Codeshare Flight Delayed? Who's Responsible for Your Compensation

A codeshare is an arrangement where one airline (the marketing carrier) sells seats on a flight operated by a different airline (the operating carrier). You might hold a KLM ticket for a flight that is physically operated by Delta, or an American Airlines ticket on a British Airways aircraft.

Codeshares are extremely common on international routes, particularly within airline alliances like Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam. The flight number on your ticket begins with the marketing carrier's code (e.g., KL or AA) but the aircraft and crew belong to the operating carrier.

Check your boarding pass. The operating carrier is almost always printed on your boarding pass, even if your ticket shows a different airline. Look for 'operated by' language in your booking confirmation or itinerary.

Under EU261 and UK261, compensation claims go against the operating carrier -- the airline that actually flew the aircraft. This is explicit in the regulation. The marketing carrier's name on your ticket does not matter for EU261 purposes.

The logic is straightforward: the operating carrier controls the aircraft, the crew, the schedule, and the maintenance. They are the entity responsible for the disruption, so they bear the compensation obligation. The European Court of Justice has confirmed this interpretation in multiple rulings.

For US DOT refund claims, the picture is slightly different. DOT requires airlines to disclose codeshare arrangements and holds the ticketing carrier (marketing carrier) responsible for providing refunds in certain circumstances. For compensation beyond refunds, the operating carrier's policies apply.

Several places will tell you who actually operated your flight:

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  Your boarding pass -- look for 'operated by [Airline]' printed below the flight number.

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  Your booking confirmation or e-ticket -- codeshare arrangements must be disclosed at time of booking. Look for 'marketed as [Code] operated by [Airline].'

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  Flight trackers -- FlightAware and Flightradar24 show the actual operating airline for any flight.

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  The departure gate and check-in desk -- the operating carrier's staff handle the flight on the ground.

Once you have identified the operating carrier, file your EU261 claim directly with them -- not with the airline whose code was on your ticket (unless they are the same airline). Use the operating carrier's EU261 claims form and state: the flight number as it appears on your boarding pass (which will be the operating carrier's number), the date, and the delay at arrival.

Include a copy of your original ticket (showing the marketing carrier's code) and your boarding pass (showing the operating carrier). This documents that you held a valid ticket on the disrupted codeshare flight.

Airlines sometimes try to deflect codeshare claims to each other. If the operating carrier tells you to claim from the marketing carrier, or vice versa, cite EU261 Article 2(b) which defines 'operating air carrier' as the entity bearing the obligation. Do not accept deflection.

US DOT rules require that codeshare arrangements be prominently disclosed at the time of booking and on the ticket. For refund purposes, DOT has held that the ticketing carrier (marketing carrier) bears primary responsibility for ensuring passengers receive refunds, even if the operating carrier handled the flight.

In practice, for US domestic codeshare delays, filing with either carrier is often effective -- they have internal settlement agreements. For international codeshares involving EU261, the operating carrier rule applies and your claim should go to the operating airline.

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  KLM ticket, Delta operated: Your EU261 claim goes to Delta (operating carrier). Delta is subject to EU261 for any departure from an EU airport.

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  American ticket, British Airways operated from LHR: Your UK261 claim goes to British Airways.

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  United ticket, Lufthansa operated from FRA: Your EU261 claim goes to Lufthansa.

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  Delta ticket, Air France operated from CDG: Your EU261 claim goes to Air France.

The pattern is always the same: identify who physically flew the plane, and that is who bears the EU261/UK261 obligation.