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Isn't this what Southwest essentially does? I've been on a Southwest flight that makes four or five stops, all with the same number. But I'm sure no person took more than one stop on the same plane.

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No, that's still one flight path just with several stops. So there's not more than one plane in the air with the same number. There's a difference between a flight "continuing on" and an entirely different flight plan. And I dunno, there's probably some percentage of riders who might continue on past a single stop. It's not impossible.

For example:

https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-status/path.html?depart...

There won't also be a SW981 today that say takes off from HOU to OKC.

It works well enough for trains too. On those you get to stay onboard for multiple legs though, and I believe that’s quite rare for flights.

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