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I sometimes open "Live ATC" app on my iPhone and listen to the "status" of my airplane when I'm taking off until my plane reaches the runway (I know the phone have to be turned off but its exciting to listen to ATC communicating with your pilot). In order to know the status, I have to know the call sign of the plane. If I'm taking off from a small airport, I kinda guess the call sign based on the conversation between the ATC and the pilots and the position of my plane (for example if the ATC says United 220 hold short of Juliet and if my plane is on Juliet, I know my plane is United 220). There have been times when the pilot announces the call sign of the plane before pushback. My question is, Is it okay or weird for me to ask the call sign of the plane to the pilots / flight crew during boarding.

DeltaLima
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Ank
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Mostly you wouldn't need to ask. Most commercial flights use the airline's standard call sign and the flight number printed on your ticket. Sometimes the call sign can be confusing - British Airways use 'Speedbird'; PAN AM used to use 'Clipper'. There's a list of common callsigns on http://www.pilotcareercenter.com/Search-Air-Carrier-By-Name-Region-Aircraft-Type-Radio-Callsign#callsign

The flight number should be enough - just listening for calls referring to 'two-two-zero' will almost certainly identify United 220. Code-sharing flights, however, will generally use the flight number of the operating airline. Your ticket might say 'United 220', but if the flight is operated by, say, American Airlines so the call sign might be 'American 406'.

All that said, if you're using your phone when you have been explicitly asked to turn it off the airline is within its rights to confiscate your phone or remove you from the flight.

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    "All that said, if you're using your phone when you have been explicitly asked to turn it off the airline is within its rights to confiscate your phone or remove you from the flight." True but its allowed by TSA to have your phone on, on the airplane mode while taking off. And most planes have Wifi and Wifi works on the airplane mode. – Ank Oct 09 '15 at 04:29
  • Wifi doesn't work in my airplane mode. – DJClayworth Oct 09 '15 at 06:12
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    turning on airplane mode disconnects wifi but you can turn on wifi again without turning off the airplane mode.. – Ank Oct 09 '15 at 06:44
  • That depends on the type of phone and OS @Ank. – GdD Oct 09 '15 at 08:52
  • I would be very surprised if turning wifi back on doesn't disable airplane mode. Either way the spirit of the request from the airline is not to have devices that transmit or receive particularly during the time that the aircraft is close to the ground, although some airlines ask for no transmit or receive for the entire flight. – Philip Johnson Oct 09 '15 at 11:35
  • @Airsick: Surely they are not going to remove you from the flight for keeping the phone on, imagine what a waste of time it would be from the airline. – Firee Oct 09 '15 at 11:36
  • On domestic US flights, the wording I have always heard is "...turn off and stow all electronic devices..." Usually that is required whenever the "Fasten Seatbelt" sign is on. In terms of removal from the flight, it might be discretionary. Either way, we are also reminded on domestic US flights, “Federal law requires passenger compliance with lighted signs, placards and crew member instructions.” So you can be charged on arrival even if they don't eject you from the plane. – Todd Wilcox Oct 09 '15 at 12:19
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    Ahhh, apparently this changed since the last time I flew. Passengers may use approved electronic devices at all times during a flight: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/faa-to-relax-rules-on-personal-electronic-devices-while-in-flight/2013/10/31/d674b04e-4243-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html – Todd Wilcox Oct 09 '15 at 12:24
  • @ToddWilcox: Ah yes you finally noticed the FAA figured out the prohibition was always natter. – Joshua Dec 04 '16 at 21:34
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    "most planes have Wifi" incidentally I have never been on a plane that had wifi (despite flying internationally within Europe several times per year) @Ank – LangeHaare Oct 05 '17 at 11:03
  • Airlines running codeshare flights still have to nominate a single operating flight number. This is the operating airline or more formally, the airline who's AOC the flight is operating under. The codeshare numbers are invisible and irrelevant to ATC, and are filtered from the FIDS that the tower etc. use with a flag. – Pete855217 Oct 06 '17 at 04:35