Interline
Interline refers to the carriage of cargo over two or more airlines under a single air waybill, made possible by interline agreements between the carriers. When no single airline flies the whole route, the shipment is handed from one carrier to another en route, but the customer deals with one air waybill, one contract and one through rate rather than separate bookings.
Interline agreements set out how the carriers accept each other's traffic, share the revenue (proration) and handle the cargo at transfer points. They let airlines offer destinations beyond their own networks and give forwarders seamless routing across carriers. It is the air-cargo equivalent of connecting services being sold as one journey. Understanding interline helps explain how cargo reaches points that no single airline serves directly, and how responsibility and revenue are shared along a multi-carrier routing.
No airline flies everywhere, so interline agreements let cargo cross multiple carriers on one air waybill and one rate — extending reach and giving forwarders seamless multi-carrier routings. It explains how a shipment reaches a point its first airline never serves, and how the carriers share the job and the money.
What is an interline agreement?
An agreement between airlines to accept each other's cargo, share revenue and handle transfers, so a shipment can travel over several carriers on one air waybill.
Why is interline useful?
It lets airlines carry cargo to destinations beyond their own network and gives customers seamless routing under a single contract.