Remember when direct really meant direct?
I used to take a Northwest flight BOS-CLE-MKE. One flight number. During the stop in CLE, there was a "occupied" card we could put on our seats if we wanted to get off the plane. Same with my United BGR-PWM-ORD flight. The stops were usually about 40 minutes.
Today, a direct flight is so often through a hub, and it often means you get off one plane, go to the other side of the airport, and get on a different plane 3 hours later. Yes, the flight number is the same.
Sure, there are a handful of true direct flights still. But they are few and far between.
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Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
At the risk of sounding uneducated, do any of these flights get marketed as "direct"? In my humble - and possible mistaken - understanding, a direct flight is a nonstop flight... otherwise you're not heading "directly" to your destination.
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
reffado wrote:At the risk of sounding uneducated, do any of these flights get marketed as "direct"? In my humble - and possible mistaken - understanding, a direct flight is a nonstop flight... otherwise you're not heading "directly" to your destination.
Airlines originally treated "direct" the ways trains did. Direct trains meant no change of train, through it would certainly make stops along the way.
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
reffado wrote:At the risk of sounding uneducated, do any of these flights get marketed as "direct"? In my humble - and possible mistaken - understanding, a direct flight is a nonstop flight... otherwise you're not heading "directly" to your destination.
I'm probably one of the uneducated as well in this case...despite being in this hobby for over 40 years now. To me nonstop is just that: nonstop. Direct to me is a "non" nonstop flight...a stopping service without physically changing equipment.
Having said that, differing cultures probably assign different meanings to the word direct.
Moe
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
I've done CX flight BNE-CNS-HKG before, was 1 flight number, but got off and back on at CNS, was shown as direct flight.
Similary have booking ahead on KQ with the one leg on ticket showing "nonstop" CPT-NBO and it is nonstop, the return is showing "direct (1 technical stop) NBO-CPT, which is then a stop in VFA, but not getting off the plane.
Going via a hub and changing planes is suppose to be marketed as 1-stop.
Similary have booking ahead on KQ with the one leg on ticket showing "nonstop" CPT-NBO and it is nonstop, the return is showing "direct (1 technical stop) NBO-CPT, which is then a stop in VFA, but not getting off the plane.
Going via a hub and changing planes is suppose to be marketed as 1-stop.
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- LGAviation
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Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
GRJGeorge wrote:I've done CX flight BNE-CNS-HKG before, was 1 flight number, but got off and back on at CNS, was shown as direct flight.
Similary have booking ahead on KQ with the one leg on ticket showing "nonstop" CPT-NBO and it is nonstop, the return is showing "direct (1 technical stop) NBO-CPT, which is then a stop in VFA, but not getting off the plane.
Going via a hub and changing planes is suppose to be marketed as 1-stop.
You're in for a treat with the KQ Service on the Embraer to NBO. Unfortunately, I haven't yet had the pleasure to flight it full length down to CPT, they just don't market that ex Europe. Our captain made a turn over the Falls both ways (left side on the NBO-VFA leg, right side on the return) plus we got a pretty spectacular view of Kilimanjaro on the morning southbound as well (also left hand side).
As for the difference between direct and nonstop flights I share the sentiment that anything going through a hub shouldn't be marketed as a direct flight especially if it means change of gate and equipment (MEL-PER-LHR certainly doesnt involve that). I've had to disembark on a couple of those (like MAD-SDQ-SJU) while on other mostly within Africa we stayed on (like ADD-JRO-ZNZ, ADD-DAR-HAH, ADD-KRT-FRA or even CPT-WVB-WDH which felt odd given that it had a domestic leg in Namibia with final passport control for all passengers in WDH) and I wouldn't really distinguish between these as long as it is clearly same plane, non-hub service.
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- B747forever
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Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
Southwest is probably the last major carrier that have flights that are truly operated as direct through flights with short 30min stops during which you stay onboard.
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
B747forever wrote:Southwest is probably the last major carrier that have flights that are truly operated as direct through flights with short 30min stops during which you stay onboard.
I've done F9 PHX-SAT-ATL on A319. Granted F9 is not a "major carrier" but they have a large network.
Moe
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
A year ago I enjoyed Alaska Airlines flight 65 from Seattle to Juneau with stops on the way in Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg. A great scenic, direct flight.
Re: When a direct flight really meant a direct flight
reffado wrote:At the risk of sounding uneducated, do any of these flights get marketed as "direct"?
Depends on how you define "marketed". I don't think any airline runs ads advertising "Direct flights to XYZ", but I believe they do show up in search engines as something like "Direct (1 stop)" as opposed to a connecting itinerary, even though there's effectively no difference from the traveler's perspective. I think there maybe is still some benefit, like if the first leg is late the second leg won't depart until all the passengers continuing from the first one are onboard.
I remember about 10 years ago when US Airways was applying to serve PHL-PEK, they did announce that it would be "direct" service from CLT basically as a way of getting support from the Charlotte community as well. Obviously the flight never came to fruition, but IIRC it would have required a change of planes CLT passengers but they said the flights would be parked at adjacent gates at PHL and that one wouldn't depart until after the first had arrived.
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