4 Canadian Airlines Named Among Best in the World

West Jet and Air Canada planes at Vancouver International Airport in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Four Canadian airlines have been named among the best in the world in an annual survey of the top airlines around the globe.

Compiled by air transport rating organization SKYTRAX, the top 100 airlines in the world are based on customer feedback through an online survey, according to a media release.

The results saw Air Canada climb from 38 in 2023 to 29 in 2024.  Its low-cost brand, Air Canada Rouge, took fourth place as one of the best long-haul, low-cost airlines.

Air Canada also won in several other categories, including the most family-friendly airline in North America, best premium economy class onboard catering in North America, best cabin crew in Canada, and cleanest airline in North America.

“We are very pleased with the results of this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards due to the number of awards we won and also because they recognize Air Canada’s industry leadership in delivering superior products and service across our diverse customer base,” Michael Rousseau, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada, said in a company news release.

“These awards also recognize the dedication, professionalism and hard work of our 40,000 employees worldwide who safely transport our customers to their destinations, and for truly representing what is the best of Canada. I am particularly pleased to see the work of our flight attendants and our cabin services operations teams being recognized,” he said.

Porter Airlines, which started flying in 2006 from Toronto’s Island Airport, jumped from 99th place in 2023 to 57th in 2024. The airline now also flies from Pearson International Airport to cities across Canada and the United States.

Porter was also named best regional airline in North America as well as the most improved airline on the continent.

Montreal-based Air Transat followed in the 59th spot, up from 62 in 2023. The airline was also named the world’s best leisure airline, an award it has won five times before, as well as the best leisure airline in North America.

Annick Guérard, president and chief executive officer of Transat, said the company is grateful to employees for their dedication.

“Their contributions are at the heart of this significant achievement and winning this award for the sixth time underscores the extraordinary efforts of our team and their essential role in our continued success,” Ms. Guérard said in a company media release.

Westjet also made the top 100 list, coming in at 64, which was the spot it held in 2023.

Saudi Arabia’s Qatar Airways earned the top spot for 2024, a position the airline has held seven times before, according to a release.

“This is a proud Qatar Airways moment and it is my honour to share this award with my hardworking colleagues,” said Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, the airline’s group chief executive officer. “This award is testimony to our relentless dedication to providing unparalleled service and innovation. We look forward to more wins in the future.”

The awards, which have been dubbed the “Oscars of the aviation industry,” have been around since 1999. Travellers from around the world take part in determining the winners based on customer satisfaction.

Information was gathered from September 2023 to May 2024 with people from over 100 countries participating. SKYTRAX said the survey entries are screened from IP addresses and user information and any duplicate, suspect, or ineligible entries are deleted.