Theres a simpler change, how is it possible to allocate numbers without first verifying said number is unique.
What would the short term ROI on that change be? That’s all they care about.
Europe for one have used alphanumeric flight numbers for years.
Would not be very convenient to view on a radar screen.
Given how long humans have had to implement or fix the most basic of shit (some major apps with millions of users still don't have a Dark Mode, for example) maybe handing the reigns to AI is for the better after all..