Porter Airlines tops in customer satisfaction in Canada
Porter’s score improving; WestJet is second
TORONTO March 2nd – In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1364 Canadian adults, Porter Airlines won the top scores for customer satisfaction among the one tenth of Canadians who had flown with them (8%), while second place was taken by Westjet, among the 3-in-10 adult Canadians who had flown with them (31%).
Porter receives a score of close to 9-in-10 satisfied (89%), with as many as two thirds saying they are “very satisfied” (67%). This represents a significant increase in customer satisfaction scores since the last time we tracked Canada’s airlines (May, 2013, overall satisfaction with Porter - 76%). Average score for Porter is 3.5 out of 4.0.
Westjet has almost universal satisfaction overall as well (87%), but a lower level of those who are “very satisfied” than Porter (55%). Westjet’s ratings have not improved significantly since 2013. Its average score for satisfaction is 3.4 out of 4.0.
Following Porter and Westjet are Air Transat and Air Canada. Air Transat has a ridership of about one seventh (14%), and it scores 8-in-10 for overall satisfaction (80%), while more than 4-in-10 are “very satisfied” (44%). Average score for Air Transat is 3.2 out of 4.0.
In fourth place out of the five Canadian airlines, Air Canada, with the highest ridership at close to 4-in-10 Canadian adults (37%) has overall satisfaction among three quarters of its passengers (77%), and a “very satisfied” score of just less than 4-in-10 (38%). The average score for Air Canada is 3.0 out of 4.0.
In last place in customer appreciation among Canadian carriers is Sunwing, flown by about a tenth (13%), and with an overall satisfaction score of 7-in-10 (70%) and a “very satisfied” score of just more than one third (37%), about half that of Porter Airlines. Average score for Sunwing is 2.9 out of 4.0.
The industry average score is 3.3 out of 4.0. In total, about one half (52%) flew any airline.
“When it comes to delighting its customers, Porter is the little airline that could, despite its cramped base at Billy Bishop Airport, and the fact it flies only turboprops. Moreover, Porter has been consolidating its position atop the customer satisfaction leaderboard since we started tracking Canada’s carriers,” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
