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Airline call sign

Most airlines employ a distinctive and internationally recognised call sign that is normally spoken during airband radio transmissions as a prefix to the flight number. The flight number is normally that published in their public timetable and appearing on the arrivals and departure screens in the airport terminals served by that particular flight. In cases of emergency, the airline name and flight number, rather than the individual aircraft's registration, are normally mentioned by the main news media.

Some call-signs are less obviously associated with a particular airline than others. This might be for historic reasons, or possibly to avoid confusion with a call sign used by an established airline. Some of these less obvious examples are listed below. Not all of these operators of aircraft are civilian and some only operate ad-hoc chartered flights rather than scheduled flights; some operate both types of flights. Some cargo airlines specialise in freight transport, an emphasis that may be reflected in the company's name.

Aircraft OperatorCall SignCountry
DantexAalborg AirtaxiDenmark
AcesACES - Aerolineas Centrales De ColombiaColombia
Action AirAction AirlinesUSA
Aer LingusShamrockEire
AerisFrancecharterFrance
Aero Aviation CentreSunriseCanada
Aero ServicesBird ExpressFrance
Aerolineas ArgentinasArgentinaArgentina
Aeromar AirlinesTrans AeromarMexico
AeropostaleAeropostaFrance
African International AirwaysFlycargoSwaziland
African Safari AirwaysZebraKenya
Air 2000JetsetUK
Air AlsieMermaidDenmark
Air BCAircoachCanada
Air CaledonieAircalNew Caledonia
Air Caledonie InternationalAircalinNew Caledonia
Air CareDrakeUK
Air Cargo AmericaPegasusUSA
Air Cargo CarriersNight CargoUSA
Air CatEurocatSwitzerland
Air Center WestBirdieDenmark
Air ChaparralMaverickUSA
Air Charter ServicesZaire CharterDemocratic Republic Of Congo
Air ContinentalNight AirUSA
Air Europa ExpressAir RegionalSpain
Air FoyleBroadspeedUK
Air FoyleCutlassUK
Air FoyleFoyleUK
Air FoyleKrisUK
Air Foyle/SunjetSkymanUK
Air HollandOrangeNetherlands
Air JamaicaJuliet MikeJamaica
Air LiberiaNovember LimaLiberia
Air MadagascarMadairMalagasy Republic
Air MauritiusMike RomeoMauritania
Air MedicalAirmedUK
Air Mongol / MiatMongol AirMongolia
Air NelsonMot AirNew Zealand
Air NewarkNewairUSA
Air New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand
Air Niagra ExpressDatabirdCanada
Air Nippon Kasushika GaishaAnk AirJapan
Air Outre Mer/MinerveFrenchlinesFrance
Air Panama InternacionalArpaPanama
Air PortugalTapPortugal
Air ScheffervilleScheffCanada
Air SenegalSonatra Air SenegalSenegal
Air ShotByteUK
Air South AirwaysShawneeUSA
Air TchadHotel TangoTchad
Air Traffic GmbhSnoopyGermany
Air VanuatuAir VanVanuatu
Air VIAVarna AirBulgaria
Air WalesRed DragonUK
Air WorldEnvoyUK
Airborne Express/ABX AirAbexUSA
AirTran AirwaysCitrusUSA
Airways InternationalAirnatUSA
AJ Air ServicesAjayUK
AJT Air InternationalTurjetRussia
AMC Air CharterBavariaGermany
America West AirlinesCactusUSA
American Airlines (turboprops)Eagle FlightUSA
American Trans AirAmtramUSA
Arrow AirBig AUSA
Atlantic AirwaysFaroelineNorway/Faroe Islands
Atlantic Coast AirlinesBlue RidgeUSA
Atlantic Island AirTriangleIceland
Atlantic Southeast AirlinesCandlerUSA
Atlas AirGiantUSA
Aurigny Air ServicesAylineUK
Austrian AirlinesAustrianAustria
AviaexpressAvexHungary
AviairCaribouCanada
AvialRushairRussia
BAC Express AirlinesRapexUK
Bali AirBiarIndonesia
Bangladesh Biman AirlinesBangladeshBangladesh
