Survey Finds Air Canada’s Customer Satisfaction Ranking is Near the Bottom
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with fares being a particular point of concern, according to a recent survey.
The largest airline in the country ranked last in both business class and premium economy, as per the findings by J.D. Power, a consumer analytics firm.
In economy class, Air Canada came in ninth out of 11 competitors, outperforming budget carriers Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines.
WestJet positioned itself closer to the middle, securing the fifth spot out of seven for premium economy and seventh out of 11 for economy class.
“Passengers were less satisfied with the value they received for the price paid on Air Canada,” explained Michael Taylor, the head of J.D. Power’s travel division. This is one of the six factors that passengers rated, alongside digital tools, airline staff, and onboard experience.
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Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines received the highest scores, which Mr. Taylor attributed to their focus on staff training and recruitment.
“Delta flight attendants use smartphones that allow them to see details about each guest and their history with the airline. This enables staff to provide personalized service,” Mr. Taylor shared in an interview.
Southwest Airlines prioritizes hiring for attitude and encourages cabin crew to showcase their personalities rather than stick to a script, according to Mr. Taylor.
Air Canada defended its low ranking by highlighting its recognition for service in various other rankings.
“This is just one of many customer-based rankings, and it should be noted that in other rankings with larger sample sizes, Air Canada has performed well,” commented spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick.
Air Canada pointed to recent accolades for service, staffing, and onboard entertainment from Skytrax, Trazee Travel, Global Traveler Magazine, and the Airline Passenger Experience Association.
J.D. Power’s online survey gathered opinions from 9,582 customers between March 2023 and March 2024.
