Porter Airlines is set to take off from London International Airport, offering daily flights to five different Canadian cities, as announced on Tuesday.
The airline, which will begin its winter service to southern locations next month, plans to launch flights to Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Montreal starting April 12, with the Edmonton route kicking off on May 6.
The flights:
- London to Halifax: seven flights weekly
- London to Vancouver: 11 flights weekly
- London to Edmonton: seven flights weekly
- London to Ottawa: 20 flights weekly
- London to Montreal: 20 flights weekly
“This will be a lot of capacity right out of the gate. It is a big commitment,” said Kevin Jackson, Porter president.
“London is very much an under-served area and there are more than two million people an hour’s drive from here. This is an opportunity for Porter to come in and launch this service and see it grow.”
The service includes up to three daily round-trip flights between Montreal and Ottawa on certain days, up to two daily flights to Vancouver some days, along with daily services for both Edmonton and Halifax.
These routes are year-round offerings where Porter will utilize 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 and 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircrafts that notably don’t have a middle seat.
“It is important London has this level of service for a population its size. It is important the community supports it,” Jackson said.
Porter will base five jets in London valued at around $35 million each. This move is part of their growth strategy which includes ordering 75 new aircraft with options for an additional 25. Currently, they operate a fleet of 56 aircraft.
“It is a game changer for the airport and the region. It is five flights but it is the frequency that sets it apart,” said Scott Mc Fadzean, chief executive of London International Airport.
“London is one of the fastest growing cities in Ontario and in Canada. People want alternatives to the busy Highway 401 and Toronto area. Now they have that option.”
Source link
Mc Fadzean has served as CEO for five years now; Porter was actually the first airline he met with during his tenure. Ongoing discussions have taken place since then.
“We presented our business case about our need for connectivity and what we lost during the pandemic. We really just highlighted growth opportunities,” he mentioned.
The city has been involved in supporting airport discussions with Porter along with federal government involvement, noted London Mayor Josh Morgan.
“It shows confidence in our city. Porter has long-term plans for making London a hub for regional travel,” Morgan said.
“This didn’t happen overnight; it took significant effort over time. Our approach has been that we’re open for business while emphasizing how valuable London’s airport can be.”
Editor’s Picks
The London Economic Development Corp acknowledged how impactful Porter’s investment would be saying these daily round-trip options target business travelers specifically.
pclass= ” wp- block – paragraph “>
“This connects us effectively with major hubs across Canada. The airport plays an essential role in our growth , ” explained Kapil Lakhotia , CEO of LEDC. p >
Flights can now be booked , according to the airline’s announcement. p >
Headquartered in Toronto , Porter has been operating since 2006. p >
Source link a >
