If you have a big trip planned, it may be helpful to know which airlines will provide a smooth flight experience versus the ones you might have to complain about.
InsureMyTrip.ca, a travel insurance comparison website, analyzed air travel complaint data collected by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to find which airlines in Canada have the most passenger complaints.
“This information can be used by travellers to make predictions regarding how air travel will likely be impacted when flying different airlines,” reads the report.
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The carriers are ranked based on the average number of complaints per 100 flights collected by the CTA between January 2023 and March 2024.
Former low-cost carrier Lynx Air took the top spot with an average of 16.1 complaints per 100 flights.
The airline shut down and filed for creditor protection in February.
Following closely behind is Flair Airlines with 15.6 complaints. From a passenger missing a family wedding after a last-minute flight cancellation to a couple who was out thousands of dollars after the low-cost carrier left them stranded in Las Vegas, it’s easy to see why it’s in second place.
Rounding out the top three is Swoop. The low-cost airline owned by WestJet has an average of 14.2 complaints per 100 flights.
Its parent company is in fifth place with an average of 6.2 complaints. WestJet has recently been under fire after it cancelled hundreds of flights amid a mechanic’s strike.
One Canadian family’s experience during these cancellations was so stressful that they vowed not to fly with the airline ever again.
A class-action lawsuit was even filed against WestJet over its flight cancellations during two strike notices.
Canada’s other major airline, Air Canada, landed in seventh place with an average of 5.2 complaints. Recently, it was called out for a grandmother’s nightmarish travel experience.
Air Canada is also anticipating possible job action from its pilots, so it’s letting customers rebook flights for free.
Here’s the full ranking of airlines:
InsureMyTrip.ca