IATA (International Air Transport Association) Resolution 302 related to baggage provision
Resolved that,
unless otherwise agreed the following baggage provisions selection process should apply for interline
journeys.
1) Baggage provisions are defined as free baggage allowance rules and baggage charges.
2) For the purposes of baggage provisions selection, the following 4 step process should apply for interline
journeys:
a) Step 1: If the published baggage provisions among all participating carriers are the same; these provisions
will apply.
b) Step 2: Where the one or more published baggage provisions differ between participating carriers, apply
any common provisions and where provisions differ the published baggage provisions of the MSC (Most
Significant Carrier). (In case of codeshare flights this will be the Operating Carrier, unless that carrier
publishes a rule stipulating that it will be the Marketing Carrier).
c) Step 3: If the MSC does not publish baggage provisions for the journey concerned apply the published
baggage provisions of the carrier accepting the baggage at check-in.
d) Step 4: If the carrier accepting the baggage at check-in does not publish baggage provisions for the
interline journey concerned apply the published baggage provisions of each operating airline sector-by-
sector.
3) The MSC (Most Significant Carrier) is
a) For travel between two or more IATA Areas, the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses
from one area to another.
Exception: IATA Area 1/2/3 only, the carrier providing carriage on the first sector that crosses between IATA
Area 1 and IATA Area 2.
b) For travel between IATA Tariff sub-areas, the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses
from one sub-area to another.
c) For travel within a IATA Tariff sub-area, the carrier performing carriage on the first international sector.
IATA Area, IATA Tariff sub-area
IATA defines the world into 3 areas (IATA Area) and defines IATA area into small areas (IATA Tariff sub-
area)
IATA Area 1: North America, Central and South America, Hawaii etc
•
(IATA Tariff sub-area within IATA Area 1)
* USA, Canada, Mexico
* Caribbean
* Central America
* South America (Brazil etc)
IATA Area 2: Europe, Middle East etc
•
(IATA Tariff sub-area within IATA Area 2)
* Europe
* Middle East (UAE etc)
* Africa
IATA Area 3: Asia, Guam, South West Pacific etc
•
(IATA Tariff sub-area within IATA Area 3)
* Japan, Korea
* South East Asia (China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Guam etc)
* South Asian Subcontinent (India etc)
* South West Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti etc)
Effective from 1 April 2011