Air Canada Named Canada's Preferred Airline by Frequent Business Travellers in Ipsos Reid Survey

Widening Margin Among Canadian Carriers Confirms Air Canada's Lead Position

MONTREAL, Sept. 21, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada has been named Canada's favourite airline for business travel in the Ipsos Reid Business Traveller Survey.  Air Canada was preferred by 86 per cent of Canadian frequent business travellers surveyed for 2015, an improvement of 17 percentage points in Air Canada's ratings in the national survey over the past seven years.

"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, 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. 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. 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 survey showed consistently strong ratings in customer preference for Air Canada's frequent flyer reward program, flight schedule, Business Class service and Maple Leaf Lounges. Among other things, the survey of frequent business travelers found:

• Overall satisfaction with Air Canada's service continues to increase, in contrast to its domestic competitors, climbing three percentage points over last year.
• 95 per cent intend to use Air Canada for business travel in the coming year, an increase of three percentage points over the previous year.
• Air Canada is the preferred airline from Canada to the U.S. for 67 per cent of respondents, an improvement of nine percentage points over the past seven years.
• In addition, Air Canada is the airline flown most often when going to the United States for 60 per cent of respondents, an increase of 10 percentage points over the past seven years. 

About the Survey

The 23rd annual Canadian Business Travel Study is an online survey conducted independently by Ipsos Reid.  The survey includes business travellers who travel a minimum of six round trip flights for business in the past 12 months.

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada—all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 190 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2014 served more than 38 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 Canadian cities, 52 destinations in the United States and 78 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,321 airports in 193 countries.  Air Canada rewards its most loyal customers through its top tier recognition program, Altitude, that offers frequent flyers a range of priority travel services, lounge access and upgrades to Executive Class, complementing their membership in Aeroplan, Canada's premier loyalty program, which provides numerous ways to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles with over 150 travel and retail partners.

Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax.  In 2014, readers of Global Traveler magazine again voted Air Canada "Best Airline in North America," the readers of Business Traveler voted Air Canada "Best North American Airline for International Travel" and "Best North America Airline Inflight Experience," and the readers of Premier Traveler voted Air Canada "Best Flight Attendants in North America."  For more information on Air Canada visit aircanada.com, follow @AirCanada on Twitter and join Air Canada on Facebook.

SOURCE Air Canada

Contacts: Isabelle Arthur (Montréal), [email protected], 514 422-5788; Peter Fitzpatrick (Toronto), [email protected], 416 263-5576; Angela Mah (Vancouver), [email protected], 604 270-5741; Internet: aircanada.com