TORONTO — A new survey ranks Canada’s two biggest airlines below the average for customer satisfaction among major North American carriers.
The poll, conducted by consumer analytics company J.D. Power, found that WestJet and Air Canada placed fifth and eighth, respectively, out of 11 airlines in the economy class.
Both fell below the average customer satisfaction figure of 782 on a 1,000-point scale, and followed the trend of declining passenger contentment across airlines over the past two years.
Michael Taylor, who heads J.D. Power’s travel segment, says pricier fares, crowded planes and fewer flights are behind the frustration — but demand remains strong nonetheless.
As a result, he says carriers are yielding fatter margins this year after a pandemic-induced industry collapse, with many running at peak efficiency.
The survey, carried out between March 2022 and March 2023, is based on responses from 7,774 passengers who flew on large North American airlines.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2023.
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The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version incorrectly stated the ranking of Air Canada and WestJet.
