subject: Recognizing Code Share Cheap Flights [print this page] You might get surprised while getting the boarding pass for the cheap flights which you booked when you see that you are not flying on the airline whose ticket was bought by you. This is one aspect of the airlines business in which the carriers issue the tickets in their own name but they have the arrangement with the other airlines to provide the flights services to their passengers. This arrangement is possible through what are called the code-share agreements. By virtue of these agreements, the airlines benefit mutually. The ticket issuer airline is at an advantage by extending its reach to those segments of air travel which are not their primary focus. Similarly, the carrier airline, which actually flies the passengers to the destination, is benefited by carrying the passengers of the primary airline, thus increasing its occupancy levels.
But, how do the customers recognize that a particular flight is a code-share one after the flight booking? Often, you can always call the airline call center and ask this question specifically to the representative. It is the responsibility of the executive to give you the correct information. Another way to ascertain the same before doing the flight booking is by way of checking the route maps which are normally provided on the websites of the airlines. The code-share flight routes will be marked with a separate color. Even when you miss speaking to the executive and come to the airport, you can still make out the code-share flights by looking at the display board and noting any two airlines which are operating at the same time between the same points and on same model of the airlines. In case there is such a situation, you can assume that one of these is a code share one.
Another way to find is by looking at the hubs of the airlines. If there are any two airlines providing the cheap flights services between point 1 and 2, but one of these has one of these destinations as its hub, then there are good chances that this airline would be flying you.
It shall be noted that the airline which is booking the tickets is under legal obligation to provide with you with the correct information about the code-share flights. Any failure to do so is a case of unfair trade practices and the airline can be challenged in the court of law over this non-disclosure. As the code-share cheap flights grew, the passenger complaints increased about the marketing airline (which provide flight booking service) keeping them in dark about using the services of other airlines. It also happened that the customer did not like to travel with the operating carrier but still had to do so since the information about the code-share flights was provided at the fag-end of air travel.
