Fair enough. And, sorry if I sounded too much like I was going after you, hooverer. I still think that if it was a decision based upon the noise violation issue, it was a poor move by NW. Covering their own a$$ at the cost of the OP.

But that got me thinking. The OP said the SAN flight was already delayed. Could there really be that much of a difference in flight time due to thrust? Wouldn't boarding the pax to SAN at the gate they were already at with the a/c the crew was presumably already on, be quicker than marching everyone down to a new gate with a new plane? The a/c couldn't make up that much time, right?