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Joe's Cafe, 24/7 pit stop for ESL learners and teachers | February 2010
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TG916 and TG917 - what’s the difference?

Flight NumbersYou probably recognize or can guess that TG916 is a “flight number” - a flight number of Thai Airways, to be precise. All commercial flights have flight numbers, based on LETTERS (representing the airline, for example TG for Thai Airways) and NUMBERS. Actually, strictly speaking, TG916 is a “flight code” and 916 is the flight number. But even within the airline industry flight codes are commonly referred to as flight numbers.

A flight code, when combined with the time and date, identifies a particular flight.

But can you spot the difference between TG916 and TG917? Traditionally (but not universally) even numbers (TG916) are used for flights going west (westbound flights), and odd numbers (TG917) are used for flights going east (eastbound flights).

Not a lot of people know that.

Image: Tacoekkel

Joe | Thursday, February 11th, 2010 | Filed under Curiosities

13 Responses to “TG916 and TG917 - what’s the difference?”

  1. cndy says:
    13th February 2010 at 11:24 am

    wow!i didn’t know that,and i just found that out in here.So the next time my father will work to other country,atleast i already know even by just looking at his flight number where he’s going…

  2. Hanane says:
    17th February 2010 at 4:17 pm

    Hello Dear Sir, In my field of work, selling cellular phones or mobiles, some of these codes are used to refer to different references of the one model. Taking the example of the Samsung M3510,and Samsung S3653.The difference is that the 1st reference has a screen and a keypad whereas the 2nd one is a touchscreen mobile. have I understood your message? Thank you.

  3. Ian says:
    5th March 2010 at 6:02 pm

    Hanane: codes like the Samsung ones are used by many companies to list their products. In that case the company can use any code it wants. The flight numbers are international and there are certains rules and regulations governing them, so any airline can’t use any number it wants :)

  4. Jutamas says:
    15th March 2010 at 5:02 am

    I ever known that the flight number identify the flight for going to and coming from, something like this.

  5. Aia says:
    23rd March 2010 at 3:14 pm

    Good to know , it should be useful for me , right ?

  6. Edward says:
    24th March 2010 at 1:20 am

    “Not a lot of people know that.” and that includes me. Thanks so much for sharing that hidden knowledge!

  7. BELHANI Sayah says:
    4th April 2010 at 2:40 pm

    every thinks learn english

  8. BELHANI Sayah says:
    4th April 2010 at 2:45 pm

    every thinks to learn english because i like english and i want to learn it stup bu stup

  9. hazel says:
    7th April 2010 at 8:12 am

    I want to know whether northbound or southbound flights have flight numbers,and if they have the
    similar meaning. Thank you.

  10. Ian says:
    19th April 2010 at 7:35 pm

    Hazel: all flights have flight numbers, but they are based on east-west, not north-south. Even if a plane flies north-south, it must deviate east or west a little.

  11. Nucha says:
    11th August 2010 at 10:00 am

    Really? How do you know ? Have you asked the staff in the Thai airport yet? Anyway, good observation! Thank you for the information,Josef.

    All the best,

  12. Misheelle says:
    15th August 2010 at 5:43 pm

    That was helpful. I never knew it. I think this information would help me.

  13. Kety says:
    23rd February 2011 at 7:59 pm

    I had no idea. I didn’t know that,anyway, it’s a good observation!!

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