What is the difference between an airline and an operating airline?

darren.billy: What is the difference between an airline and an operating airline?
I have just booked my holiday to New York, it says airline is United Airlines and Operating is Continental airlines. What’s the difference? Thanks!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Homesick Angel
United and Continental just had a merger.

The operating airline will be the airline operating the aircraft, but the name will be United