Pearson Airport in Mississauga named tops in North America for fifth year

Often the target of travellers’ scorn, as are all airports, Pearson Airport in Mississauga can take a quick bow today after being named Best Large Airport in North America for the fifth-straight year.

The honour comes from Airports Council International (ACI) World, the global trade representative of the world’s airports.

Specifically, the win for Pearson comes as part of ACI World’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program, which recognizes airports across the globe that deliver the best customer experience in the opinion of their own passengers.

The Mississauga-based airport was also chosen by travellers as having the Best Hygiene Measures (by region) in North America for the second year in a row.

In accepting the honours, Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which runs Pearson, said it’s an exciting time for the airport and the aviation industry as pandemic-related travel restrictions ease and more people travel by air once again.

“This is a superb recognition from ACI of the smart, hard work that everyone at Toronto Pearson has put into prioritizing health and safety while still delivering a stellar passenger experience over the last two years,” she said.

“While the air travel experience is very different than it was pre-pandemic, we are urgent in our work with all of our partners to smooth the air travel journey,” Flint continued. “This includes working in close collaboration with all levels of government to further ease overly onerous travel restrictions where the science supports such an approach. With March Break upon us, our commitment to travellers is as strong as it’s ever been. Whether heading to a sun destination, visiting family or simply getting away for a few days, we want passengers to focus on enjoying the journey knowing that their health and safety is top of mind at Pearson from curb to gate and back again.”

We're excited to announce we've won “Best large airport in NA” for the 5th year in a row! 🏆 We also won “Best hygiene measures in NA” by @ACIWorld. Thank you for your confidence in us & to all airport workers for their continued dedication ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6RnFjdyQF5

— Toronto Pearson (@TorontoPearson) March 10, 2022

As travel restrictions ease, Pearson officials say they maintain a strong focus on science- and data-informed measures through their multi-layered Healthy Airport plan to protect the health of passengers and employees alike, and to build trust in the air travel experience.

ACI officials said the awards Pearson received recognize an excellence in customer experience achieved by the airport.

“Customers have spoken and recognized the successful efforts of the Toronto Pearson team in providing a superior customer experience under very trying circumstances during the pandemic,” said Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of ACI World.

Mississauga Centre MP and federal Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra said the awards are another demonstration of Pearson Airport’s commitment to passengers and to the air industry in Canada.

“Amid the unprecedented impacts of the last two years to the travel industry, the staff and crew at Pearson Airport have continued to work hard and provide exemplary service and care to passengers while prioritizing their safety and security against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Alghabra.

The ASQ program is the world’s leading airport customer experience measurement and benchmarking program, measuring passengers’ satisfaction across 34 key performance indicators, in addition to survey questions on safety and hygiene at the airport.