sign was messed up. We had difficulty staying logged into cpdlc while crossing the north atlantic. Upon reaching [our] destination; ramp control didn't have any idea who we were and where we were supposed to park. With a 9 hour flight time; you would think that dispatch would have had plenty of time to notify every ARTCC and our own ramp operations of the call sign change.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 flight crew reports ATC confusion when an extra flight section uses the same flight number with the addition of an Alpha; on a flight from Europe to North America.

Narrative: Dispatch assigned two flights similar call signs (XYYX and XYYXA). These flights had the same departure airport; same destination airport; and similar routes. These two flights departed within about 30-45 minutes of one another. ATC did not like the similar call signs and asked for our flight to be re-named NXXXXX; which was also our tail number. Every controller from Germany all the way home; questioned our call sign; questioned our departure and destination airports; and wanted an explanation why our call sign was messed up. We had difficulty staying logged into CPDLC while crossing the North Atlantic. Upon reaching [our] destination; Ramp Control didn't have any idea who we were and where we were supposed to park. With a 9 hour flight time; you would think that Dispatch would have had plenty of time to notify every ARTCC and our own Ramp Operations of the call sign change.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

B777 flight crew reports ATC confusion when an extra flight section uses the same flight number with the addition of an alpha; on a flight from europe to north america.