Today, the Consumer Choice Center released the second edition of its World Consumer Airport Index. This edition uses the latest statistical methods to highlight the successes and the challenges that airports face in a difficult geopolitical and economic environment. The index now includes a second Canadian airport in its rankings, with Vancouver International joining Toronto Pearson in the listings.
Regarding busier airports (those with over 47.2 million passengers a year), European and American airports continue to dominate the podium, while Canada’s harsh regulations keep its airports from ranking higher. Vancouver International is in 15th place in the overall rankings, and ranks 8th among smaller airports. By contrast, Toronto Pearson ranks 29th in the general rankings and 16th among the 25 busiest airports.
| Top 10 small airports (<47.2 million pax) | Airport | I-distance (adj.) |
| 1 | Düsseldorf | 26.861 |
| 2 | Zurich | 25.511 |
| 3 | Copenhagen | 24.509 |
| 4 | Helsinki | 23.19 |
| 5 | Malpensa | 23.135 |
| 6 | Oslo Gardermoen Airport | 22.083 |
| 7 | Munich | 21.841 |
| 8 | Vancouver International Airport | 21.402 |
| 9 | Brussels | 21.173 |
| 10 | Berlin Brandenburg Airport | 21.132 |
| Top 20 largest airports (>47.2 million pax) | Airport | I-distance (adj.) |
| 1 | Barcelona (Barcelona–El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport) | 23.835 |
| 2 | Rome (Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport) | 22.948 |
| 3 | Los Angeles International Airport | 22.204 |
| 4 | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi IntL. Airport | 22.06 |
| 5 | Charles de Gaulle Airport | 21.814 |
| 6 | King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah) | 21.549 |
| 7 | London Heathrow | 21.447 |
| 8 | Madrid (Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas) | 21.13 |
| 9 | Tokyo Intl. Airport (Haneda) | 20.49 |
| 10 | Dubai International Airport | 20.458 |
| 11 | Denver Intl. Airport | 20.366 |
| 12 | Amsterdam (Schiphol) | 20.146 |
| 13 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai IntL. Airport | 19.856 |
| 14 | Seoul Incheon International Airport | 19.418 |
| 15 | Singapore Changi Airport | 19.155 |
| 16 | Toronto Pearson International Airport | 19.002 |
| 17 | Istanbul | 18.786 |
| 18 | Shanghai Pudong International Airport | 18.697 |
| 19 | Dallas/Fort Worth Intl. Airport | 18.232 |
| 20 | Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Intl. Airport | 17.578 |
Jay Goldberg, the North American Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center, commented on the implications of the index for Toronto Pearson: “The World Cup represented a unique challenge for Toronto Pearson this year. To its credit, Pearson did deploy extra ground crews and revamped terminal welcome centres to guide 185,000 daily passengers across more than 1,000 daily flights converging on Toronto during the World Cup. However, the index shows serious disruption was still the case, with average delays reaching 18 per cent. Pearson also makes poor decisions by placing severe restrictions on nighttime flights that make regional connections much harder for consumers and disrupt business commuters’ connections.”
Sabine Benoit, the CCC’s Canadian Policy Associate, added: “I’m glad Vancouver has been added to the index to show the contrast between Toronto and Vancouver, with two of Canada’s biggest airports scoring much differently. Vancouver International delays were just six per cent on the same day that Toronto’s reached 18 per cent. Its Canada Line SkyTrain reaches downtown in 25 minutes, and its premier connectivity makes it the premier hub for Asia-Pacific destinations. Vancouver is by no means perfect; it suffers from some nighttime restrictions on its northern runway, though its southern runway is in use 24/7 to compensate. Even so, it stands as a model for Toronto Pearson to do better.”
This second edition of the World Airports Index adds 10 new worldwide entries. Rankings are based on factors ranging from location and transportation options to the number of shops and restaurants. It uses various sources of information, including airport information, annual reports, online statistics, and research from the Consumer Choice Center. Passenger traffic figures are based on the latest available information.
The entire Index can be found HERE.