Baron Aviation ServicesShow MeUSA
BenairScoopDenmark/Norway
BmiBaby or MidlandUK
Bo-S-Aire AirlinesBowman AirUSA
Bond Air ServicesUgabondUK
Braathens HelikopterBee CopterNorway
Brasil Central Lineas Aereos RegionalCentralBrazil
Britannia Airways GmbHWindsorGermany
Britannia Airways SwedenBluescanSweden
British Aerospace - FiltonSapphireUK
British Aerospace - WartonTarnishUK
British AirwaysSpeedbird or ShuttleUK
British EuropeanJerseyUK
British International HelicoptersLionUK
British Mediterranean Airways Bee MedUK
British Regional Airlines BritishUK
British West Indian AirwaysWest IndianTrinidad And Tobago
Britten NormanVectisUK
Buffalo AirwaysBuffalo AirUSA
Business AirGraniteUK
Business Aviation ServicesCoastriderThe Netherlands
Business ExpressBiz ExUSA
Cameroon AirlinesCam-AirCameroon
Canadian ForcesCanforceCanada
Cape AirCairUSA
Capital Air ServiceCapairUSA
Capital AviationPrestigeUK
Caribbean AirwaysCaribjetBarbados
Centennial AirlinesWyo AirUSA
Centre AirlinesDutch ValleyUSA
Centreline AirCliftonUK
Channel ExpressChannexUK
Chicago Express AirlinesWindy CityUSA
China AirlinesDynastyTaiwan (ROC)
China United AirlinesLianhangChina (PRC)
City Air(Chester)Air ChesterUK
CityjetCity IrelandEire
Civil Aviation AuthorityMinairUK
Cologne Commercial FlightTomcatGermany
Continental ExpressJetlinkUSA
Continental MicronesiaAir MikeGuam, USA
Cooper Aerial SurveySurveyorUK
Corporate AirAir SpurUSA
Corse MediterreaneeCorsemedFrance
Coval AirOdysseyCanada
Dairo Air Services - Das Air CargoDairairUganda
Danish Air TransportDantransDenmark
Deutsche BASpeedwayGermany
DragonairLoongairChina (PRC)
Dravidian AviationFirestoneUK
Druk AirBhutanBhutan
Duo AirwaysFlyduoUK
Dynamic AirDynamiteThe Netherlands
Eagle Air ServiceSwiss EagleSwitzerland
Eagle AviationGypsyNot Known
East-West EuropeanSilver WingBulgaria
Eastern Air ExecutiveEastexUK
Eastern AirwaysEastflightUK
Eastern Flying ServiceSpeedairCanada
easyJet SwitzerlandTopswissSwitzerland
Edinburgh Air CharterSaltireUK
EFS Flug Service GmbhFlightserviceGermany
Euro Exec ExpressEcho ExpressSweden
Euro Flight SwedenEurowestSweden
Euroair TransportAlexandraNot Known
Eurobelgian AirlinesBelstarBelgium
European Air TaxiNeatUK
European Air Transport / DhlEurotransBelgium
European Aviation Air CharterEurocharterUK
Euroscot ExpressScotairUK
Executive Aviation Services LtdJesterUK
Executive Jet AviationExecjetSwitzerland
Express AirlinesFlagshipUSA
Express One InternationalLonghornUSA
Express One InternationalSpartusUSA
Farner Air TransportBlue StripHungary
Fast Air Carrier/TntFasterChile
Faucett PeruCharlie FoxtrotPeru
Federal ExpressFedExUS
FinnaviationBluebirdFinland
Finnish Air ForceFinforceFinland
Flight PrecisionCobhamUK
Flugdienst FehlhaberWitchcraftGermany
Flugfelag AusturlandsAusturflugIceland
Flugfelag NordurlandsNorlandIceland
FR AviationBroadwayUK
FR AviationRushtonUK
French Air ForceFoxtrot MikeFrance
French Air Force - Transport Sq.CotamFrance
Frontier AirlinesFrontier FlightUSA
Garuda Indonesia AirwaysIndonesiaIndonesia
GB AirwaysGeebeeUK
German Air RescueAmbulanceGermany
GermaniaJokerGermany
Gojet AviationGojetUK
GP Express AirlinesRegional ExpressUSA
Great Lakes AviationLakes AirUSA
Great Wall AirlinesChangahangChina (PRC)
GreenlandairGlaceDenmark
GT AviationGeetee AviaUK
Gulfstream International AirlinesGulf FlightUSA
Hapag Lloyd ExpressExcellenceGermany
HeliairHeli-BulgariaBulgaria
Helikopter ServiceHelibusNorway
Helikopterservice Euro AirSwedcopterSweden
Hokkaido International AirlinesAir DoJapan
Hummingbird Island AirwaysHumMaldives
