Canadian airlines ranked the worst in the world for on-time performance

Perhaps not surprising to some, Canada’s airlines and airports disappointed in a recent global ranking.

The reason? Punctualness.

AirHelp’s annual report has ranked the best and worst airlines and airports in 2018, based on quality of service, claims processing, on time performance, and overall social media sentiment.

Canadian airlines and airports leave a lot to be desired when it comes to service and on-time performance, says AirHelp.

This year’s ranking sees Qatar Airways dethrone Singapore Airlines for the top spot as the world’s best airline for service, on-time performance and claim compensation processing. Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar takes home first place for best airport.

Canadian airlines are struggling to keep up on a global scale, not a single Canadian carrier made AirHelp’s Top 10, 20 or even 30 catchments. Air Canada and Westjet rank 40thand 41st respectively, while Air Transat brings up the rear in 44th place.

Canadian airlines fall consistently short in on-time performance. In fact, Air Canada ranks the worst for on-time performance of 141 airlines analyzed, while WestJet and AirTransat rank fifth and sixth worst respectively – making Canada the least punctual travel player in the world.

“The 2018 AirHelp Score shows that as competition stiffens between airlines those that put passengers first will come out winners in the long run. For too long airlines have focused on cutting corners and costs without regard to the people they serve. We’re thrilled to see a positive shift as many airlines are now putting passengers first, however we certainly see the opportunity for airlines and airports in markets like Canada to step-up their commitment to passengers,” said AirHelp CEO and co-founder Henrik Zillmer.

On-time performance and claims processing capabilities are key factors in AirHelp’s overall ranking. For instance, Qatar Airways overthrew long-standing first place veteran, Singapore Airlines, by dramatically improving both. And while Canada’s airlines get awful rankings for on-time performance, they do lead the pack when it comes to claims processing. Air Transat claims first place, and Westjet holds its own in third, of 72 airlines assessed. Air Canada ranks 14th, proving we’re a top global contender in claims processing.

Here’s a ranking of AirHelp’s Top Five Airlines, compared to Canada: