Similar call signs, same airline, departing ord approximately same time.

Attributes
ACN	121566
Time
Date	198909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	121566
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Several similar sounding flight numbers are used by air carrier for same time departures at ord. We received a clearance to turn to 300 degree climb to 13,000 MSL while at 5000' MSL 270 degree heading. We followed our clearance as assigned, but another flight with the last 2 digits the same as ours also began a climb and turn on our clearance. This is an almost continuous occurrence at ord due to the high workload and high traffic density in the ord TCA. Flight numbers such as 139, 539, 739 should not be used at the same airport of departure or arrival for departures and arrs that occur at the same time. Numerous reports have been sent to the companies involved and to NASA about this situation. There is a very simply solution to this potentially catastrophic situation, yet companies continue to schedule using similar sounding flight numbers for some sort of marketing ease of scheduling. I'm certain that airline marketing departures have no idea of the problem they're helping to create. This should be brought to their attention and corrected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, SAME AIRLINE, DEPARTING ORD APPROXIMATELY SAME TIME.

Narrative: SEVERAL SIMILAR SOUNDING FLT NUMBERS ARE USED BY ACR FOR SAME TIME DEPS AT ORD. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO TURN TO 300 DEG CLIMB TO 13,000 MSL WHILE AT 5000' MSL 270 DEG HDG. WE FOLLOWED OUR CLRNC AS ASSIGNED, BUT ANOTHER FLT WITH THE LAST 2 DIGITS THE SAME AS OURS ALSO BEGAN A CLIMB AND TURN ON OUR CLRNC. THIS IS AN ALMOST CONTINUOUS OCCURRENCE AT ORD DUE TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD AND HIGH TFC DENSITY IN THE ORD TCA. FLT NUMBERS SUCH AS 139, 539, 739 SHOULD NOT BE USED AT THE SAME ARPT OF DEP OR ARR FOR DEPS AND ARRS THAT OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME. NUMEROUS REPORTS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE COMPANIES INVOLVED AND TO NASA ABOUT THIS SITUATION. THERE IS A VERY SIMPLY SOLUTION TO THIS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC SITUATION, YET COMPANIES CONTINUE TO SCHEDULE USING SIMILAR SOUNDING FLT NUMBERS FOR SOME SORT OF MARKETING EASE OF SCHEDULING. I'M CERTAIN THAT AIRLINE MARKETING DEPS HAVE NO IDEA OF THE PROBLEM THEY'RE HELPING TO CREATE. THIS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTN AND CORRECTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.