Reporter considers similarity of airline identifiers a hazard.

Attributes
ACN	136507
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psk
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	136507
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Air traffic controllers frequently call us xx airlines (flight #) so common that we answer these xx airline calls, emphasizing we are XXX airlines. Often enough, the controller replies again, calling us xx airlines. This is a serious problem all along the eastern united states. Eventually someone will miss an important urgent vector or other instruction, leading to compromise of sep or an accident; or, someone will respond to an xx airline call that actually is an xx airline call, with the same potential for tragic results. 3 possible fixes: 1) change XXX in ARTCC data block to YYY or xyz. 2) airline mgmnts agree to alter flight #'south to preclude conflicts. 3) pilots of both air carrier's refuse to answer each other's name.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER CONSIDERS SIMILARITY OF AIRLINE IDENTIFIERS A HAZARD.

Narrative: AIR TFC CTLRS FREQUENTLY CALL US XX AIRLINES (FLT #) SO COMMON THAT WE ANSWER THESE XX AIRLINE CALLS, EMPHASIZING WE ARE XXX AIRLINES. OFTEN ENOUGH, THE CTLR REPLIES AGAIN, CALLING US XX AIRLINES. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROB ALL ALONG THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. EVENTUALLY SOMEONE WILL MISS AN IMPORTANT URGENT VECTOR OR OTHER INSTRUCTION, LEADING TO COMPROMISE OF SEP OR AN ACCIDENT; OR, SOMEONE WILL RESPOND TO AN XX AIRLINE CALL THAT ACTUALLY IS AN XX AIRLINE CALL, WITH THE SAME POTENTIAL FOR TRAGIC RESULTS. 3 POSSIBLE FIXES: 1) CHANGE XXX IN ARTCC DATA BLOCK TO YYY OR XYZ. 2) AIRLINE MGMNTS AGREE TO ALTER FLT #'S TO PRECLUDE CONFLICTS. 3) PLTS OF BOTH ACR'S REFUSE TO ANSWER EACH OTHER'S NAME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.