Summary

  • Aviation has many numbers that illicit positive or negative responses
  • Despite the superstitions surrounding the number 666, there are 13 scheduled passenger routes with that number in September
  • No US flight has it

Many numbers are considered lucky, unlucky, superstitious, or somehow unique. It varies regionally, religiously, culturally, historically, or by country. Some numbers are directly associated with a particular event that resonates positively or negatively. Happily, I am not superstitious, which is just as well: I was born on Friday the 13th.

Unusual and special numbers

For airlines, the use of unusual or special numbers for flights can be intriguing. It can apply to a specific carrier, such as where it no longer uses a number after a flight has gone down, resulting in a loss of life. It can also be broadly applied at an individual country level or more or less across the whole industry.

Most obvious are routes with flight number one, which are often (but not always) perceived as prestigious. They conjure up images of importance or difference or may reflect a historical point in time, a technological advancement, or a specific market or type of passenger. This was epitomized by BA001, the Concorde service, with this number later used by the 32-seat, all-business-class A318 from London City to New York JFK.

BA A318 landing London City
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock.

There are numerous current examples. They include QF1 between Sydney and London Heathrow via Singapore, the world's third-longest one-stop, same-plane, same-flight-number route. Air New Zealand's NZ1 is now between Auckland-New York JFK, replacing the long-standing Auckland-Los Angeles-London Heathrow. And Turkish Airlines' TK1, from Istanbul to JFK, is one of the carrier's record four daily JFK services.

Flight number 666

The number 666 is the so-called 'number of the beast'. It is synonymous with the devil, the antichrist, or evil in general. For some people, this number is believed to hold such meaning as to scare them to take action to change things. Surely no airline and no route would have flight number 666? They do, although there are not many examples.

Scoot Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | 9V-OFD
Photo: Chittapon Kaewkiriva | Shutterstock.

Using OAG to analyze the world's entire schedules in September shows that just 13 scheduled passenger routes have flight number 666 – but SIN (Singapore) to HEL (Helsinki) is not one of them. Curiously, there are 13 routes – with that number unlucky for many people, so much so that multiple airlines do not have row 13. It is the same for some hotel floors in particular countries.

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13 routes: the list

The routes in September are as follows, organized by monthly flights. Notice that there are none in or to/from the US. I find it amusing that Ryanair is present. Notice that, of course, some of these flights are back to the airline's main hub or base:

  • All Nippon: NH666, Nagasaki to Tokyo Haneda (787-8)
  • Citilink: QG666, Jakarta to Denpasar-Bali (A320ceo)
  • Ryanair: FR666, Dublin to Birmingham (737-800, 737 MAX 8 200)
  • EgyptAir: MS666, Jeddah to Cairo (A330-200, A330-300, 737-800, A321, A321neo)
  • Royal Air Maroc: AT666 Tangier to Paris Orly (737-800)
  • Luxair: LG666 Malaga to Luxembourg (737-700, 737 MAX 8, 737-800)
  • China Southern: CZ666 Busan to Shenyang (A320neo)
  • Scoot: TR666 Singapore to Bangkok BKK (787-8, 787-9)
  • Volaris: Y4666 Mexico City to Tuxtla Gutierrez (A320ceo, A320neo)
  • Himalaya Airlines: H9666 Beijing Daxing to Kathmandu (A320ceo)
  • Iran Air: IR666, Kuwait to Isfahan (A320ceo)
  • British Airways: BA666, London Heathrow to Chania (A320ceo, A320neo)
  • Corendon: XC666 Bratislava to Antalya (737-800)

Have you been on a flight with the number 666? If so, let us know by commenting.

Sources of information: Cirium, Google Flights, Flightradar24.