Connecting flight is same plane at same gate—this has never happened to me before
 

Just connected from one WN flight to another. I was in 1D and asked the FAs shortly before landing which gate I needed to get to for my flight to SFO—they said “this one.” But it’s not a continuing flight, so we all had to get off and I then got back on the same plane (miraculously managing to be in 1D again :D) The first flight was delayed about 20 minutes and I had a short connection, so I was a bit stressed before I realized what was going on, but then…wow!

In all the flying I’ve done over my nearly 57 years, how has this never happened to me before??? And why can’t it happen more often ???

two words: random success

This happened to me once with a longer connection. I didn't know I had dropped my phone in my seat while getting off until it was too late to get back on to look for it. I checked lost and found, but it wasn't there. When I reboarded for the second flight, an attendant handed it to me. She had checked the manifest and knew I'd be back. I was beyond grateful!

I have had this happen several times flying WN from DAL before through ticketing was allowed because of Wright amendment restrictions. DAL LIT MDW except it was LUV LIT MDW.

I’ve had it happen a couple times. Last one I remember was DFW a few years ago on a fairly short connection.
Got off the plane, stood around for maybe 30 minutes then got back on. Same seats on both legs I think.

Happened to me back in the day with Lufthansa at Frankfurt. I had a delayed flight and connecting flight was on the other side of the airport. Had to run through immigration, and security. With my belt and laptop in my hand to the last gate in the far end pier of the airport. I managed to arrive as one of the last 3 people to pass the gate which directed us to a bus and took back to the same plane.

The steward who I had chat before was laughing his ... off and told me he couldn't help with this but at least he can bring a bottle of wine right away...

This happened in fall 1998! MRY-DEN-SFO on UA
i was in F and I know that our section could remain on the plane. I’m sure Y had same privilege.

I just stayed in my seat.

This was not a continuing flight and we all had to get off the plane. I have a good friend who's a flight attendant with WN and she said the FAs had gotten very annoyed with (in her words) having to babysit passengers in situations like this when people stayed in their seats, so WN has stopped allowing it. Makes sense to me, considering they're not actually paid for the time at the gate.

Happened to me a few years ago on AA, morning flight DSM-PHX-ONT or FAT (can't recall which). I was in 12F (I think) exit row window. Arrived in PHX, walked out of the jetbridge and stepped aside to check my app for the next gate. Next gate was something like A26, looked down the concourse to the left and saw A28, looked to the right and saw A24, turned around and realized I had just walked out of A26. Boarded in about 15 min, into the exact same seat purely by chance although I usually prefer exit row window so the odds were in my favor.

Another time I was on the last flight of the day from DSM-PHX, which was my final destination that evening. We delayed pushing back about 30 min due to expected weather in PHX at the time of our arrival. They ended up opening the door and letting people get off who didn't want to risk missing their connection, but reminded us that many incoming flights would be delayed around the same timeframe so many connections could still be made. I didn't consider getting off since PHX was my destination, but wondered what I would've decided if I was headed on to FAT that evening as I often am. Out of curiosity I pulled up the app and checked the PHX-FAT flight, and sure enough the incoming plane for that flight was the one I was sitting on.

I was on a Northwest flight MSP-BOS-AMS in 1992 that was what you call a continuing flight, but was called a direct flight back then.. We still had to get off and then back on a few minutes later. I forget how long, but could have been 30 - 60 minutes.

That's a normal occurrence on WN flights. Even if the flights are not "continuing" as the OP stated.
If the crew is the same on the next leg they always let you stay in the plane. If the crew get's changed, they ask everyone to deplane and board again when the new FAs are in.

No, they don't. I stated this too (source: this exact personal experience, as well as my friend the WN FA's statement when I asked her about it). The crew on my connecting flight was the same crew as the first flight.

Then you have strange crew. I can count at least 3 instances in the last 10 years where I was flying WN and every time they let me stay on board and change the seat for the better if I wanted.

Many years ago I was connecting in Denver to LAX, and my incoming was delayed at the gate and the runway, so was running super late, hence I would miss the last UA flight into LAX. Called UA via the old Airphone from my front cabin seat and asked whether I could be connected to another LA Basin airport. The CSR said there was a flight into SNA leaving about 25 minutes after the flight I was on was now scheduled to arrive, and asked her to put me on it. Upon leaving the jetway, I turned to the nearby agent and asked what gate the SNA flight was at, and the answer was where I was standing (different flight number though).

Called my Van Nuys car service that was supposed to pick me up at LAX and take me to the San Fernando Valley, and asked them to go to Orange County. Worked out fine, outside of the fact the car service charge was about double.

Ironically despite having lived in the LA area my entire life, residing in the OC until college, and having about 3 million BIS miles since 1983, that was the only time I have ever flown in or out of SNA.

Yes, I’m sure it’s that and not the fact that your experiences from years ago might be outdated vs. what WN has now started doing. :rolleyes: