(Montreal) Canadian airports and airlines experienced a large number of delays last month, raising questions about their preparedness as the summer travel season approaches.
According to data from aeronautical data firm OAG, major airports and airlines had a much weaker on-time performance in March than their U.S. peers — and their own performance in 2019.
At Toronto Pearson airport, 61.2% of flights departed on time, that is, less than 15 minutes before their scheduled departure, compared to 73% four years earlier.
By comparison, New York’s JFK Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport posted on-time performance of around 73% and 79%, respectively.
Air Canada’s on-time arrival rate was 57.3% in March, compared to 69.6% in March 2019.
Former Air Canada chief operating officer Duncan Dee has pointed out that the higher volume of flight delays could bode badly for travelers in the coming months, after chaotic travel seasons of the recent holidays. summer and winter, reflecting systemic problems in the Canadian aviation sector.