الرحلة المشتركة (Codeshare)

ما هي الرحلة المشتركة؟

A codeshare is a commercial agreement between two or more airlines under which one airline (the marketing carrier) sells seats on a flight operated by another airline (the operating carrier) using its own flight number and IATA code. From the passenger's perspective, the ticket may show the marketing carrier's code — for example, a BA-coded flight that is physically operated by Iberia on a London–Madrid service. Codeshares are a cornerstone of global airline alliances and bilateral partnerships, allowing carriers to offer a far wider network than their own fleet could support.

How It Works

The marketing carrier block-books a tranche of seats on the operating carrier's flight and sells them through its own reservation systems and distribution channels. Revenue is divided under a commercial agreement negotiated between the two parties. Passengers holding a codeshare ticket are subject to the operating carrier's safety standards, baggage rules, and in-flight product — not necessarily those advertised by the ticketing carrier. It is mandatory under ICAO and IATA regulations that passengers be informed at booking which carrier will actually operate their flight.

Types and Standards

• Free-sale codeshare: The marketing carrier has unlimited access to sell seats up to a specified limit, with inventory managed automatically.
• Block-space codeshare: A fixed block of seats is pre-purchased by the marketing carrier, shifting revenue risk.
• Alliance codeshares: Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld members routinely codeshare across partner networks to provide seamless connectivity.
• Interline vs codeshare: Interline agreements allow baggage through-checking and joint ticketing but do not put the marketing carrier's flight number on the service.

Interesting Facts

• A single flight can carry dozens of different flight numbers simultaneously — the record-holding Frankfurt–New York JFK service has reportedly carried over 30 codeshare numbers.
• Qantas and American Airlines' transpacific codeshare was one of the first major intercontinental agreements, approved in 1995.
• Consumer protection rules in the EU (EC 261/2004) and the US (DOT regulations) require that codeshare passengers receive the same delay and cancellation compensation rights as passengers on the operating carrier.
• Low-cost carriers such as Ryanair have historically avoided codeshares to preserve fare simplicity — though this is beginning to change as LCCs pursue longer-haul connectivity.