Originally Posted by
tommyleo
(An interesting aside: it seems that the reason why this flight leaves from Gate A18 is because it has the same flight number as an incoming flight from TLV which arrives at Gate A19. It seems pretty bogus to consider "Flight #797, TLV-LAX" a direct flight, especially since there must be a plane change -- PHL-LAX is on an A321.)
A "direct" flight only means that the flight number continues on, not necessarily (actually, almost never) the aircraft. Ah, the wonders of airline marketing - US can now boast to LA travelers that they have a flight from LAX to TLV!
This drives me especially nuts when I read travel articles that have section on "How to get there ..." and state that airline XX has a direct flight from A to B, with no change of plane. Ha!