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Global Traveler, the leading magazine for luxury business and leisure travellers, has named Air Canada the 2019 Airline of the Year.
The magazine's staff submitted nominations to an advisory board, and from here the members selected winners based on a number of factors including: financial data, safety records, product offerings, onboard menus and overall image as a brand.
"I am very pleased that Air Canada has been named the 2019 Airline of The Year by Global Traveler. The success we have had transforming our airline into a leading global carrier is being recognized worldwide and we continue to invest in new aircraft, onboard services, airport amenities and a new Loyalty program to build on our leading position. Mostly, however, this award recognizes the hard work of our employees and their commitment to deliver customer service excellence every day, for which I thank them," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive of Air Canada.
Since 2010, Air Canada has embarked on a $12 Billion capital expenditure program to elevate the travel experience which has included an expanded global network connecting over its Canadian gateway hubs to nearly 220 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and North and South America. In fact, the Canadian airline is one of only a few airlines in the world to serve all six inhabited continents.
A release notes that Air Canada also has, "a wide body fleet renewal program that introduced Boeing 777s and state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliners and that includes a significant refurbishment of the A330 fleet to the Dream cabin." It adds that the narrow body fleet renewal will continue this month with the delivery of the airline's first Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
In addition, Global Traveler highlights Air Canada's 'best in class cabin interiors' across its wide-body fleet, featuring lie-flat direct aisle access Signature Class seats and a Premium Economy cabin offering increased pitch and width.
Air Canada also offers Signature Class Service internationally and year-round on select North America transcontinental flights including between Toronto and Vancouver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles; Montreal and Vancouver; and Vancouver and New York (Newark).
The release notes that the airline's global hub in Toronto also offers BMQ Chauffeur Service for select customers on international flights. What's more, new international, domestic and U.S. Maple Leaf Lounge concepts, including the Air Canada Signature Suite for eligible customers travelling in Signature Class internationally from the Toronto Pearson global hub, featuring a la carte dining with a menu created by celebrated Canadian Chef David Hawksworth; and the Air Canada Café, a first in North America, where eligible customers departing on a domestic flight from Toronto-Pearson can enjoy a premium coffee shop experience with grab and go snacks.
Air Canada also offers in-flight Wi-fi connectivity on all narrow-body aircraft, which complements its personal seatback in-flight entertainment systems. Passengers may discover over 1,000 hours of free digital audio-visual content while on-board.
Ongoing customer service training initiatives for customer-facing in-flight, airport, baggage and call centre employees. Technological innovations to facilitate customer interactions, including a new website compatible with all types of devices for a consistent experience, ongoing refinements of mobile technology, and increased investments in artificial intelligence to further develop customer-focused capabilities and information management.
