Weak on-time record of Canadian airports, airlines raises questions for summer travel

Canadian airports and airlines logged a large number of flight delays last month, raising questions about their readiness for the summer travel rush. Big airports and carriers had a much weaker on-time record in March than comparable US outfits -- and their own performance in 2019 -- according to figures from aviation data firm OAG. Toronto's Pearson airport saw 61.2% of flights leave on time -- within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure -- versus 73% four years earlier. By comparison, New York's JFK airport and Chicago's O'Hare airport had on-time performances of about 73% and 79%, respectively -- within a couple percentage points of O'Hare's 2019 rate, indicative of American airports' quicker earlier recovery. Air Canada's on-time arrival rate was 57.3% in March versus 69.6% in March 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the air travel industry. The latest number also contrasts to the 77-to-79% range for three of the biggest US carriers, though they generally face smoother weather conditions. WestJet and Porter Airlines managed to land about 63 and 65% of their flights on time in March, respectively, compared with 80 and 82% four years earlier. The higher volume of flight delays could bode poorly for travellers in the coming months and comes after chaotic travel seasons during the summer and winter holidays. The situation reflects systemic issues across the Canadian aviation sector, said former Air Canada COO Duncan Dee. "What is shocking to me from these numbers is that all three major national Canadian airlines face very similar on-time performance challenges," Dee said. "The only conclusion is either Canadian airlines are operationally challenged or that operating in Canada involves common structural issues which all three Canadian carriers face, which makes their on-time performance markedly poorer versus their US peers," he said.<br/>