Data quality, concepts and methodology: Methodology
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Survey universe
Coverage
The airport activity data presented in this publication were compiled from three surveys conducted by the Aviation Statistics Centre of Statistics Canada and collected by Transport Canada's Electronic Collection of Air Transportation Statistics (ECATS) project.
Daily Airport Activities Survey
This survey covers the scheduled domestic and international services operated by the Level I Canadian air carriers. Data concerning other Canadian carriers and foreign carriers operating scheduled international services into and out of Canada using aircraft with a maximum take-off weight on wheels greater than 30,000 kg are also included.
The survey data are filed on a census basis and are reported in the traffic flow format.
Coupon Passenger Origin and Destination Survey
This survey covers the scheduled services operated within, into or out of Canada by regional and local Canadian air carriers and the scheduled services operated into or out of Canada by foreign air carriers using aircraft with maximum take-off weight on wheels not greater than 30,000 kg.
The survey data are collected on a census basis via two forms. The first form collects data on an origin and destination basis (that is, the passengers' origin and destination on the reporting carrier's system) from Canadian carriers assigned to Reporting Levels II, III, and IV. Foreign air carriers operating unit toll international scheduled services using fixed wing aircraft having a maximum take-off weight on wheels not greater than 30,000 kg also report this form. The Aviation Statistics Centre converts the data into the enplaned and deplaned format.
The second form is reported by Canadian Level II carriers operating scheduled services that in the past two years enplaned more than 300,000 revenue passengers. The data are reported in the enplaned and deplaned format, by site.
Charter On-Flight Origin and Destination Survey
This survey covers the charter services operated by Canadian air carriers within Canada or by Canadian or foreign air carriers between Canada and foreign countries other than the United States using aircraft having a maximum take-off weight on wheels greater than 15,900 kg. Likewise, all commercial charter services operated between Canada and the United States using aircraft with maximum take-off weight on wheels greater than 8,200 kg are also reported.
Data are reported on a census basis and are reported in the on-flight origin and destination format (that is, the passengers are reported according to their own origin and destination and not necessarily according to the routing of the flight).
Survey methodology
Beginning with 2007 data and coinciding with the national roll-out of the Transport Canada Electronic Collection of Air Transportation Statistics (ECATS) project, data are reported electronically to Transport Canada and shared with Statistics Canada.
Upon receipt of the data, the Aviation Statistics Centre (ASC) applies its own edit programs to the data. These programs conduct quality checks to determine the quality and legitimacy of the information contained within flight records. Aviation Statistics Centre personnel then correct invalid entries, impute for missing data, tabulate and prepare the data for publication.
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