Porter Airlines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Porter Airlines

A De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
Founded	February 2, 2006; 19 years ago (2006-02-02)
Commenced operations	October 23, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-10-23)
AOC #	Canada: 15266, 19543 United States: P54F185F
Hubs	Ottawa Toronto–Billy Bishop Toronto–Pearson
Focus cities	Halifax Montréal–Trudeau
Frequent-flyer program	VIPorter
Fleet size	62
Destinations	32
Parent company	Porter Aviation Holdings Inc.
Headquarters	Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Key people	Michael Deluce (CEO) Kevin Jackson (President) Robert Deluce (Executive chairman) Donald J. Carty (Chairman)

Porter Airlines (also known as porter) is a Canadian airline. Its main office is at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This airport is located on the Toronto Islands.

Porter Airlines is owned by Porter Aviation Holdings. It flies regular flights between Toronto and other places in Canada and the United States. The airline uses Canadian-built De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 turboprop planes. They also use Embraer E195-E2 jet aircraft.

Porter started flying in 2006. Its launch at the Toronto Island airport caused some debate. Robert Deluce, who is now an Executive Chairman at Porter Airlines, wanted to create a regional airline. He planned to use Bombardier turboprop planes to fly to major Canadian cities from Toronto.

A plan to build a bridge to the airport was cancelled in 2003. This led to legal issues between Deluce and the City of Toronto. The airline lost the court case, but the idea for the airline continued. With money from the Toronto Port Authority (now PortsToronto), Deluce's company bought the airport terminal. This terminal was used by Air Canada Jazz. Porter then stopped Air Canada's access to it.

Since 2006, Porter has added more destinations and planes. In March 2010, Porter opened a new, larger passenger terminal at the island airport. A pedestrian tunnel connecting the airport to the mainland opened in 2015.

In 2013, Porter suggested expanding the Toronto Island airport to allow jet planes. The Toronto City Council wanted more studies on this idea. In November 2015, the Canadian government said it would not support the plan.

In July 2021, Porter announced it would start flying from Toronto Pearson International Airport. This allowed them to add more destinations across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. These new flights began in mid-2022.

On March 18, 2020, Porter stopped all flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights were suspended for nearly 18 months. Porter started flying again on September 8, 2021. The airline received loans from the Government of Canada to help during this time.

How Porter Airlines is Organized

Porter building at Billy Bishop Airport

Porter Airlines is part of a larger company called Porter Aviation Holdings (PAHL). This company also owns Porter FBO Limited, which manages the airport facilities. Another part is City Centre Terminal Corp., which handles Porter's terminal at Billy Bishop Airport. The main company, PAHL, was started in 1999.

The Deluce family is a big part of Porter Aviation Holdings Inc. Robert Deluce, his brother Peter, and his son Michael have all been leaders in different airlines.

Key Leaders

• Robert J. Deluce is the Executive Chairman of Porter Airlines.
• Michael Deluce, Robert's son, is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Porter Airlines. He also leads Porter Aviation Holdings Inc.
• Kevin Jackson is the President of Porter Airlines.

Board of Directors

• Donald J. Carty, who used to be a leader at American Airlines, is the chairman of the board.
• James Little is a marketing officer at Shaw Communications, Inc.
• David Wilkins used to be the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Investors

When Porter Airlines started, it received CA$125 million from investors. These included EdgeStone Capital Partners and Borealis Infrastructure. Borealis Infrastructure is the investment part of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS).

In 2005, Porter's parent company bought the airport buildings from City Centre Aviation Ltd. This included the terminal used by Air Canada's Jazz airline. Porter then ended Jazz's agreement to use the terminal. Air Canada went to court but lost. Porter then started renovating the terminal for its own flights, which began in October 2006.

In 2009, a new company, City Centre Terminal Corp., was created to manage Porter's new terminal. This new terminal cost about CA$50 million to build. The first part of it opened in March 2010, and it was fully finished in early 2011. The terminal has ten gates, two lounges, and places to check in and go through security.

Porter Airlines has a fun mascot: a stylish raccoon named "Mr. Porter." You can see the raccoon in Porter's newspaper ads. Porter also advertises on the radio. The uniforms for their staff are designed to look like airline fashion from the 1960s.

In 2015, Porter sold the terminal at the island airport to Nieuport Aviation Infrastructure Partners GP. This sale helped the airline become debt-free. It now pays to rent the facility.

Porter Airlines History

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport viewed from CN Tower

The start of Porter Airlines caused some arguments. Some Toronto residents wanted to close or stop the airport from growing. Others, like businesses and a government agency, wanted the airport to make its own money.

In 2002, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) managed the 'Toronto City Centre Airport'. The TPA planned to spend $35 million to improve the airport. They wanted to build a bridge and a new terminal. A new airline, led by Robert Deluce, would start flying from the airport. The airport is on Toronto Island and could only be reached by a ferry. Many thought this ferry-only access made it hard for the airport to grow.

The City of Toronto Council approved the TPA's plans in November 2002. However, local residents and groups formed "Community Air" to fight the expansion. This issue became a big part of the 2003 Toronto election. The new mayor, David Miller, opposed the bridge. After he was elected, the council voted to cancel the bridge project.

After the bridge was cancelled, Deluce sued the City of Toronto. He later included the Government of Canada in the lawsuit. After receiving money from the TPA to settle the case, his company bought the airport building that Jazz airline was using. They then ended Jazz's agreement to use it.

