Canadian airlines, airports top global list of delays over the weekend

Canadian airlines and airports claimed top spots in flight delays over the July long weekend, notching more than nearly any other around the world. Air Canada ranked No. 1 in delays on Saturday and Sunday as two-thirds of its flights - 717 trips in total - landed late, according to tracking service FlightAware. At 67 per cent on Sunday, it was more than 14 percentage points above the three carriers tied for second place, two of which are Air Canada-affiliated. Jazz Aviation - a Halifax-based company that provides regional service for Air Canada - and the lower-cost Air Canada Rouge both saw 53% of flights delayed, putting them in the No. 2 spot alongside Greek regional carrier Olympic Air on Sunday. On Saturday, WestJet and budget subsidiary Swoop placed third and fourth at 55%. On the airport front, Toronto's Pearson claimed the No. 2 spot Sunday after 53% of departures were held up, below only Guangzhou's main airport in China. Pearson, Air Canada's main hub, beat out Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and Frankfurt Airport in Germany. Montreal's airport placed sixth Sunday at 43% of takeoffs delayed, on par with London's Heathrow, according to FlightAware figures. Air Canada said last week it will cut more than 15% of its summer schedule, or nearly 10,000 flights in July and August, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers as the country's aviation network sags under an overwhelming travel resurgence.<br/>