The Ottawa International Airport Authority proudly announces that it has, once again, been recognized on the world’s stage for the high quality of its facilities and its customer service. Ottawa has earned the titles of #1 airport in North America (all sizes of airport), and #2 in the World (airports that serve between two and five million passengers).

These great results were determined through the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer satisfaction benchmarking program, and were published today by Airports Council International, the world airport governing body.  ASQ is a global initiative aimed at improving the passenger experience at airports worldwide. The program establishes a prescribed number of passenger surveys that must be completed each quarter to ensure an equitable breakdown between business and leisure travellers, and across domestic, transborder and international destinations. The surveys, which are completed at the gate prior to passenger departure, touch on approximately 36 items in the customer experience including airport ambiance, efficiency of check-in and security screening processes, overall cleanliness and value for money in retail and food and beverage outlets.

Since joining the program in 2004, Ottawa has ranked in the top three in each of the categories we qualify for. These awards are important for many reasons, but mostly because they confirm that every organization on the airport campus strives to meet and exceed the same high standards that our customers have come to expect. Each of these organizations has contributed to our success and share in the recognition.

“We were excited to be named first in the world last year” said Paul Benoit, Airport Authority President and CEO. He continued, “First in North America is even more special, because the airports included in the survey are the airports that our customers travel to most often - the ones we are most familiar with. This is a very special tribute to all of our employees and to the facility itself”.

“The bar is raised each year where customer service and perception are concerned, which means that all of the employees made an even stronger effort to delight our clients in 2011” said Raymond Brunet, Chairman of the Airport Authority’s Board of Directors. “Thank you to each and every employee and volunteer at the airport who has made customer service their priority”.

To return the love our customers have shown us, members of the Airport Authority team will be distributing Happy Valentine’s Day cards to customers that can be redeemed for a free coffee at any Tim Hortons location in the terminal building.

OMCIAA operates Ottawa International Airport without government subsidies under a 60-year lease transfer agreement with Transport Canada. The OMCIAA’s mandate is to manage, operate and develop airport facilities and lands in support of the economic growth of the National Capital Region.