Something that I've never really understood...why do airlines, i.e., what is the benefit, to having a flight number that stays the same despite an aircraft and gate change. For instance Delta 110 leaves EZE nightly at 9:45, arrives ATL the next day at 6:10 a.m. It then has a gate change and an aircraft change, leaving ATL at 8:30 and arriving LAX at 10:25 a.m. So, the single flight number has a change of aircraft and a change of gate, and I'm assuming a change of crew. How is that any different than any connection any one of us have made a million times? New concourse, new gates, new plane, new crew. That, my friends, is two different flights, isn't it?

Is it simply because there aren't enough numbers without repeating? Or, does by keeping the same number, in this instance, Delta can say that they serve EZE from LAX since, technically, it's the same flight number? That's the only reason I can think of...

And this isn't a Delta-centric question - i've seen it on every airline...I just happened to pull this Delta example because I was on DL 110 from ATL-LAX two days ago and thought about it....

Thanks,
Andrew