Using correct flight terminology: From a pilot

I often read at these forums people wanting to take a "direct" flight from point A to point B, and I ask myself, "why do you want a stop along the way?".

 

There are essentially three types of flights:

 

Non-stop: This is where the flight goes from point A to point B- simple

Direct: This is where the flight goes from point A to point B, generally in the same direction, but has one or more stops along the way. You will often have the same aircraft and flight number, and at your interim stop(s) some passengers will get off and new ones get on. Some times direct flights can cost less than non-stops, but not often.

Connecting: Here you will leave one plane and go to another plane at a different gate, even a different airline to get to your destination.

 

I hope this is of some help.

Edited April 25, 2016 by loubetti

All nonstop flights are direct flights. All direct flights (flights which keep the same flight number for all their legs) are not nonstop.

Edited April 25, 2016 by 6rugrats

All nonstop flights are direct flights. All direct flights (flights which keep the same flight number for all their legs) are not nonstop.

 

On a practical basis, rarely are non-stop flights referred to as direct flights. It just leads to confusion :). Plus, technically your second sentence should have read, "Not all direct flights are non-stop" (because "all direct flights are not nonstop" contradicts your first sentence!)

Edited April 25, 2016 by frugaltravel

Thanks. I never knew the difference in terminology. I bet most people who say they want to go "direct" really mean "non-stop." And yes, it does cause confusion to use the terms interchangeably - especially when talking to someone who does understand the distinction between the two.

All nonstop flights are direct flights. All direct flights (flights which keep the same flight number for all their legs) are not nonstop.

 

Sorry, wrong. Non-stop or direct, take your pick, but not the same.

SW = Air Namibia

WN = Southwest Airlines

 

Also things that annoy because I'm mildly OCD with this stuff

 

-British Air is something people in the UK breathe, not an airline

-Don't just guess airport codes if you don't know them. If you type GTW I will assume you want to travel to the Eastern Czech Republic and not London Gatwick.

-Just because there are big seats in the front of the plane it doesn't mean you're flying in First Class. No, you won't be flying Delta in First Class between London and New York, no, you won't be flying Virgin in First Class between London and anywhere...

-Customs is not security is not the same as immigration. Just becuse some semi-official person in uniform checks some sort of identifying information it doesn't make it "customs".

Direct: This is where the flight goes from point A to point B, generally in the same direction, but has one or more stops along the way. You will often have the same aircraft and flight number, and at your interim stop(s) some passengers will get off and new ones get on. Some times direct flights can cost less than non-stops, but not often.

 

Connecting: Here you will leave one plane and go to another plane at a different gate, even a different airline to get to your destination.

Some airlines blur the distinction between these two types of flight. They sell a "direct" flight from AAA to CCC with a "stop" at BBB. But when you get to CCC, you discover that there is something which is genteely termed a "change of gauge". In other words, you leave the first aircraft and go to another aircraft at a different gate, even perhaps a different airline, to get to your destination. But the airline has sold it to you as a "direct" flight because both parts of the flight happen to have been given the same flight number.

 

Just like a true connection, you can misconnect at BBB if your AAA-BBB flight is late and your BBB-CCC flight doesn't wait for you to turn up.

 

"Change of gauge"? There's a reason why many call this "flight number fraud" - selling a connecting itinerary as if it were a direct flight.

 

Now, to more serious matters: Surely a pilot would not refer to an aircraft as a "plane"? :eek:

Southwest has many multi-stop flights that hopscotch across the country. 6 or 8 stops is not uncommon. Southwest obfuscates "nonstop" and "direct" on their website, by calling both "direct". Unless you notice the number of stops, you may think you're booking a nonstop and get a rude awakening.

 

Also, most airlines have a few direct flights that require an aircraft and gate change! From the passenger perspective it's no different than connecting flights, except you will only get the "nonstop" frequent flyer miles. Made up example- a direct LAX-DEN-RNO flight will only receive the mileage from LAX-RNO. Connecting in DEN will earn the total mileage of both flights.

Edited April 26, 2016 by kenish

Some airlines blur the distinction between these two types of flight. They sell a "direct" flight from AAA to CCC with a "stop" at BBB. But when you get to CCC, you discover that there is something which is genteely termed a "change of gauge". ...

As I can't edit this any longer, having just spotted the typo - this should read:-

Some airlines blur the distinction between these two types of flight. They sell a "direct" flight from AAA to CCC with a "stop" at BBB. But when you get to BBB, you discover that there is something which is genteely termed a "change of gauge". ...

If the line calls it direct why wouldn't I.

Another terminology thing: If you buy one ticket to fly from XXX to YYY, and then you separately buy another ticket to fly from YYY to ZZZ (because it's often cheaper to do this), you are not making a connection at YYY.

 

And if something goes wrong with getting from one flight to the other, the airline will be perfectly within its rights to treat you accordingly. You are not a connecting passenger and you have not misconnected. You have simply missed your YYY-ZZZ flight, in the same way as if you'd stayed overnight at YYY and overslept.

Sorry, wrong. Non-stop or direct, take your pick, but not the same.

 

It isn't always either/or. Non-stop flights are, by definition, also direct. Direct flights on the other hand, may or may not be non-stop.

 

On a practical basis, rarely are non-stop flights referred to as direct flights.

 

Non-stop flights are frequently referred to as direct flights by infrequent flyers. It happens all the time on this board.

If the line calls it direct why wouldn't I.

If you don't mind being at risk of being duped by the line, then you don't need to understand the distinction.

[quote name=

Now, to more serious matters: Surely a pilot would not refer to an aircraft as a "plane"? :eek:[/quote]

 

Uh, what would we refer to it as? Sometimes we'll refer to as "the ship", even if it is a small plane. Sorry, but it is not that formal or fancy; it's a plane!

