Difference between non-stop and direct flights

Dear Editor,

Recently, we have been reading and/or hearing of this airline or that airline offering, starting or contemplating Direct Flights from Guyana to cities of North America, when the correct terminology should be Non-Stop Flights. Non-Stop and Direct are not interchangeable terms.

The term Non-Stop is self-explanatory. The aircraft flies from the departure airport to the destination airport without making any intermediate stop. In a Direct Flight, the aircraft leaves the departure airport and makes one (or more) intermediate stop before arriving at the destination airport. However, and very important, there is no planned change of aircraft and no flight number change. The Flight Number remains the same throughout the journey.

Connecting Flights are more complicated and the most inconvenient for the passenger. These flights involve change of aircraft, change of flight number and even change of airline during the journey.

Yours faithfully,

Lloyd H Marshall