How to Understand Interline Agreements
Many travelers, especially those taking international flights, will be introduced to interline agreements. These agreements are between two or more airlines and involve handling passengers who require the use of multiple airlines. This is a common occurrence when traveling abroad. It is not uncommon for a traveler to begin his flight with one airline and then have to switch over to another. Interline agreements have simplified travel by allowing passengers to fly on a different carrier from the one they originally started their trip on.
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Things You'll Need
- Tickets
- Boarding passes
- Identification (passports, birth certificates, visas, etc.)
Instructions
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Check with your carrier. If you're going to need to switch flights during your trip, check to see if your carrier has interline agreements with other carriers. This will make the trip much smoother, as an interline agreement means that you will not have to recheck your baggage each time you switch flights, which is also beneficial because it can reduce the chances of lost luggage. It also saves a lot of time that would have otherwise been spent at the baggage claim and check-in areas.
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Talk to a travel agent. If you feel you may benefit from an interline agreement, make sure you mention this to your travel agent. They will be able to book a flight on a carrier that offers them. Again, when traveling internationally, these agreements are beneficial and your travel agent will know which airlines have them.
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Check baggage requirements. If you are flying with a carrier that has interline agreements, and you'll be changing carriers during the trip, make sure you check the baggage requirements with both airlines. Some airlines will limit the number of bags that can be checked in, so you want to make sure all of your baggage will be accepted on the second flight.
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Keep your ticket handy. When flying on a carrier that uses interline agreements, you will only need one ticket. This is because the two airlines have the agreement to accept passengers from both carriers. However, you may need to show your ticket to get on the second flight, so make sure you keep it in a safe and accessible location.
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Have your ID ready. No matter what kind of flight you are taking, you'll need to present your ID before boarding, and this is true for interline agreement flights as well. When you switch carriers, you will need to obtain another boarding pass for the new carrier, which will require showing your ID.
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