 

Non-stop flights are frequently referred to as direct flights by infrequent flyers. It happens all the time on this board.

 

This is why I made mention of the use of improper phraseology here, Meg! :D

So what do you call it going AAA to BBB stop at CCC, same plane same gate same flight number but different crew?

Yup since the crew was leaving the plane all passengers had to deplane with carry on. Very annoying trip on AA, and no this was not a crew that outlawed, first flight of the day out of AAA.

SW = Air Namibia

WN = Southwest Airlines

 

Also things that annoy because I'm mildly OCD with this stuff

 

-British Air is something people in the UK breathe, not an airline

-Don't just guess airport codes if you don't know them. If you type GTW I will assume you want to travel to the Eastern Czech Republic and not London Gatwick.

-Just because there are big seats in the front of the plane it doesn't mean you're flying in First Class. No, you won't be flying Delta in First Class between London and New York, no, you won't be flying Virgin in First Class between London and anywhere...

-Customs is not security is not the same as immigration. Just becuse some semi-official person in uniform checks some sort of identifying information it doesn't make it "customs".

 

And how many of your 1600+ posts are some variation of the above, especially the never-ending SW/WN nonsense? :D

And how many of your 1600+ posts are some variation of the above, especially the never-ending SW/WN nonsense? :D

 

At least 97%. I like to share my wealth of aviation knowledge with the ignorant.

 

Joking aside, lack of correct terminology does result in people getting answers they don't want or understand. To cite one of my examples, "how long will it take me to clear customs at Heathrow/JFK/<insert airport of choice>" is a question that gets asked quite a bit.....well, if you don't understand the difference between customs, immigration or security then you'll be working with inaccurate information.

Edited April 26, 2016 by fbgd

Well if you can't change the flying population from saying the are "getting on the airplane" what chance does anyone have with encouraging them to get the more technical terminology correct?

Well if you can't change the flying population from saying the are "getting on the airplane" what chance does anyone have with encouraging them to get the more technical terminology correct?

 

Well... I've been trying to get the engineering community to say "center of mass" instead of "center of gravity" when referring to (any) object for decades. The center of gravity is the middle of the earth - or some would say the sun - or some'thin - but its not the middle of your Chevrolet Suburban.

 

I have not been successful. I've been told people "know what you are talking about" - much like on the airplane.

 

JK

Well if you can't change the flying population from saying the are "getting on the airplane" what chance does anyone have with encouraging them to get the more technical terminology correct?

 

Getting on the plane is common terminology. No one says getting in the plane. We all use "getting on" - getting on the bus. getting on the train, etc. I think it applies to mass transport, as opposed to "getting in my car", "getting in a taxi", etc.

Getting on the plane is common terminology.

So is "direct" flight when the person actually means "not just direct, but non-stop".

 

And (to return to where we started) such loose / uninformed use of language is how some people think they've booked a non-stop flight, but then discover that they're on one that stops once or more en route, or (even worse) is actually no different from a connecting itinerary because there's a change of gauge in the middle of their "direct" flight.

SW = Air Namibia

WN = Southwest Airlines

 

Also things that annoy because I'm mildly OCD with this stuff

 

-British Air is something people in the UK breathe, not an airline

-Don't just guess airport codes if you don't know them. If you type GTW I will assume you want to travel to the Eastern Czech Republic and not London Gatwick.

-Just because there are big seats in the front of the plane it doesn't mean you're flying in First Class. No, you won't be flying Delta in First Class between London and New York, no, you won't be flying Virgin in First Class between London and anywhere...

-Customs is not security is not the same as immigration. Just becuse some semi-official person in uniform checks some sort of identifying information it doesn't make it "customs".

 

Codes matter. This morning there's an article about a couple that expected to fly from Birmingham UK to Las Vegas (BHX-LAS) but had instead booked tickets from Birmingham, Alabama (BHM-LAS).

 

Heck, you want confusing, a number of airlines offer service to SJC/San Jose (California), SJD/San Jose (del cabo, mexico) and SJO/San Jose (Costa Rica), with Alaska Airlines (not Alaskan) even offer flights between SJC and SJD.

 

As for the GTW code, unfortunately that one is an issue. The British Rail network uses 3 character station codes and (stupid stupid) station code for Gatwick Airport is GTW

As for the GTW code, unfortunately that one is an issue. The British Rail network uses 3 character station codes and (stupid stupid) station code for Gatwick Airport is GTW

For that matter, the National Rail code for Birmingham New Street station is BHM. It's just possible that this contributed to the problem suffered by the couple you mentioned.

 

So GTW is no more of an issue than quite a lot of codes.

 

The DHS has also got itself in a twist over codes. For its I-94 website showing entry and exit, it seems to have adopted a practice of taking a four-letter ICAO code and stripping off the initial letter before decoding it for the website. This works fine if you've arrived at KJFK and the webste looks up "JFK", or if you've arrived at "KDFW" and the website looks up "DFW". But wait: what if your entry was processed at EINN? The DHS website proudly tells you that you entered the US at Innsbruck, having simply looked up "INN". You'd have thought that the immigration people would be the first to know that there's a whole world beyond the borders of "Kxxx"!

 

Moral of the stories: Don't use codes unless you really, really know what you're doing. And don't use codes just because you think it'll make you look more knowledgeable - you might only succeed in making an even bigger fool of yourself.

Unlike some boards devoted to air travel, many (if not most) of the people posting here are not air travel experts. While it is sometimes difficult to be patient when people ask questions without giving sufficient information (or the wrong information), their intent is not to annoy. At times some of the regulars here can be pretty tough on them, imo.