IMP Aviation ServiceBluenoseCanada
Indian AirlinesIndairIndia
Indonesia Air TransportIntraIndonesia
Industrie Air CharterInduschartFrance
Inter-Island AirUgly VanUSA
Irish Air TransportIrish TransEire
Island AirAlakaiUSA
Isles Of Scilly SkybusScilloniaUK
Jamahiriya Libyan Arab AirlinesLibairLibya
Japan Air CommuterCommuterJapan
Japan AirlinesJapanairJapan
Japan Asia AirwaysAsiaJapan
Jetair Flight AcademySpeedfoxDenmark
KD Air CorporationKay DeeCanada
Kitty Hawk InternationalArthurUSA
KLM Royal Dutch AirlinesKLMNetherlands
Knight AirKnightwayUK
Kuwait AirwaysKuwaitiKuwait
Labrador AirwaysLab AirCanada
Langtry Flying GroupProflightUK
Lansa - Lineas Aereas NacionalesUniform LimaHonduras
Lapa - Lineas Aereas Privadas ArgentinasLapaArgentina
Leeds Central HelicoptersPathfinderUK
Legend AirlinesLegendaryUSA
Liberia World AirlinesHotel YankeeLiberia
Libyan Arab Air CargoLibacLibya
Lineas Aereas CanariasLCNSpain
Lineas Aereas SuramericanasSuramericanoColombia
LinjeflygSwedlineSweden
LionairLairLuxembourg
London Executive AviationLonnexUK
Lte Lufttransport EspanaFunjetSpain
Lufttransport UnternehmenLTUGermany
LuxaviationRed LionLuxembourg
Macedonian AirlinesMacairGreece
Macedonian AirlinesMakavioFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Maersk Air -> Duo AirwaysBluestarUK
Magadan AirlinesMavialRussia
Majestic AirlinesMagic AirUSA
Manx AirlinesBritishUK
MarkairInteralasUSA
MartinairMartinairNetherlands
May Air XpressBeechnutUSA
McAlpine HelicoptersMaclineUK
MeridianaMerairItaly
Merlin ExpressPackage AirUSA
Mesa AirlinesAir ShuttleUSA
Miami Air InternationalBiscayneUSA
Middle East AirlinesCedarjetLebanon
Midway AirlinesJet ExpressUSA
Midwest AirlinesSkyshipUSA
Million AirMill AirUSA
MNG Cargo AirlinesBlack SeaTurkey
MSR Flug CharterSkyriderGermany
MTM AviationAviatransGermany
Myanmar AirwaysUnionairMyanmar
My TravelKestrelUK
My Travel LiteMyliteUK
Nantucket AirlinesAck AirUSA
National AirlinesRed RockNot known
National AirlinesNatchairSouth Africa
Nawa Air TransportSupernawaHungary
New York HelicopterMetrocopterUSA
Newair AirserviceNewdanDenmark
Newfoundland And Labrador Air TransportNalairCanada
Nigel MansellFlight RedUK
Norsk AirNorsemanNorway
North British AirlinesTeesairUK
North Coast AviationAir OhioUSA
Northamptonshire School Of FlyingNortonUK
Northern Air CargoYukonUSA
Northern Air ServiceNortaxUSA
Northern Executive AviationNeataxUK
Novair / Nova AirlinesNavigatorSweden
Nurnbergen FlugFlamingoGermany
Nwt Air/Air C'Da ConnectorTerritorialCanada
Oman AirOryxUnited Arab Emirates
Ostfriesische LufttransportOstfriesGermany
Pan American World AirwaysClipperUSA
Panorama Air ToursLaniUSA
Pegasus AirlinesSunturkTurkey
PLM Dollar GroupOspreyUK
Polo AviationChukkaUK
Polynesian AirwaysPolyairUSA
Prince Edward AirCometCanada
Pro AirProhawkUSA
Propheter AviationAir PropUSA
Provincial AirlinesStarliteCanada
Qinetiq, Boscombe DownGauntletUK
Quick AirDagobertGermany
RavenairRavenUK
Raytheon Corporate JetsMantaUK
Rex AviationTranzairNew Zealand
RomaviaAeromaviaRomania
Ross AviationEnergyUSA
Royal Air ForceRafairUK
Royal Air Force - 33 GroupVortexUK
Royal Air Force Air Support CommandAscotUK
Royal Air MarocMaroc AirMorocco
Royal AirlinesRoyCanada
Royal Australian Air ForceAussieAustralia
Royal FlightKitty/KittyhawkUK
Royal Flight Helicopters (UK)Rainbow or SparrowhawkUK
Royal NavyNavyUK
Royal New Zealand Air ForceKiwiNew Zealand
Royal Swedish Air ForceSwedicSweden
Saber Cargo AirlinesFreighterUSA
SafairCargoSouth Africa
Sata InternationalAir AcoresPortugal
SAS-Scandinavian Airlines SystemScandinavianDenmark, Norway, Sweden
Scot AirwaysSucklingUK
ServairSwissbirdSwitzerland
Sichuan AirlinesChuabhangChina (PRC)
Sierra National AirlinesSelairSierra Leone
SkyfreightersSkybusUSA
SkyserviceSkytourCanada
Skyways Regional Ex-Airborne Of SwedenMidwingSweden
SkywingsSkyfoxSwitzerland
SMAC - Sabang Merauke Air CharterSamerIndonesia
SMB Stage LineStageUSA
SN Brussels AirlinesS-TailBelgium
South African AirwaysSpringbokSouth Africa
South East Police Aviation UnitPoliceUK
South West AirSaint ClairCanada
Southwest Air LinesNanseiJapan
SpanairSunwingSpain
Spanish Air ForceAir MilSpain
Spirit AirlinesSpirit WingsUSA
Sports Air TravelWest CoastUSA
Springdale Air ServiceSpring AirUSA
Star AirWhite StarDenmark
Star Europe AirlinesStarwayFrance
Stratford AirwaysFestival CityCanada
Suburban Air FreightSub AirUSA
Sun Country AirlinesSunshineUSA
Sun-AirSunscanDenmark
SunaireSunbirdUSA
Sunways Intersun HavacilikIntersunTurkey
Sunwest AirlinesSunflightCanada
Superior AviationSpend AirUSA
Surrey And Kent Flying ClubSurreyUK
SwedewingsWingsSweden
SwiftairSwiftSpain
Swiss Air AmbulanceSwiss AmbulanceSwitzerland
Systems International AirwaysFloridaUSA
TACV-Transportes Aereos De Cabo VerdeTransverdeCape Verde
Teddy AirTeddysNorway
THY - Turkish AirlinesTurkishTurkey
Thomas Cook AirlinesGlobeBelgium and UK
Thyssen Krupp AgBluelineGermany
Titan AirwaysZapUK
TNT International Av'nNitroUK
TNT AirwaysQualityBelgium
Tower AirTee AirUSA
Trans Air LinkSky TruckUSA
Trans Continental AirlinesTransconUSA
Trans European AirlinesEurolinesGreece
Trans Mediterranean AirwaysTango LimaLebanon
Trans States AirlinesWater SkiUSA
Trans World ExpressRedbirdUSA
Transaero AirlinesTango OscarRussia
TransaviaTransaviaNetherlands
Transporte E Trabalho AeroTransaeroMozambique
Transportes Aereos NeuquenTaneuArgentina
Tropic AirTropiserAntigua
Tulip Air CharterFarnair EuropeThe Netherlands
Tunis AirTunairTunisia
UK Royal FlightKitty or KittyhawkUK
United Air ServicesUnitairZimbabwe
United Parcel ServiceUPSUSA
Universal AirlinesAirgoUSA
US AirwaysUS Air or US Air ShuttleUSA
US Check AirlinesStar CheckUSA
USA Jet AirwaysJet USAUSA
Uzbekistan AirwaysUzbekUzbekistan
ValuJet
Now known as AirTran
Critter
Named for the artwork on the vertical stabilizer
USA
Vanguard AirlinesVanguard AirUSA
Viking ExpressTitan AirUSA
Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirairUSA
Virgin Express FranceLadybirdFrance
Virgin Express IrelandGreen IsleEire
Virgin Islands Seaplane ShuttleWaterbirdUSA
VLMRubensBelgium
Volga-DneprVolgaRussia
Waglisla AirSea HawkCanada
Warbelows Air VenturesVentaireUSA
Warwickshire AerocentreAirtaxUK
West Air SwedenAir SwedenSweden
West Coast AirGambia CoastalThe Gambia
Western Pacific Air ServiceWestpacSolomon Islands
Williams RacingGrandprixUK
Woodgate Air ServicesWoodairUK
Worldways CanadaCanadaCanada
Young Flying ServiceYoung AirUSA

Clearly companies' names will change over time, normally due to bankruptcies or mergers occurring. Country names can also change over time and new call signs may be agreed in substitution for traditional ones. Please make the alterations required if you are certain of their authenticity. The country shown alongside an airline's call sign is that wherein most of its aircraft are believed to be registered, which may not always be the same as the country in which the firm is officially incorporated or registered. There are many other airlines in business whose radio call signs are more obviously derived from the trading name.

See also aircraft spotting and air traffic control.