On February 2, 2006, Deluce announced Porter Airlines. This new airline would use Canadian-built Bombardier turboprops. It would start flying in 2006, with its first route from Toronto to Ottawa.

The TPA also announced plans to improve ferry service for the new airline. They bought a new, larger ferry. However, some politicians and community groups were worried. They thought a major airline operating from the island would cause more noise and air pollution in downtown Toronto.

Safety was also a concern. The airport's main runway is 4,000 feet (1,200 m) long. This is shorter than what Bombardier suggested for a fully loaded Q400 plane. Porter solved this by setting up their planes for 70 passengers, instead of the maximum 78. This allowed them to use the shorter runway safely. Pilots flying into the airport also need to be careful of boat masts and a nearby wind turbine.

Porter's first flight was on October 23, 2006, to Ottawa. At first, protesters tried to block passengers at the ferry dock. They asked people to avoid using the airline. While the protests stopped, Community Air still watches Porter's activities. The TPA has fined Porter for breaking noise rules after 11 p.m. due to complaints from residents.

The TPA and Porter continue to work together to expand the airport. In 2009, Porter announced it would build a $45 million terminal at the island airport. This new terminal would include Canadian Customs, restaurants, and more lounge space. The first part of it opened in March 2010.

In 2010, Porter worked with Bombardier Aerospace and Pratt and Whitney Canada to study aviation biofuels. They even flew a plane from Toronto to Ottawa using a mix of biofuel and jet fuel. This was the first commercial flight of its kind in Canada.

In 2014, the Montréal/Saint-Hubert Airport wanted to start service to Toronto Island Airport. Porter said a new terminal would be needed for this, and the airport hoped to build it with government help.

2013 Toronto Island Airport Expansion Idea

In April 2013, Porter announced plans to fly to new places in Western Canada, California, and Florida. To do this, Porter agreed to buy 12 Bombardier CS100 jets, which hold 107 passengers. They also had the option to buy 18 more.

Porter's plans needed changes to the airport's rules. They asked to allow jets and to make the runway longer. Changes to the airport's rules need everyone to agree: the Toronto Port Authority (TPA), the City of Toronto, and the Government of Canada.

The mayor of Toronto at the time, Rob Ford, supported the idea. However, some city council members were against it. Porter Airlines claimed in ads that most Torontonians supported the expansion. But some people questioned this survey.

Toronto City Council held public meetings about the plan in late 2013. City staff suggested waiting until 2015 to decide. They were concerned about the needed buildings, public health, and a lack of a full airport plan. In November 2015, the federal Minister of Transport said he would not support the plan. This stopped the airport expansion.

Growing from Toronto Pearson and Ottawa

In 2021, Porter ordered 30 Embraer E195-E2 jets. They later increased this to 50 jets. Since jets are not allowed at Toronto Island Airport, Porter started flying these planes from Toronto Pearson International Airport. This allowed them to fly to new places in western Canada like Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. They also increased flights to eastern Canadian cities like Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax.

Porter also started new routes from Ottawa. These include flights to New York-Newark and Boston in the United States. They also added Canadian cities like Charlottetown, Thunder Bay, Edmonton, and Vancouver from Ottawa. In November 2023, Porter ordered 25 more jets, bringing their total orders to 75.

Porter is building a new terminal at the MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport. This project should create over 500 jobs. It will allow the airport to be a second airport for the Montreal area. Porter will fly both its turboprop and jet planes from this airport.

Porter is also building a new maintenance base at Ottawa International Airport. This large building will be used for all maintenance of Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 jets.

Porter Airlines Destinations

Before 2023, Porter Airlines only flew to eastern Canada and U.S. cities. This was because of the range of their De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 planes. Their main base is Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Ottawa and Montreal are also important cities for their flights. Halifax is a connecting point for flights between St. John's and Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa.

After adding Embraer E195-E2 jet planes in 2023, Porter started flying to central and western Canada. This includes cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg. They also added new routes from Ottawa and made Toronto Pearson one of their main bases.

As of February 2024, Porter Airlines flies to the following places:

Partnerships with Other Airlines

Porter Airlines works with other airlines. This allows passengers to connect to more flights.

• Air Transat (they work together on some flights)
• Alaska Airlines

Porter Airlines Fleet (Planes)

Porter Airlines Q400 landing at Montréal-Trudeau airport

Porter Airlines E195-E2 landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport

As of November 2023, Porter Airlines uses the following planes:

Porter first ordered ten Bombardier Q400 turboprop planes. Each plane could hold 70 passengers. They chose 70 seats (instead of the maximum 78) because the runway at Toronto Island Airport is shorter. A fully loaded 78-seat plane would need a longer runway. This means Porter's planes have a bit more legroom than 78-seat planes. In 2021, the airline updated its plane interiors. They added an extra row, making all their Q400 planes have 78 seats.

In July 2021, Porter announced they would buy 30 Embraer E195-E2 jet aircraft. They also have the option to buy 50 more. Since jets are not allowed at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Porter decided to base these planes at other airports. These include Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax, and Toronto's Pearson International Airport. This allows them to fly to more places across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Porter started receiving these new jets in December 2022.

Porter Airlines Services

Porter Airlines offers free snacks and drinks on its flights. This includes free beer and wine for adults. All drinks are served in real glassware.

Porter Airlines has a rewards program for frequent flyers called 'VIPorter'. Members can earn points and use them to get free flights.