While Air Canada is the country’s largest airline, it isn’t the best according to a new global ranking.
AirHelp, a travel tech and logistics company, recently released its list of the best and worst airlines of 2024, and Air Canada didn’t perform well.
AirHelp calculated scores based on three criteria: on-time performance, customer opinions, and complaint and claims handling.
Brussels Airlines scored 8.12 out of 10 and was the best airline. When broken down by category, it earned 7.8 for on-time performance, 7.9 for customer opinion, and 8.7 for claim processing.
AirHelp
Qatar Airlines came in second place, scoring 8.11 overall.
Third place was a tie between two of America’s largest airlines, United and American, with an overall score of 8.04.
Where did Air Canada rank?
Out of 109 airlines in AirHelp’s ranking, Air Canada came in 91st place.
The airline scored 5.13 overall, with a score breakdown of 6.8 for on-time performance, 8 for customer opinion, and a measly 0.6 for claim processing.
Montreal-based Air Transat took the crown as the best-performing Canadian airline, placing 36th with a final score of 6.82.
WestJet came in a few spots behind in 45th, scoring 6.59.
“Overall, Canadian airlines haven’t fared well in this year’s score with no airline in the top 30 and all having low claims processing scores,” stated AirHelp in a release.
It hasn’t been a great week for Air Canada.
On Wednesday, the airline announced that passengers travelling within North America or to destinations like Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean must pay extra for carry-on.
The fee will apply to passengers who pay for basic economy fares.
The additional fees kick in for passengers who book a basic economy fare ticket on or after January 3, 2025. The airline also changed its basic fare seating assignment.
While seat assignment remains complimentary at check-in, starting January 21, 2025, passengers who want to change their seats will have to pay a fee, depending on the seat they choose.
Air Canada’s announcement was met with online frustration from customers who called the airline out for price gouging.
However, Air Canada said these changes “align the airline’s fare structure with similar fare offerings by other Canadian carriers and better distinguish its fare brands.”
With files from Irish Mae Silvestre