Canada’s Porter Airlines will initially fly its new Embraer 195-E2s from Toronto Pearson International airport to Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa, beginning in February 2023.
With the new routes, the carrier will be flying to western Canada for the first time.
“Porter’s introduction of the E195-E2 provides the ability to operate throughout North America, including the West Coast, better positioning us to serve the needs of many more business and leisure passengers,” chief executive Michael Deluce said on 8 December.
“We’re excited to welcome Porter Airlines to Vancouver International airport as it launches its new service to Toronto,” adds the Vancouver Airport Authority. “As the Canadian travel and tourism industry continues to recover, we look forward to Porter Airlines beginning service in the new year.”
Porter’s new-generation E195-E2 aircraft will have an all-economy configuration with 132 seats. The aircraft complement the carrier’s current fleet of 78-seat Dash 8-400 aircraft.
The airline’s current Toronto flights all depart from Billy Bishop Toronto City airport. Porter is beginning flights at Pearson with its E195-E2s. It will offer four daily round trips from Toronto Pearson to Ottawa, four to Montreal and three to Vancouver, the company says.
Porter has 50 of the fuel-efficient Embraer jets on order, and expects to receive the first aircraft before the end of the year, it has said. Earlier this week, the airline rolled out new fare bundles and several other product updates, including available fresh meals – changes the company says make its economy class the industry’s best.
Meantime, Porter’s competitor and Canadian heavyweight Air Canada said on 8 December it will introduce flights to New York’s John F Kennedy International airport from Toronto and Montreal next year.
“For summer 2023, Air Canada will also restore 11 suspended transborder services and increase frequencies on 12 popular routes to the US in rebuilding its global network following the pandemic,” the Montreal-headquartered airline adds.
With those routes, Air Canada will be the only Canadian carrier serving all three New York metropolitan area airports. It is also introducing flights to Sacramento as part of its US ramp up.
