Marketing carrier
The airline whose flight number is used to sell your seat. It may issue the ticket, appear prominently in your confirmation and handle parts of the booking relationship.
Codeshare Flights: Meaning, Operating Carrier and Passenger Rights
One flight can appear under two airline names and two flight numbers. The important question when something goes wrong is often: which airline actually operates the flight?
A codeshare does not automatically change your rights. It can change which carrier and route details matter when you work out coverage or make a claim.
Example booking
XY 1234
Sold with Airline X's flight number
Operated by Airline Y
Operated by Airline Y
Codeshare flights in 30 seconds
The flight number on your ticket does not always identify the airline operating the aircraft.
A codeshare flight is a flight sold under the flight numbers of more than one airline but physically operated by one carrier. The airline whose code appears on your booking may be the marketing carrier; the airline that performs the flight is the operating carrier.
That distinction matters because passenger-rights rules can use the operating carrier's identity when deciding whether a route is covered and which airline has regulatory responsibilities. Under EU261, for example, the Regulation defines the operating air carrier as the carrier that performs or intends to perform the flight, including on behalf of another contracting party.
Marketing carrier vs operating carrier
They may be the same airline. On a codeshare, they often are not.
Operating carrier
The airline responsible for performing the flight. Your confirmation commonly identifies it with wording such as “operated by Airline Y.”
Simple example: you book with Airline X and your itinerary says “XY 1234 — operated by Airline Y.” Airline X is marketing that flight under its code; Airline Y is operating it.
How to find which airline operates your flight
Check before you claim. Do not rely only on the logo at the top of the booking email.
Booking confirmation
Look immediately below or beside the flight number for “operated by”, “operating carrier” or equivalent wording.
E-ticket or itinerary receipt
The detailed itinerary often lists both the marketing flight number and the carrier actually performing each leg.
Airline app or manage booking
Open the individual flight segment. Codeshare disclosures are often clearer in the segment details than in the trip overview.
Keep the original confirmation. If an airline later rebooks you onto another carrier, save the updated itinerary too. The operator can change after a disruption.
Why the operating carrier can matter for passenger rights
Codeshare is a commercial arrangement; coverage still depends on the legal framework and the actual journey.
Route coverage
Some regimes look at where the flight departs or arrives and, in certain situations, whether the operating carrier qualifies under that regime.
Regulatory responsibility
EU passenger guidance says that when a flight is sold by one airline but operated by another, difficulties under EU air-passenger rules are generally addressed to the airline operating the flight.
Your ticket still matters
The marketing carrier does not become irrelevant. Contract, booking and connecting-itinerary facts can still matter, especially where several legs are on one reservation.
EU261 route example: a flight from outside the EU to the EU can depend on whether the operating carrier is an EU carrier. Seeing an EU airline's flight number on a codeshare is therefore not enough by itself; identify who actually operates the relevant flight and then apply the route rules. For the full framework, see EU261 Compensation.
Do not use a shortcut such as “the airline that sold the ticket always pays.” Codeshare and connecting-flight case law can be more nuanced. The operator, the booking structure, the route and the legal regime all need to be checked.
Codeshares, connections and real-world scenarios
A single booking can contain different operators on different legs.
Leg 1Amsterdam → Istanbul
Operated by Airline A
→Operated by Airline A
Leg 2Istanbul → Bangkok
Operated by Airline B
Operated by Airline B
If both legs are on one reservation, do not analyse the second flight as though it were automatically a completely separate journey. EU case law has addressed connecting itineraries performed under codeshare arrangements, and the precise responsibility can depend on how the flights were booked and operated.
One reservation
Keep the complete itinerary and booking reference. Final-destination delay and the relationship between the legs can matter under applicable passenger-rights rules.
Separate tickets
Do not assume separate self-transfer bookings receive the same connecting-journey treatment. The protection and responsibility analysis can be materially different.
For disruption-specific connection rules, see our Missed Connection Compensation guide.
Who should you contact after a codeshare disruption?
Start with the operator information and keep enough evidence to show the full booking.
Identify the affected leg
Record the route, scheduled times and the flight number shown on your booking.
Find “operated by”
Confirm the carrier that actually operated — or was due to operate — that flight.
Check the legal framework
Apply the route and carrier rules for EU261, UK261, Türkiye or another relevant regime.
Send the claim to the right carrier
For EU air-passenger claims, official EU guidance directs passengers to the operating airline when the ticket seller and operator differ.
Keep these documents
✓Original booking confirmation and booking reference
✓E-ticket or itinerary showing “operated by” details
✓Boarding passes for every relevant leg
✓Delay, cancellation or rebooking messages
✓Updated itinerary if the operating carrier changed
✓Arrival time and disruption details for the final destination
Common codeshare mistakes
The airline logo you recognise is not always the legally important detail.
Using only the flight code
A marketing flight number can point to another airline's operation. Check the operator disclosure.
Claiming from every airline
More claims do not necessarily improve the result. First identify the applicable regime and responsible carrier.
Treating every leg separately
On a through booking, connecting-flight rules may require looking at the itinerary as a whole rather than one segment in isolation.
Codeshare flight FAQs
Quick answers to the questions passengers most often run into.
Is a codeshare flight operated by two airlines?
No. The same flight may be sold under multiple airline codes, but one carrier is responsible for operating that particular flight. Look for “operated by” in the itinerary.
Which airline do I claim EU261 compensation from on a codeshare?
Official EU passenger guidance says that when the airline selling the ticket and the operating airline differ, complaints about difficulties under EU air-passenger rules should be addressed to the operating airline. Connecting-flight cases can involve additional legal nuances, so keep the entire booking and identify the operator of each leg.
Can an EU airline flight number make EU261 apply if another airline operates the flight?
Not automatically. For certain flights into the EU from outside the EU, the status of the operating carrier matters. Apply the actual EU261 route and carrier rules rather than relying only on the marketing flight number.
Can the operating carrier change after I book?
Yes. Airlines can change operational arrangements or rebook passengers after disruption. Keep both the original and updated itineraries so you can show which carrier was due to operate and which carrier actually operated the flight.
Is a codeshare the same as a wet lease?
No. In a codeshare, airlines sell the same flight under different flight numbers. A wet lease concerns an aircraft and crew supplied by another airline. EU guidance treats the airline that hires the aircraft and crew as the operating airline for EU261 purposes.
Related passenger-rights guides
Use the next guide that matches the problem you are actually trying to solve.
Official sources used for this guide
Primary EU legal and passenger-information sources.
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — EUR-Lex defines the operating air carrier and sets the Regulation's scope and obligations. Your Europe — Air passenger rights explains responsibility when the ticket seller and operator differ. Relevant CJEU codeshare/connecting-flight judgments include C-502/18 and C-561/20.
Was your codeshare flight delayed or cancelled?
Keep the full itinerary and the “operated by” details. They can help identify the right carrier and passenger-rights framework.
Check your flight claim
