Airlines drop fatal planes' numbers

Dallas - American Airlines and United Airlines have retired the number designations that were used by the flights hijacked in…

Dallas - American Airlines and United Airlines have retired the number designations that were used by the flights hijacked in the US attacks, the carriers said yesterday. "It's an American Airlines policy in line with industry practice to retire flight numbers of flights that crash with fatalities," said spokesman Mr John Hotard.

A spokeswoman for United Airlines confirmed they had also removed the affected flight numbers from its schedule as soon as flying resumed.