“Direct” flights / same plane connections - how many are left on Delta
Mar 29, 2023, 11:06 pm
#1
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“Direct” flights / same plane connections - how many are left on Delta
I realized mid flight that my HNL to LAX to JFK connection is using the same plane… and that I ended up in the same seat (5A) on both flights. Not sure if this is an official “direct” flight, but I find it cool - does Delta have many of these connections left?
Mar 30, 2023, 5:30 am
#2
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I had this occur for an IND-ATL-RSW flight. It is funny to go back to the same seats on the same plane at the same gate. The crew changed, which I would imagine is usually the case, so it technically is not a one-stop flight. I would imagine the one-stop flight is extremely rare or non-existent with Delta. You still see it with airlines like Southwest - the airport board usually shows both cities (i.e. one-stop service to BWI via MCO).
Mar 30, 2023, 5:44 am
#3
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I haven't seen it on DL or PMNW in over 30 years. I'm sure they were around I just didn't see them. AFAIK, WN is the only airline that still does this regularly, I have a buddy flying today MSP-DEN-LAS all under one flight number and with one crew.
Mar 30, 2023, 6:28 am
#4
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I mean, if you think about it, it's pretty obvious that the plane you are on now is going SOMEWHERE next. So, literally hundreds of times a day you could potentially be on one of these combos (but these usually aren't scheduled, the same route tomorrow with the same timing would probably be on two different planes).
Not sure how many actual direct flights still exist (where the same flight number is used for two segments), but usually these are international (e.g. I've booked MEM-ATL-LHR as DL10) and I would guess they are almost always two different plane types.
Mar 30, 2023, 8:22 am
#6
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They are rare, but there are still some out there DL82 is currently used for MEM-ATL-CDG (DL10 mentioned above is now MSP-LHR and not used on MEM-ATL). Sharing the same flight number is usually what people mean when they talk about "direct" flights, and not simply flying on the same plane with different flight numbers when connecting (which is not that unusual). DL does not share any flight numbers between HNL-LAX and LAX-JFK that I can see. I see DL368 and DL353 on same equipment.
Mar 30, 2023, 8:35 am
#7
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for a number of years now, most of the same-flight-number operations are turns from/to the hubs (e.g., JFK-DCA-JFK, ATL-CHS-ATL, DTW-IND-DTW)
Mar 30, 2023, 8:39 am
#8
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Mar 30, 2023, 8:40 am
#9
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Were the flight numbers the same?
I mean, if you think about it, it's pretty obvious that the plane you are on now is going SOMEWHERE next. So, literally hundreds of times a day you could potentially be on one of these combos (but these usually aren't scheduled, the same route tomorrow with the same timing would probably be on two different planes).
Not sure how many actual direct flights still exist (where the same flight number is used for two segments), but usually these are international (e.g. I've booked MEM-ATL-LHR as DL10) and I would guess they are almost always two different plane types.
I mean, if you think about it, it's pretty obvious that the plane you are on now is going SOMEWHERE next. So, literally hundreds of times a day you could potentially be on one of these combos (but these usually aren't scheduled, the same route tomorrow with the same timing would probably be on two different planes).
Not sure how many actual direct flights still exist (where the same flight number is used for two segments), but usually these are international (e.g. I've booked MEM-ATL-LHR as DL10) and I would guess they are almost always two different plane types.
I think most airlines (outside of WN) have gone to that approach to conserve flight numbers, rather than building through flights with the same flight number. The only real benefit of a "same flight number, same plane" itinerary is that it hypothetically removes the possibility of a misconnect...
Mar 30, 2023, 9:13 am
#10
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Traditionally, a downside was that both segments would need to upgrade at the same time using different inventory. I think customers weren't even supposed to be upgraded at the gate after having flown the first portion. It was also more difficult to assign or change seats, as you would need to call to have an agent put you in different seats on different segments of a direct flight.
When MSP-NRT-SIN and vv was the same flight number (sometimes with a change of gauge), I would instead try to book MSP-DTW-SIN to avoid the direct flight.
When MSP-NRT-SIN and vv was the same flight number (sometimes with a change of gauge), I would instead try to book MSP-DTW-SIN to avoid the direct flight.
Mar 30, 2023, 9:42 am
#11
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Traditionally, a downside was that both segments would need to upgrade at the same time using different inventory. I think customers weren't even supposed to be upgraded at the gate after having flown the first portion. It was also more difficult to assign or change seats, as you would need to call to have an agent put you in different seats on different segments of a direct flight.
When MSP-NRT-SIN and vv was the same flight number (sometimes with a change of gauge), I would instead try to book MSP-DTW-SIN to avoid the direct flight.
When MSP-NRT-SIN and vv was the same flight number (sometimes with a change of gauge), I would instead try to book MSP-DTW-SIN to avoid the direct flight.
Mar 30, 2023, 10:38 am
#12
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A lot of outstations will have turns where the inbound and outbound flights from a hub use the same flight number, making it highly unlikely anyone would fly out and back (outside of retirement flights or some other special occasion).
I think most airlines (outside of WN) have gone to that approach to conserve flight numbers, rather than building through flights with the same flight number. The only real benefit of a "same flight number, same plane" itinerary is that it hypothetically removes the possibility of a misconnect...
I think most airlines (outside of WN) have gone to that approach to conserve flight numbers, rather than building through flights with the same flight number. The only real benefit of a "same flight number, same plane" itinerary is that it hypothetically removes the possibility of a misconnect...
Mar 30, 2023, 11:02 am
#13
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Mar 30, 2023, 11:13 am
#14
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There was also at times (at least on UA) the issue of mileage credit. The direct flights would credit based the departure airport and ultimate arrival airport and not credit for the intermediate stop. You'd lose a few hundred miles here and there as a result -- like in the above where MSP - NRT - SIN is ~9275 but MSP - SIN is only ~9075 and you'd lose the extra 200 miles