Porter Airlines is making a big move at London International Airport, introducing five new year-round domestic routes starting next spring.
According to the airline, these new flights will connect London directly to Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, and Montreal.
This announcement comes after almost five years of discussions between Porter and the airport, as noted by CEO Scott Mc Fadzean.
“It’s been a long time coming, but I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “This community deserves it.”
“My hope is that it resonates with all the travellers across Southwestern Ontario, and with that demand, we’ll continue to see more and more growth in the future.”
Scott Mc Fadzean, CEO of London International Airport, in front of a brand new Porter Airlines Embraer E195-E2. (Jack Sutton/CBC)
Four of these routes-Halifax, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal-are set to begin on April 12, 2027. The route to Edmonton will start on May 6.
Porter has also added four new routes from London to sunny spots in Florida, Mexico and Jamaica recently.
Looking at London’s potential for business travel was key for the airline’s decision according to Porter’s president Kevin Jackson.
“It’s two and a half million people that live close to this airport,” he said. “And it is really underserved with almost no real domestic service.”
Kevin Jackson, President of Porter Airlines, says the new flights will meet demand in both the business community and people travelling for leisure. (Jack Sutton/CBC)
Jackson mentioned that these new flights will particularly help business travellers with options for same-day returns from cities like Ottawa and Montreal while also catering to leisure travel needs.
The flights heading to Ottawa and Montreal will run up to three times daily featuring an early morning departure followed by an evening return for those same-day trips.
For these routes, Porter will use 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft.
Meanwhile, flights heading to Halifax, Vancouver and Edmonton will utilize Porter’s larger 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 planes.
The airline has indicated that the Vancouver route could have up to 11 flights per week while Halifax and Edmonton will each offer up to seven weekly flights.
The new routes are intended to give travellers in Southwestern Ontario a nearby alternative to larger airports like Toronto Pearson. (Jack Sutton/CBC)
Both Porter and Mc Fadzean believe these new connections aim to provide Southwestern Ontario travelers with better options flying directly from London instead of having to go through bigger airports like Toronto Pearson.
“Highway 401 heading eastbound to Toronto is no fun place to be on any day,” Mc Fadzean said.
‘That ability to fly from.. an airport without a lot of congestion really makes a difference for travellers who want it easy and comfortable,” he added.
‘All five routes will feature Porter’s standard economy service including complimentary beer and wine along with snacks plus Wi-Fi on its E195-E2 aircraft,’ they stated.’ Additionally available is Porter Reserve offering extra legroom along with dedicated check-in plus boarding alongside complimentary meals on longer trips.’
‘Flights are now available for booking online.’
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