Returning on same plane
 

After reading about a lot of the MR deals and looking at some of the itineraries I noticed that many of them have the same plane in and out (presumably). For example, I just saw a MR discussion that was on CO from LGA-IAH-SMF and back same day. The same plane and crew will most likely be doing the IAH-SMF and SMF-IAH flights so I got to thinking, what do the FAs say to you when they see you back on the plane? Do you ever feel awkward or get questioned?

I have been kind of amused reading about all the MRs because half the destinations I would at least like to stay a night or two but maybe that defeats the purpose of a MR. The international ones are the ones that I get a kick out of the most. If I was going 10,000 miles away, I would surely like to at least experience Sydney or Singapore or Europe for a weekend or a few days. Just curious what peoples experiences have been returning on the same plane with the same crew.

i expect the ones who chat are aware of mrer's & probably the others....i have been recognized & greeted a few times....on intl runs across the pond, you wont get the same crew, but often the same plane....i have been recognized by the gate cwer when getting back on a time or 2....i also have stayed a few days when going to a city i hadn't been to before...

I've done MRs where I had the same crew down and back. It's always fun to have it happen, especially when the crew is very nice. Don't see why you would get questioned.

I just figured that the crew may just smile and know what is up because it seems like from FT quite a few people do it and I'm sure many have had conversations with the FAs and GAs about it. On the international trips they usually switch the crew so it wouldn't happen. I guess as a traveler if I was to do a MR I would want to at least spend a couple days to make the money I spent on airfare worthwhile. If it was not a desirable destination I guess I wouldn't have much a problem just turning around and going right back to where I came from.

was on the same plane yesterday JFK-LAX-JFK; different crew, though. Gate agents are actually the ones that remember me the most--I recall a mileage run a few years back (in May, like $350 ai JFK-SFO-DEN-ANC-DEN-SFO-JFK) where the gate agent took one look at my itinerary and started to laugh, saying it was way too early to be worried about my miles.

I'm sure this is pretty common. I just get a kick out of it when you have a ticket booked that is an odd routing like MSP-BMI-ATL-CMH and the GA looks and is like what the heck? It's not my fault Delta Pricing experts decided to price that itinerary $800 cheaper than MSP-CMH or MSP-DTW-CMH. I remember going through BMI a few months ago thinking I must be one of the first transit passengers at that airport. The way back I had an equally bizarre routing but thankfully the GA let me SDC to the direct CMH-MSP flight...I lost a couple thousand miles but got home 5 hours earlier and was able to spend a few extra hours with the wife.

Was recognized by the crew on a MR EWR-YYZ-YVR-SYD on AC. They simply smiled and said it was a quick through. :p

This year, I was doing an MR through RDU, and I walked off a plane, hung out at the airport for half an hour, then walked back on. The FA did a double take and said, "You're back?" I just sighed and said "Long story." It was also felt like a "walk of shame" - I was in 1st on the way in, but had to sit in coach on the way out. :D

I actually don't like seeing the same crew in and out. It just seems weird to me - I feel like I owe the crew an explanation. On the same MR, (RDU-SEA) I actually could have gone standby for a flight in SEA that was same metal as my inbound, but I chose to wait an hour and go on the next flight, just so I wouldn't have to do that. :shrug:

I like to spend a few days in a new place (especially international). I spent one night in FRA and ended up with the same crew both ways. One of the FAs asked me something like, "You're headed back already?" That one I was able to skirt with, "Yes, just a quick trip."

Happened to me yesterday -- LAS/SFO/ORD/SJU/ORD/LAS.

Same crew ORD/SJU/ORD, and one of the FAs recognized me and said "why are you back?" Same orange shirt and had only moved 3A to 3D, so kinda hard to miss given that she was the FA for the F cabin.

Did JFK-SFO-JFK. Like others, had the same plane different crew. Walk of shame?? I don't think so. The crew, and you, know that those even interested in doing MR's and the ones that pay the bills. They like us. You should get a free drink. Now if there was just a way to get qualifying miles without having to actually spend the day on the plane...that would be interesting.

Good to see you again!
You stayed here a long time too!
Didn't you just get off thiis plane?
Returning from recent trip to Hong Kong I got the same crew on HKG-NRT as I had on NRT-HKG. I had stayed there two nights. They said Wwelcome back. It's good to see you again".

I once (2003 or so) had booked a MR DTW-LAS-MSP-DTW where one of the female FAs was with me for the whole routing (IIRC on the last leg as a pax). She approached me in MSP and asked me if I'm following her. She sounded like she thought of reporting me to the authorities as what I did certainly was not explainable to her... I told her about the concept of a MR and she never heard about that before. I'm not sure she believed me...

The exit row quizes are fun when it's given by the same flight attendent for the second (or more) time in a row...

I've been asked by the FA at RDU why are you coming back with us when you only just got here, and I didn't find it comfortable answering either. But the moment passed quickly, and the flight boarding process and MR continued. I always try to avoid the same plane returning for that reason, but can't always avoid it. Also once had trouble getting a BP printed at the kiosk, and had to ask the check-in desk to print it; they pulled up the PNR and looked very concerned, and wanted to know in a not very friendly tone why I was flying cross country only to come right back. But they went ahead and printed my BP anyhow, and did not look very happy about the situation. Again, the moment passed relatively quickly, and I moved on with a very pleasant and successful MR. Like other have said, we have paid for the ticket, and all we're doing is giving the airline our business.

I book imediate returns all the time, often it is the same crew. I could care less what they say or think. Most have been very nice and fun. One time there was a grouch in F on the way down and she was a grouch in F on the way back. THe FA's/Ga's Attitude has NOTHING to do with you getting on the same plane twice. It's really much more common than you think and not just Mileage Runners. I have never considered it a walk of shame. I have more difficulty with questions from friends and family than I do from Airline Industry employees.