EU261 and Codeshare Flights — Which Airline Do You Claim Against?
Updated July 2026 · 5 min read
You booked with Air France, but the plane had a Delta logo on the tail. Or you bought a Lufthansa ticket, but actually flew on United Airlines. When your flight is delayed and you want to file an EU261 compensation claim, the confusion about which airline to claim against can cost you hundreds of euros. Here's the definitive answer.
The golden rule: claim against the operating carrier
EU Regulation 261/2004, Article 3(5) makes this clear: the operating air carrier is responsible for EU261 compensation — not the airline you booked with (the "marketing carrier"). If your boarding pass shows a flight number starting with a different airline's IATA code, that airline is the operating carrier.
The rule in plain English:
Look at your boarding pass. The flight number on it (e.g. DL 401, LH 405) shows the operating carrier. That's who you claim against — regardless of which airline's website you used to buy the ticket.
How to read a codeshare flight number
A codeshare works like this: Airline A sells a seat on Airline B's plane. Your ticket and email might say "AF 1234" (Air France) but your boarding pass at the gate says "DL 8590" (Delta). The IATA code prefix tells you who actually operates the aircraft.
Common codeshare examples:
What if the operating carrier is non-EU?
This is where codeshare flights get tricky for EU261. The regulation only covers non-EU carriers when the flight departs from an EU or UK airport. Here's how it plays out:
Scenario 1 — EU carrier operates, you booked with non-EU airline
You bought a Delta ticket (DL), but Alitalia/ITA (AZ) operates the flight from Paris → New York. ITA is an EU carrier → EU261 covers both directions. Claim against ITA.
Scenario 2 — Non-EU carrier operates, departing from EU
You bought an Air France ticket (AF), but Delta (DL) operates the flight from London → Atlanta. Delta is non-EU — EU261 applies only because the flight departs from UK. Claim against Delta.
Scenario 3 — Non-EU carrier operates, arriving in EU from outside
You bought KLM (KL) ticket, but Delta (DL) operates Atlanta → Amsterdam. Flight arrives in EU but departs from the US, and Delta is non-EU. EU261 does NOT apply — regardless of the KLM branding on your ticket.
Scenario 4 — EU carrier operates on inbound transatlantic
You bought United (UA) ticket, but Lufthansa (LH) operates New York → Frankfurt. Lufthansa is an EU carrier → EU261 covers both directions. Claim against Lufthansa even though it departs from the US.
How to find the operating carrier
Several ways to check who actually operates your flight:
Can you claim against both airlines?
No. EU261 makes the operating carrier solely responsible. The marketing carrier (the one you booked with) has no EU261 obligation, though you may have contractual rights against them separately. File your EU261 claim against the operating carrier only.
There's one exception: if the operating carrier was assigned at the last minute without adequate notice (e.g. a wet lease substitution at the gate), both carriers may share responsibility in practice, but you'll still file against the operator.
Connecting flights on different airlines
If your journey involves multiple segments (e.g. London → Paris on British Airways, then Paris → Tokyo on Japan Airlines), each segment is assessed separately. If you miss the Paris → Tokyo connection because the BA leg was delayed, and both flights are on the same booking reference, EU261 covers the final destination delay — and you claim against the carrier that caused the delay (BA in this case).
Key condition: For multi-segment journeys to be treated as one flight for EU261 purposes, they must be on a single booking reference. Separately booked flights are separate journeys — a delay on flight 1 doesn't entitle you to claim for a missed separately booked flight 2.
Find your EU261 claims automatically
SubRadar scans your Gmail or Outlook, identifies the operating carrier from your booking emails, and flags EU261-eligible delays — including codeshare flights where the operator differs from the airline you booked with.
Scan my flight emails freeFile your claim — no win, no fee
AirHelp handles EU261 claims for codeshare flights and navigates the operating carrier question for you. ~25% fee only if successful.
Check my codeshare flight →Related EU261 guides: