Codeshare and interline flights
Don’t know the difference between codeshare and interline flights? Want to know how you check in, what the baggage allowance or other FAQs? Read Alternative Airlines' guide to codeshare and interline flights.
Codeshare and Interline Flights
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Passengers & Class
1 Adult, Economy/Coach
Codeshare flights
A codeshare agreement is where two or more airlines use the same flight number in a mutually beneficial agreement. This means that passengers can purchase a flight from one airline, using their flight number for a flight on another different airline. For example, you can purchase a seat on a plane under one airline, but it will actually be a seat on a plane of a different airline, which shares the same flight number or code. Codeshares often happen within alliances, such as OneWorld or SkyTeam, but not always. Codeshare flights are the perfect opportunity for travellers who are looking to fly in an easy and simple way. Codeshare flights also reduce the need for travellers to book separate tickets, instead, their connection flights are already set out.
Check-in for codeshare flights
Checking in for your flights can often cause confusion for passengers, as they may be unsure which company to use to check-in. However, the answer is generally the operating carrier. That is the actual airline that you will be flying with, not the one you purchased with. For example, in the example below in the FAQs, you would check-in for both flights with British Airways.
Baggage for codeshare flights
Like with check-in, baggage allowances for codeshare are usually that of the airline operating the flight. However, your baggage allowance will be shown on your ticket so it is best to follow the information provided on your ticket.
Interline flights
An Interline agreement, also known as interlining, interline ticketing or interline booking, is an agreement between two or more airlines to handle passengers when their itinerary involves travelling on multiple airlines. This means they agree to handle their baggage until their final destination, and check-in for their destination. A codeshare flight differs to an interline flight because a codeshare flight is the whole flight, whereas an interline is one flight within a wider itinerary. An example of an interline agreement is Etihad - the airline is not in partnership with airline alliances but it has interline agreements with British Airways and American Airlines.
Check-in for interline flights
Most interline agreements involve a section on check-in, which means that the customer should only have to check in for their whole itinerary once. This is usually with the airline which operates the first segment of the flight. However, if you are unsure, check with the airline to ensure you are checking in for the whole itinerary, and with the correct airline to avoid extra charges or missed flights.
Baggage for interline flights
Baggage for interline flights usually means that the airlines deal with your baggage, ensuring that it is carried till your final destination. This means that you will check your baggage at the departure airport and the airline will process this until your destination where you can pick it up. Some airlines do not participate in interline agreements, such as WOW Air who ask passengers to treat connecting flights with other airlines as if they are the first flight in your journey, and the passenger will have to collect their luggage and check it in with the next airline themselves.
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Codeshare and Interline FAQs
How do I know if my flight is a codeshare flight?
You will know if your flight will be part of a codeshare as it will show as ‘Operated by’ in the search results on Alternative Airlines. An example of a codeshare agreement is shown below, a FinnAir flight operated by British Airways and an American Airlines flight operated by British Airways. Therefore there is a codeshare between FinnAir and British Airways, and between American Airlines and British Airways.
What is the difference between an interline flight and a codeshare flight?
An interline flight is an agreement between airlines to coordinate passengers with an itinerary that uses multiple airlines, without having to check in again or deal with their baggage at the stopover. Codeshare agreements is where airlines operate flights on behalf of another airline, using their flight code. For example, a ticket you purchased from Finnair but is operated on a British Airways plane, by British Airways.
Why are there codeshare flights?
Codeshares are beneficial to the airlines as it allows customers to reach new destinations that are not served by their own aircraft, meaning they can offer a larger variety of destinations, without actually flying there. This also means they can focus their services on the destinations they already offer, meaning more frequent services.
What are the smoking policies on codeshare flights?
There are currently no airlines that permit smoking on their planes, regardless of being part of a codeshare or not.
Who does Emirates codeshare with?
Emirates partners with many airlines, including Air Malta, Malaysian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Qantas, Copa Airlines, Flybe, Japan Airlines, WestJet and Jetstar Airways. The airline also partner with flydubai, expanding its network to flydubai’s 91 destinations.
What flights are not codeshare?
If a flight is part of a codeshare, you'll usually find flight numbers from different airlines. During the booking process, it will be stated if the flight has a codeshare e.g. a ticket you brought from Finnair but is operated on a British Airways plane, by British Airways.
How to select seats on codeshare flights?
When you book flights through Alternative Airlines you can easily pre-select your seat on our site before or after booking. Whether you love sitting by the window or looking for extra legroom you can pre-select your seat through Manage My Booking. You can even choose your seat using our interactive seat map.
What is a codeshare agreement?
A codeshare agreement which is also known as a codeshare is an agreement in the aviation sector to work in conjunction. Usually, a flight is operated by one airline while seats are sold for the flight by another airline using their flight number. It's common for major airlines to have codeshare agreements with other airlines.