Which rules apply when I fly home on a US carrier?

Simon Calder answers your questions on flights that switch carrier, visiting Malta, and travel agent fees

If your flight on American Airlines or Delta does not depart because of extreme weather, you are liable for hotel and meal costs (Getty)

Q I fly back and forth to the US multiple times a year and always book my ticket through BA or Virgin. But it often turns out to be a US carrier for the actual flight: American Airlines or Delta. I understand that UK flight rules are much more consumer-friendly than those in the US. In the case of disruption, which rules would apply if I book a ticket through a UK airline but the plane belongs to a US airline – the British or American rules?

Heather M

A “Code-share” flights between British Airways and its partner, American Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic and its part-owner Delta, are extremely common. As with some other pieces of aviation jargon, “code-share” is not quite the right term. The code (or flight number) isn’t shared – it’s the plane.