Although you may have dealt with flight delays and less than satisfactory customer service with our country’s national carrier, it recently picked up a prestigious accolade that validates its popularity.

Air Canada was named Best Airline in North America at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards that took place in London.

It’s the aviation company’s seventh time in nine years receiving the award, which are based on passenger satisfaction surveys from 20 million global travellers.

“I thank our 30,000 employees who are the true winners of the Skytrax Award, for delivering superior service while transporting more than 48 million customers a year safely to their destinations," Calin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada, said in a press statement.

The carrier continued to cement its status as a premier airline by offering enhancements to its fleet, including rolling out satellite wi-fi, adding new Airbus A220-300 jets, and gearing up to launch its new loyalty program.

Air Canada’s signature class service (formerly known as international business class) has a culinary tie to our city: it features a dining menu created by Vancouver-based chef David Hawksworth (Hawksworth Restaurant, Nightingale, Bel Café).

“This award shows that our customers, whom we thank for their continued loyalty, appreciate the investments Air Canada is making to deliver service that is the best in North America and increasingly recognized as industry-leading globally,” Benjamin Smith, president, airlines and COO at Air Canada, said in a press statement.