Originally Posted by
kebosabi
If the flight number is the same and there is no equipment change, then you can stay on board. I dunno, IME this has been the case for most of my direct stop flights rather than a flight with a same flight number but with an equipment change.
As recently as few months ago, I flew CX713 HKG-BKK-SIN which was the same flight number, same aircraft. People that got off at BKK got off, those that are continuing onto SIN stayed onboard the same aircraft. Bring aboard BKK-SIN passengers and 1 hr later it was on its way to SIN.
KE002 is also a good example. This flies the LAX-NRT-ICN route with no equipment change at NRT. Those that get off at NRT get off, those continuing onto ICN has the option of staying on board or be escorted to a secure transit area to stretch their legs (those that do this option are issued a "transit boarding pass" for when they get back on). KE picks up NRT-ICN passengers onto the same plane and takes off 1.5 hr later.
No-change-of-equipment "direct stop" flights are also common on WN over here in the stateside. Ever got onboard a WN flight at the top of the A list excited to be one of the first to grab good seats, only to be disappointed that a whole bunch of people are sitting on the flight? Wondered how they all got there when you were A3 list? It's because those were the passengers there stayed on the aircraft on its way to its next destination.
Many AS flights on the West Coast also uses no equipment change direct stop flights. One of the flights I take often is AS2326; it flies SEA-GTF-HLN, no equipment change at GTF; pax heading to HLN stays on board.
The concept isn't really much different from taking Amtrak or Grayhound. They don't empty out the train or bus at every station or bus stop right? If that's your stop get off; if it ain't stay on.
Although I was well familiar with the concept, I appreciate the effort you expended to explain it clearly. But none of the examples you mentioned involve AA flights, and our discussion here focuses on AA.
Again, IME, these "direct" one-stop flights
on AA metal almost always involve a change of aircraft (and thus a new gate) at the hub cities. We usually have to grab our stuff, deplane, sometimes accompanied by our FAs, and proceed down the concourse to the next aircraft.
I suspect (strictly my suspicion) that the true "direct" one-stop flight, without deplaning, happens more often overseas, where no immigration/customs checks occur for transiting passengers. The WN example makes sense because it uses a point-to-point model, so there wouldn't necessarily be additional aircraft at many stations for swapping equipment on direct flights.