Looking at purchasing non-stop tickets from Washington DC to Charles de Gaulle. For those of you familiar with that route - you know I only have 2 choices -
a) Delta
b) Air France
Due to Delta's exteamly tenuous financial situation - I want to avoid their flight like the plague.

Here is my question -

When I go to a place like Expedia and purchase tickets on Air France - how do I know that I am really purchasing tickets on an Air France flight?

I understand (vaguely) that Delta and Air France code share on this route. Doesn't this mean that when you purchase Air France tickets you might be actually purchasing tickets on a Delta flight?

Two airlines fly IAD-CDG non-stop: UA and AF.

If you buy a ticket on DL, even with a DL flight number, it's a codeshare operated by AF. You check-in with AF, you fly on an AF aircraft served by AF flight attendant.

DL doesn't fly this route, so you will not end up on a DL plane.

usually you can tell by flight number...
AF039 and AF027 are the true air france flights was-cdg. as rkkwan said, on a route that delta does serve, the flight number would be 4 digits, something like AF5009...that would be operated by delta. enjoy!

I've checked Orbitz and Expedia for my flight, then went to the airline website - their price is lower.

When I've picked the flight and went to the next screen, it said something about a codeshare. Turn out I'm buying from Swiss with one leg - codeshare on American.

You can do the same - check all details before giving your credit card number. At least to see who the carrier is, as this is important for you.

Interesting.

I didn't know UA went from IAD to CDG?

So - do you think if I purchase a ticket from Delta - and Delta liquidates - that Air france would honor the ticket?

I guess that is a hard question to answer.

rholt - No, Air France doesn't have to honor your reservations, as codeshare means DL bought a block of seats from AF and resell them. If DL cease to exist, AF doesn't need to honor it.

However, it seems like Congress have passed the bill that will force other airlines to honor a ticket of a failed airline. But it's only if they have the room. So, chances are AF will still let you fly, but they may also ask you to move to a different fligth on a different day if they can sell your original seat to somebody else for full money.