Do flight numbers ever get "retired", like United 93?

[Deb in IA]

With the upcoming release of "United 93", I wondered if airlines ever 'retired' flight numbers, like they retire hurricane names? Everyone will know and associate United Flight 93 with that horrible crash in Pennsylvania, and no one will want to be on that flight again.

Does anyone know?

 

[Sandy V.]

I don't know this for a fact, but I remember being told a long time ago that any time a commercial airline crashes with loss of life, the airline no longer uses that flight number.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I don't know this for a fact, but I remember being told a long time ago that any time a commercial airline crashes with loss of life, the airline no longer uses that flight number.

I heard that too.

 

[LukenDC]

British Airways retired a flight number for a London to Washington flight that had been named in several terrorist threats.