Codeshare Flight Australia–Europe Delayed — Who Is Responsible?
EU261 and UK261 always follow the operating carrier — the airline whose aircraft you actually flew on. Qantas, BA, Finnair and Turkish Airlines codeshare extensively via oneworld and partner agreements. The marketing carrier on your ticket is irrelevant for compensation; check your boarding pass for "operated by".
The one rule that matters
EU261/UK261 always follows the OPERATING carrier. Whichever airline's aircraft you were on is the airline that owes (or doesn't owe) compensation.
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The Operating Carrier Rule
Article 3 of EU261/2004 (and the corresponding UK261 provision) states that the obligation to compensate passengers rests with the "operating air carrier". This is the airline that actually performed the flight — meaning whose aircraft and crew flew you. The "marketing carrier" (the one whose flight number appears on your ticket) is irrelevant for compensation purposes.
For Australian passengers, this matters because Qantas (oneworld) shares codes extensively with British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, Cathay Pacific and others. A flight number starting QF doesn't mean Qantas operated the flight.
Codeshare Scenarios
| Codeshare | Regulation | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| QF flight number, BA-operated SYD–SIN leg | UK261 (BA = UK carrier) | £520 (~A$1,000) if delay 3h+ | BA is the operating carrier — UK261 follows BA. |
| BA flight number, QF-operated SIN–SYD leg | None (QF = non-EU/UK on non-EU airport) | — | Qantas is the operating carrier — no UK261 trigger. |
| AY flight number, BA-operated leg | UK261 | £520 if delay 3h+ | BA operates — UK261 follows BA. |
| BA flight number, AY-operated leg from BKK | EU261 | €600 if delay 3h+ | Finnair operates — EU261 follows AY (EU carrier). |
| TK flight number, QF-operated PER–SIN leg | None | — | QF operates and SIN is non-EU — no trigger. |
How to Identify the Operating Carrier
- Boarding pass — "Operated by [airline name]" in small print under the flight number.
- Ticket itinerary email — usually shows operating carrier alongside the codeshare number.
- FlightAware / Flightradar24 — enter the flight number and date.
- Airport departure boards — show the operating airline's aircraft.
- Booking site — Google Flights, ITA Matrix and most OTAs disclose operating carrier.
Multi-Leg Bookings with Different Operators
Each segment of a multi-leg journey is evaluated by its own operating carrier. For example, on a QF codeshare booking SYD–SIN–LHR where BA operates SIN–LHR:
- SYD–SIN (operated by QF) — Qantas non-EU/UK carrier on non-UK airport — no UK261.
- SIN–LHR (operated by BA) — UK carrier, ends at UK airport — UK261 applies.
- Whole journey (single ticket) — UK261's missed-connection rules still protect a 3+ hour final-arrival delay at LHR.
Where to File the Claim
Always claim against the operating carrier, not the marketing carrier. If BA operated and QF marketed, file with BA. The marketing carrier may help with re-routing and customer service, but EU261/UK261 compensation is the operating carrier's responsibility.
A no-win-no-fee service such as ClaimWinger identifies the right operating carrier and pursues the claim correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I booked with Qantas (QF) but the flight was operated by BA, who pays?
British Airways. UK261 always applies to the operating carrier — the airline whose aircraft and crew run the flight. Even if you booked with QF and have a QF e-ticket, if BA operated the flight you claim against BA. Check your boarding pass: 'Operated by' shows the actual carrier.
What if my codeshare booking has multiple operating carriers?
Each segment is evaluated separately by its operating carrier. A QF SYD–SIN leg followed by a BA SIN–LHR leg has different responsibilities: SYD–SIN on Qantas (no UK261 — QF non-UK on non-UK airport), SIN–LHR on BA (UK261 applies — UK carrier with UK arrival). On a single ticket, however, the missed-connection rules of UK261 still protect your final-arrival delay.
Why does the operating carrier matter under EU261/UK261?
Both regulations explicitly state that the obligations rest with the OPERATING carrier (Article 3 of EU261/2004 / UK261). The 'marketing carrier' (the one whose code is on your ticket) is irrelevant for compensation purposes. This is to ensure you can pursue the airline that actually flew you, regardless of how you booked.
Can the marketing carrier still help?
Yes. The marketing carrier (e.g. Qantas if you booked QF but flew BA) typically helps with re-routing, refunds and customer service when things go wrong. But for EU261/UK261 compensation, you must claim against the operating carrier. Some marketing carriers will accept claims and forward them, but this can slow down the process.
How do I find out who operated my flight?
Check your boarding pass — the actual operating airline is shown ('operated by' in small print). Also check FlightAware or Flightradar24 by entering the flight number and date. Online booking tools like ITA Matrix and Google Flights show operating carriers when you search.
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