Air Canada has further strengthened its position as the nation’s leading airline by securing an impressive amount of brand loyalty. These were the results of a new Ipsos Reid Business Traveller customer experience survey that solicited responses from regular businesses travelers.
Air Canada has always offered a customer experience that has successfully attracted and retained customer loyalty. Therefore, perhaps the most impressive fact of this recent study was not that the airline maintained its lead, but that Air Canada actually continues to increase its lead over the competition.
According to the 23rd annual Ipsos Reid survey, which looked exclusively at business professionals that traveled a minimum of six round trip flights in the last year, 86% preferred flying Air Canada in 2015. What’s more, this represented a full 17% increase in the airline’s score over the past seven years. This also includes three percentage points over just last year alone.
“This year’s Ipsos Reid Business Traveller Survey confirms that Canada’s most discerning travellers recognize Air Canada as their preferred airline by a growing margin–the widest margin versus our domestic competitors since 2008,” said Benjamin Smith, President of Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “Year-over-year increases in key ratings by business travellers of their preference for Air Canada and their overall satisfaction compared to other Canadian carriers reflect their appreciation in the investments we are making in our fleet and products as well as our focus on customer service.”
Overall, Air Canada scored high in several categories including flight schedule, business class service and Maple Leaf lounges, and for its award-winning loyalty program, which offers benefits and services from over 150 retail, financial and travel partners.
Going forward, a full 95% of business travelers plan to fly Air Canada in the near future.
“We are especially pleased that this positive trend can be seen across Canada and underscores their preferences for Air Canada’s superior route network, choice of destinations and schedule,” Smith added. “On behalf of our 28,000 employees worldwide, we would like to thank our customers for choosing Air Canada in growing numbers and assure them we remain focused on continuous improvement as North America's only international four-star airline."
The new Ipsos Reid survey results are just the latest in a long line of industry accolades for the airline, which continually receives high marks for customer experience.
In 2014, Air Canada was voted "Best Airline in North America” by Global Traveler magazine, “Best North American Airline for International Travel” and “Best North America Airline Inflight Experience” by Business Traveler, and “Best Flight Attendants in North America” by Premier Traveler.