Air Transat

I’ve flown with them on a package toexico. GreT service. I’d fly with them to Europe if the opportunity presented itself.

I can't answer you questions about statistics, but we've used them twice for package vacations. Service was fine. Food was edible (that's all i expect of any airline). Seats were no better or worse than most. On time both times.

Flown with them many times and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. Depending on plane the legroom has been ok and service is as good as - maybe better than - Air Canada. We like them. (Then again, a good friend hates them).

AirTransat flies daily to Paris from Montreal all year round and daily to London in the summer season. I have gone with AT often to both those cities and have always had a decent experience. We usually opt for their Optimun Plus seating. I appreciate that AT uses Terminal 3 at CDG, and Gatwick for London, both of them being easy to navigate. Having said that, I remember that the walk from the plane to Passport Control at Gatwick was interminable.

Air Transat evolved from the days of charter airlines. It still does not connect to other airlines but otherwise is indistinguishable from the so-called "legacy" carries such as rival Air Canada.

David,

I've used Air Transat in the past, and wouldn't hesitate to use them again. They describe themselves as a "holiday travel airline" and I don't believe they have any code share agreements with other carriers. They tend to focus on European destinations in the summer and sun destinations (Cuba, Costa Rica, Mexico, etc.) in the winter. They typically have departures only once a week in each direction, so passengers have to be a bit flexible on their departure and return dates.

I usually need two or three flights to get to and from Europe, so I prefer to use Air Canada and their code share partners. It's nice to be able to check luggage once and then pick it up at my final destination.

David,

You were asking about Air Transat......

• https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-leisure-airlines-2018/

They've been making a lot of changes over the last few years, including a Premium Economy class. Their efforts seem to be paying off.

Ken,

Interesting to know, but why is there no mention at all of Air Transat on the Skytrax website?

David,

That's a good question. I'll do a bit of digging and see if I can determine the reason for that.

David,

I initially wasn't able to find Air Transat in the A-Z listings, but they are listed there - http://www.airlinequality.com/airline-reviews/air-transat/ . Don't know how I missed that?

If you're looking at airlines, the SkyTrax 2018 awards list Air Canada as the best airline in North America and WestJet as the best budget airline in N.A.

Ken,

Thanks for the sleuthing work! I'd offer that an overall three-star (out of five) rating - as given Air Transat in that review - is mediocre, or good at best. I wonder just how it earned those kudos cited in your earlier link.

Even odder perhaps is the absence of Air Transat and other carriers in a simple A-Z listing on Skytrax.

There is a huge one-page ad in today’s Globe & Mail, stating that AirTransat has the SkyTrax 2018 award for “World’s Best Leisure Airline”. I read it in the newspaper so it must be true!

Norma,

Fake n....!! No, I won't go there! Interesting indeed. Is there a link to that article you can forward? The link Ken provided earlier contains no details. And just what is a "leisure" airline? Not a term we've heard here in the lower 48.

I know nothing about links, sorry. Technology ignoramus. The ad is in the first section of the Globe & Mail, July 21, the page does not have a number but it follows page A16. Considering how much a full page advertisement in this large Canadian paper must cost, I have to believe it real, that is, not "fake". Make of it what you will.

Fake n....!! No, I won't go there! Interesting indeed. Is there a link
to that article you can forward? The link Ken provided earlier
contains no details. And just what is a "leisure" airline? Not a term
we've heard here in the lower 48

Not fake news (Google it - there are multiple legitimate sites reporting it). And leisure airline is, in fact a term that is used, but not apparently in the US? These airlines are usually lumped in with charter airlines. Unlike regular airlines, they offer selected seasonal flights to popular vacation destinations and their niche market are vacationers or leisure travellers. Hence the term.

I was being facetious with the term "fake n..." You could say it's quite overused in the U.S. these days!