Interline Plating Carriers - Whose baggage policy applies?

Question

I learned about Interline Partnerships and Plating Carriers today and I am wondering how these agreements work in regards to baggage policy. In particular, I'm curious as to whose baggage fees are applied.

For instance, say I bought a ticket which flew:

• First Segment: Ottawa to Montreal with Air Canada.
• Second Segment: Montreal to Paris with Air France.
• Return flight is the reverse of the outbound itinerary (CDG -> YUL -> YOW)
• Air Canada is the Plating Carrier
• No baggage allowance provided with this ticket

When I check-in at the Ottawa airport with some baggage to be checked, will I be charged Air Canada's rates? Or will I have to pay baggage fees for both the Air Canada and Air France portions of the trip?

When I am returning and check-in at Charles De Gaulle with the same baggage, do I pay Air France's baggage fees or will Air Canada's status as the Plating Carrier still determine my baggage fees?

Answer 1

If the itinerary is booked on one ticket (its a code-share), then the Most Significant Carrier rule (from IATA) applies.

Air Canada has a pdf on their website that details rules and conditions of carriage, here are the relevant bits:

In the case of code-share, the baggage rules of the first marketing carrier (carrier whose code appears on the flight number) may apply, not those of the operating carrier.

Not really much to say there, Qatar Airways has more details:

The Most Significant Marketing Carrier (MSC) is:

• For travel between IATA areas: The first carrier flying in between two of the IATA areas

• For travel between IATA sub areas: The first carrier flying in between the sub areas

• For travel within an IATA sub area: The first carrier crossing an international border

For your flight from Canada to France (and return) you are crossing IATA areas. So the baggage rules of Air France will apply.