Why Through Flight-Numbers Are Stupid

Washington’s National Airport has a flight perimeter rule of 1250 miles:  flights leaving the airport are only allowed to go to destinations that are within that limit.  There are Congressionally-mandated exceptions to the rule, like to LAX, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake, and so on.  But, alas, there is no non-stop flight from Washington National to Manila.  Nonetheless, Delta gladly sells flight DL629, DC to Manila.

Of course this is impossible:  while aircraft are capable of making the 8580-mile journey (Washington National to Manila would be the third-longest flight on earth), the aircraft required would ever get airborne, owed to DCA’s short runways.

No, DL629 flies out of Washington and next arrives into Detroit.  If one wishes to continue along on DL629 to the number’s next stop (Nagoya), a change of aircraft is required.  Fond of DL629 and want to continue on from Nagoya to Manila?  Not a problem, but you would have to deplane, taking all of your things with you, go back through security, and re-board, pretty much as if it were a totally different aircraft.

Delta (and other airlines), must have some reason for marketing such flights as non-stop, but the reason escapes me.  And, it is of no help to reservation agents, SkyClub staff, gate agents, or anyone else.  For example, even though Medallion upgrades are allowed between Detroit and Washington, wait-listing for First Class is impossible because the flight is classified as “international.”  Yes, DC to Detroit, international!  Getting seats was not a breeze.  Moving onto the earlier Detroit-DC flight was also a challenge.  (DL630 from Manila to DC would not let me go, hanging on like a stalking lover!)  Everything to do with the reservation becomes problematic because these three separate, distinct flights show as one, single flight.

It is just stupid.  I wish the airlines would knock this sort of thing off and make the travelers’ trips easier, to say nothing of the agents who want to help us.  On a positive note, thanks to all of the great Delta Diamond Desk, SkyClub, and Gate Agents who helped and lent their empathy.