Porter Airlines has announced their first Saskatchewan service with daily flights between Toronto Pearson and Saskatoon starting May 16, 2024. The carrier will also open three new crew bases in Ottawa, Montréal and Vancouver.
On Thursday (February 15, 2024), Porter Airlines announced the launch of their first-ever service to Saskatchewan with new daily flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Saskatoon International Airport (YXE). The new daily route will commence on May 16, 2024, and will be operated with a new 132-seat Embraer E195-E2. Guests will enjoy Porter’s famous hospitality with free, fast Wi-Fi, premium snacks and complimentary beer and wine served in real glassware. The new route also connects to destinations in Eastern Canada via Toronto-Pearson, including Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa and St. Johns.
In Thursday’s announcement, Porter Airlines’ President, Kevin Jackson, said,
“We are proud to connect Saskatoon and the province of Saskatchewan to Porter’s network for the first time in our history. It solidifies our commitment to bringing the level of connectivity, service and generosity that travellers deserve across the country. The Porter experience is unlike anything Saskatchewan is used to and we believe will become a favourite for local flyers.”
Also commenting on Porter’s new service to YXE, Saskatoon Airport’s President and CEO, Stephen Maybury, said,
“YXE is very excited to welcome Porter to Saskatchewan for the very first time in the airline’s history. Porter has had a very long and successful career in Eastern Canada, and we are so glad to finally be bringing the airline’s western expansion to Saskatoon this summer. As the gateway to Saskatchewan’s north, YXE is committed to connecting our region to the world, and with Porter’s strong connections and partner airlines this new route to Toronto will allow for greater connectivity, a new air travel experience and more flight options all at a competitive fare that we know our guests are going to love.”
The Greater Toronto Airport’s Executive Director – Customer Experience and Airline Relations, Kurush Minocher, added,
“Saskatoon is one of the top Canadian destinations for travelers flying out of YYZ. We’re pleased to see Porter add service on the route and increase connectivity both to passengers looking to travel to the prairies, but also those looking to fly from central Canada through Toronto and to the east coast.”
Customers booking all-inclusive PorterReserve fares will also enjoy priority check-in, extra legroom seats, premium pre-mixed cocktails, and fresh, healthy meals. These premium benefits can also be booked à la carte by customers booking PorterClassic fares.
In a separate press release on Thursday (February 15, 2024), Porter Airlines announced the addition of three new Embraer E195-E2 crew bases this year at Ottawa International Airport (YOW), Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR), with over 350 based pilots and flight attendants. For summer 2024, Porter will operate 14 nonstop routes from Ottawa, six from Montréal and three from Vancouver, which feed into the carrier’s strong Eastern Canada network and their growing western markets.
In Thursday’s announcement, Porter Airlines’ EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Kent Woodside, said,
“These new bases will provide significant opportunities for crew who want to live close to where they work. Local crew can better support Porter’s commitment to operational reliability and ultimately provide an even more elevated level of service for our passengers.”
Currently, Porter has approximately 650 pilots and 775 cabin crew operating from their Embraer E195-E2 crew base at Toronto Pearson, as well as De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 crew bases at Toronto-City, Ottawa, Halifax and Thunder Bay. By the end of 2024, the airline’s roster will grow to approximately 2,000 crew members. The Ottawa and Montréal bases will open in May, followed by Vancouver in July 2024.
Founded in 2006, Porter Airlines is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating® and is committed to providing a warm and effortless approach to hospitality, restoring glamour and refinement to air travel. The carrier is headquartered in Toronto, and offers an extensive domestic Canadian and North American network. Porter Airlines currently operates a fleet of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC) Dash 8-400s and new Embraer E195-E2 jets.
Source: Porter Airlines