Q. With all the international airline partnerships in effect these days, how will I know if part of my itinerary will be operated by a foreign airline instead of the U.S. carrier I bought my tickets from?

A. The Transportation Department has very strict regulations requiring airlines to notify customers about code-share operations – not only when they book the tickets, but also in advertisements, both print and online; and in published schedules. If you’re talking to a reservations agent on the phone, that agent must disclose before you book the fact that one or more segments in your itinerary will be operated by a different carrier, and which carrier that will be. Likewise when you look up airline schedules online, any code-share segments in a trip must carry an asterisk and the name of the transporting carrier for that segment. The disclosure requirements also apply to ticketing and the issuance of itineraries by the carrier through which you book your trip. Failure to follow the regulations is considered to constitute an unfair and deceptive practice, which could subject an airline to fines. Click here to see the full regulation.