Do you have to disembark if your flight is direct but not non-stop?

[coastgirl]

We are flying on Friday from Orlando to MHT, with a stop in--maybe Philadelphia, I can't recall. It's SW, so don't want to have to do the whole boarding thing again. Are we allowed to stay on the plane for a brief stop like that? I know there have been times I've been kicked off for longer stops while they groom the plane, but only with other airlines/assigned seating.

 

[Jestocost]

You generally will be able to stay on the plane in that situation. With SWA, you'll even have the opportunity to move into other seats after the FAs take inventory and before the passengers boarding where you stop get on the plane.

 

[coastgirl]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping for. My 24 hour checkin time is 10 minutes after the space shuttle is supposed to take off, so I may be a little distracted and not get the best boarding number!!

 

[DebbieB]

As long as the flight #'s are the same, you will most likely not have to get off. I have never done a direct on SW but on other airlines I've heard announcements of an "equipment change", which means you have to get off and go to a different plane. When that happens, continuing passengers are usually permitted to board first.

 

[brockash]

I've done direct with SW a few different times, and I'm not sure if you'd be allowed to get off the plane even if you wanted to. Every time I've flown with them, they make a point to say that passengers going on to (wherever) please stay on the plane, and wait til everyone gets off and then you can change seats, but I've never seen anyone get off.