Malaysia retires missing plane's flight code

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airlines says it has retired the missing jetliner's flight code as a sign of respect to the 239 passengers and crew on board.

The airline says it will no longer be using MH370 and MH371, the same codes used by the Boeing 777 that vanished from radar screens on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on Saturday.

MH370 was used for Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route and MH371 for a return flight.

Starting Friday, Malaysia Airlines says it will use flight codes MH318 and MH319 for the same route.