Where do you stand if things go wrong when you use multiple airlines on a single journey?

I just did a trip abroad, and coming back I used WestJet (yes, I know now!) for the long haul, and Air Canada for the internal. The travel agent left 2 hours between flights, which I was told would be easily enough.

But, the WestJet flight was 45mins late, and by the time I'd gone through immigration, collected my bags, gone through customs (and for only the second time ever in Canada got "pulled to one side"), changed terminals and re-checked in my bag I made my flight with only minutes to spare!

If I'd missed it, I would have been treated as "no show" and had to buy another ticket. Who could I have "blamed"? WestJet would no doubt say "hard luck".... Air Canada would have no obligation to put me on another flight for "free".... is the only way around this to stick with the one airline, or do you have any tips?

"do you have any tips?"

If the trip involves Air Canada and you arrive, just be glad of that. Dog shaking hands and all.

Basically you have to buy it as one ticket or leave a lot of time for connections. When I fly to Europe for business I normally end up on Lufthansa once I get there, but since it's still an Air Canada ticket they still have to arrange an alternate flight if I miss the connection.

AC and Lufthansa have a code share arrangement and the journey will be on one ticket, so that's not really multiple airlines. In the case described West Jet has no connection with AC, to them the passenger is just a no show.

If it's a code share agreement so AC - LH or say WJ - AA then any delay, the airline will take care of you to an extent. If you buy two totally seperate tickets and miss a connection then you are on your own.