Flag carrier
This article is about Flag Carrier as a transportation term. For other uses, see Flag carrier (disambiguation).-A
Flag carrier refers to:# A transportation company, such as a shipping or airline company, that is registered in a given state. Example: "American Airlines, while a private firm, is a U.S. flag carrier."# A
state-run, state-owned or state-designated
transport company or organization, specifically (though not universally required) showing the state
flag apparent for public view (state in this context used to mean any principality or country). Example: "Air Canada is its namesake's flag carrier"
The term Flag carrier is a legacy of the time when most countries had a state owned airline. However, many of these airlines have been
privatised and the airline industry
deregulated, allowing multiple airlines to compete within each country's market. This has rendered the term less important than it was in the past.
The legacy of flag carriers can still be seen by the restrictions in international air travel through
bilateral agreements between countries (see
Open skies), exemplified by the
Bermuda Protocols — a set of
air services agreements between the
United States and the
United Kingdom originally signed in
1945 (Bermuda 1) but revised in
1977 (Bermuda 2) to redress the balance of air service advantage by limiting the number of airlines which could be operated on certain routes.
Some
countries (notably the
United States of America) have
legislation that requires the use of a national flag carrier, where possible, when travelling using government funds. One example is the
Fly American Act.
*
Antigua & Barbuda -
LIAT*
Argentina -
Aerolíneas Argentinas*
Australia -
QANTAS*
Austria -
Austrian Airlines*
The Bahamas -
Bahamasair*
Bahrain -
Gulf Air (shared with Oman)
*
Barbados -
Caribbean Airways*
Belarus -
Belavia*
Bhutan -
Druk Air*
Bolivia -
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano*
Brazil -
Varig*
Bulgaria -
Bulgaria Air*
Canada -
Air Canada*
Cayman Islands -
Cayman Airways*
Chile -
LAN Airlines (formerly LanChile)
*
China, Mainland -
Air China*
China, Hong Kong -
Cathay Pacific*
China, Macau -
Air Macau*
China, Republic of China, Taiwan -
China Airlines*
Colombia -
Avianca*
Costa Rica -
Lacsa member of Grupo Taca
*
Croatia -
Croatia Airlines*
Cuba -
Cubana de Aviación*
Czech Republic -
Czech Airlines*
Denmark -
Scandinavian Airlines (national flag carrier also of
Norway and
Sweden)
*
El Salvador -
TACA Airline member of Grupo Taca
*
Egypt -
Egypt Air*
Estonia -
Estonian Air*
Ethiopia -
Ethiopian Airlines*
Finland -
Finnair*
Fiji -
Air Pacific*
France -
Air France*
French Polynesia -
Air Tahiti Nui*
Germany -
Lufthansa (now partially privatized)
*
Greece -
Olympic Airlines*
Hungary -
Malév Hungarian Airlines*
Iceland -
Icelandair*
India -
Air India &
Indian Airlines*
Indonesia -
Garuda Indonesia*
Iran -
Iran Air*
Ireland -
Aer Lingus*
Israel -
El Al*
Italy -
Alitalia*
Jamaica -
Air Jamaica*
Japan -
Japan Airlines*
Jordan -
Royal Jordanian*
Kenya -
Kenya Airways*
Kuwait -
Kuwait Airways*
Luxembourg -
Luxair*
Malta -
Air Malta*
Malaysia -
Malaysia Airlines*
Mexico -
Aeroméxico &
Mexicana*
Nauru -
Air Nauru (Aircraft repossessed by
U.S department of State)
*
Netherlands -
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines*
New Zealand -
Air New Zealand*
Nigeria -
Virgin Nigeria Airways*
Norway -
Scandinavian Airlines (national flag carrier also of
Denmark and
Sweden)
*
North Korea -
Air Koryo*
Oman -
Gulf Air (shared with Bahrain)
*
Pakistan -
Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (shipping),
Pakistan International Airlines (air)
*
Panama -
Copa Airlines*
Papua New Guinea -
Air Niugini*
Philippines -
Philippine Airlines*
Poland -
LOT*
Portugal -
TAP Air Portugal*
Qatar -
Qatar Airways*
Romania -
TAROM*
Russia -
Aeroflot*
Saudi Arabia -
Saudi Arabian Airlines*
Serbia -
JAT*
Singapore -
Singapore Airlines*
Solomon Islands -
Solomon Airlines*
South Africa -
South African Airways*
South Korea -
Korean Air*
Spain -
Iberia Airlines*
Sweden -
Scandinavian Airlines (national flag carrier also of
Denmark and
Norway)
*
Switzerland -
Swiss International Air Lines (formerly
Crossair)
*
Taiwan(
Republic of China) -
China Airlines*
Thailand -
Thai Airways International*
Tonga -
Royal Tongan Airways*
Trinidad and Tobago -
BWIA *
Turkey -
Turkish Airlines*
United Arab Emirates -
Emirates &
Etihad Airways*
United Kingdom -
British Airways*
Uruguay -
PLUNA*
Uzbekistan -
Uzbekistan Airways*
Vanuatu -
Air Vanuatu*
Venezuela -
Aeropostal*
Wright State University Sample Federal funds usage for air carriers.
*
International Air Transport Association Organisation formerly responsible for managing air services agreements and international fares.
