Shown below is the numbering system used by Boeing. The system was started in the 1950's with the arrival of the Boeing 707. It allows identification of the first owner of an aircraft by the use of a sub-type designation. Pan Am was the first customer of the 707 so they were allocated the first number. Since the aircraft was a 707-120 Pan Am's designation became 21. As a result the numbers 21-99 were used first, followed by 01-19 and then an alphanumeric system running from A0 - A9, B0 - B9 etc. As even more customers ordered from Boeing the alphanumeric system was reversed beginning with a number and then a letter e.g. 1A - 9A, 1B - 9B. Recently the use of double letters has been brought into use e.g. AD, AH, AK etc. For Example If an aircraft is described as a 747-436 it is a 747-400 belonging to British Airways. A 737-300 operated by EasyJet will be a 737-33V. An Airtours International 757-225 was originally operated by Eastern Airlines.

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