Narrative:

Company aircraft with similar call sign (aircraft yxz) preceded our aircraft (call sign aircraft xyz) into bay area. Controllers, starting back at ZSE, cautioned both aircraft about similar call signs. Our flight was 'company aircraft x-y-Z (single digits)' versus 'company aircraft yxz (group form)' to ensure correct recognition by bay approach. Received both aircraft (Y going to sjc, and X going to sfo in succession). After several communications to aircraft Y, other aircraft and aircraft X, aircraft X received clearance to fly heading 110 degrees, descend to 6000 ft and change to approach 120.1. Clearance read back and acknowledged. Upon check-in, was told to return to previous frequency and maintain current altitude. Returned to previous frequency. Controller again issued clearance to our aircraft thinking it was air carrier Y ahead. Finally, switched air carrier X to another controller and no further problems. Similar call signs puts unnecessary risk on all parties. Correction lies with company ensuring this does not happen, ie, change one or both call signs. Company has such a program, however, it does not get enough emphasis until a problem is reported.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH RADAR CTLR AT OAK BECOMES CONFUSED WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND INSTRUCTS THE WRONG ACFT TO CHANGE FREQ.

Narrative: COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN (ACFT YXZ) PRECEDED OUR ACFT (CALL SIGN ACFT XYZ) INTO BAY AREA. CTLRS, STARTING BACK AT ZSE, CAUTIONED BOTH ACFT ABOUT SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. OUR FLT WAS 'COMPANY ACFT X-Y-Z (SINGLE DIGITS)' VERSUS 'COMPANY ACFT YXZ (GROUP FORM)' TO ENSURE CORRECT RECOGNITION BY BAY APCH. RECEIVED BOTH ACFT (Y GOING TO SJC, AND X GOING TO SFO IN SUCCESSION). AFTER SEVERAL COMS TO ACFT Y, OTHER ACFT AND ACFT X, ACFT X RECEIVED CLRNC TO FLY HDG 110 DEGS, DSND TO 6000 FT AND CHANGE TO APCH 120.1. CLRNC READ BACK AND ACKNOWLEDGED. UPON CHK-IN, WAS TOLD TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS FREQ AND MAINTAIN CURRENT ALT. RETURNED TO PREVIOUS FREQ. CTLR AGAIN ISSUED CLRNC TO OUR ACFT THINKING IT WAS ACR Y AHEAD. FINALLY, SWITCHED ACR X TO ANOTHER CTLR AND NO FURTHER PROBS. SIMILAR CALL SIGNS PUTS UNNECESSARY RISK ON ALL PARTIES. CORRECTION LIES WITH COMPANY ENSURING THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, IE, CHANGE ONE OR BOTH CALL SIGNS. COMPANY HAS SUCH A PROGRAM, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT GET ENOUGH EMPHASIS UNTIL A PROB IS RPTED.

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.