Toronto Pearson Airport ranks low in customer satisfaction: study

Toronto and Montreal airports were near-bottom in the race for passenger satisfaction this year, according to a study by J.D. Power.

The study ranks Toronto Pearson Airport second from the bottom in the category for the largest airports that see more than 33 million passengers per year.

Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport stood third from the bottom in the next category, with passenger traffic between 10 million and 32.9 million per year.

Meanwhile, airports in Western Canada ranked somewhat better in consumer satisfaction, with Calgary and Vancouver airports both at spots 10 and 17.

As a whole, the report suggests overall satisfaction among all North American passengers has improved since last year despite obstacles including ongoing pilot shortages, weather-related delays and cancellations, and high passenger demands.

Michael Taylor of J.D. Power says it has not been an easy year for North American airports but major capital improvements helped many of them manage the passenger surge to run at full capacity.

The report, which surveyed 27,147 people travelling through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport between August 2022 and July 2023, suggests crowding will continue to be a challenge for the foreseeable future.

Toronto Pearson says there have been efforts to address passenger satisfaction.

“While we are disappointed with the results, the (Greater Toronto Airports Authority) has been working non-stop with airlines, agencies and other partners to improve and streamline the passenger experience since last year’s restart,” it said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2023.

The Canadian Press