Porter Airlines
Porter Airlines is Canada’s third-largest carrier and is based at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The airline currently offers flights to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, New York (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston, Washington (Dulles) and has seasonal flights to Mt. Tremblant, Que., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Burlington, VT.
Porter offers just three types of fares (Firm, Flexible, Freedom), so you know what you’re getting and the ticket rules don’t require a Master’s degree to understand like those of most other airlines.
Porter Airport Lounges
One of the best parts about flying Porter is that they offer an airport lounge experience for ALL passengers. That means you get free drinks (including bottled water), shortbread cookies, newspapers, free Wi-Fi, computers, and comfortable seating. The lounge in Toronto is beautiful but the one in Newark is nothing to rave about…but it sure beats sitting around the regular gate area.
Planes
When I first flew Porter several years ago, I was skeptical because I’d never heard of them and don’t like small prop planes. However, Porter’s planes are not that small. They fly all Canadian-built Bombardier Q400s, which hold 70 passengers (in one class of service), and have leather seats, lots of legroom, and a 2×2 seat configuration, so there’s no dreaded middle seat.
Did you know? The Q400 aircraft is built in Toronto at the Bombardier Aerospace plant.
Boarding
The boarding process goes like this: Those who need extra time (elderly and families with small children) board first. Then rows 10 through 18 board second, followed by everyone else.
Service
The friendly flight attendants wear retro uniforms, complete with a hat and scarf, and offer a snack and beverage service on all flights, including complimentary soft drinks, wine, and beer. On my flight, the snack choices were Terra chips, a cookie, or almonds. Porter’s own branded bottles of water are shaped like the mini Fiji bottles of water, but these are bottled in Montreal at Blue Orchid Waters.
Did you know? The PA announcements and the safety demonstration are done in Canada’s two official languages, English and French.
Newark to Toronto
Flight time is an hour (plus or minus a few minutes) and if you want to see Niagara Falls from the air, sit on the left-hand side for an amazing view. I tend to sit on the right side because usually that’s the side with jaw-dropping views of Toronto’s skyline but yesterday we landed from the left; I think that was because there was a storm. Good thing I was happy on the left-hand side since Porter’s landings seriously have incredible views of the city.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ)
Porter only flies into Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport, formerly known as Toronto City Centre Airport or the Toronto Island Airport. The airport code is YTZ.
Passport Control
At YTZ, the immigration lines are never that long. I’m a NEXUS/Global Entry member (here’s how you can become one, too!) so I usually just breeze through immigration anyway. However, YTZ only has one NEXUS machine and it’s usually broken.
Ferry
Once through customs, it’s just a 50-yard walk indoors to the airport’s ferry. That’s right…the airport is actually on an island. The free ferry travels back and forth to the mainland (400 feet/121 meters) every 15 minutes. It takes just two minutes to cross, which is way too short to enjoy the stunning view of downtown Toronto. Good to know: This ferry is often noted as the world’s shortest scheduled ferry run.
Free Shuttle
If you are going into the city center, this is one of the most convenient city airports in the world. Porter offers a free shuttle approximately every 15 minutes that goes to The Royal York Hotel, which is centrally located. FYI: Due to city road closures, the shuttle pick-up and drop-off location downtown is moving to the south side of Front St., just past the southwest corner of York and Front streets. The designated stop is located near Starbucks.
Porter Airlines, Tel: 416-619-8622 or toll-free 1-888-619-8622.
Have you flown Porter Airlines? Would you recommend them to your friends/family? Please share your experience below.
To IDIOT,
Are you proud that you used such foul language when making a comment which even children are allowed to read? Or is it that your education did not provide you with a better or more meaningful vocabulary?
‘nuf sed.
I will be traveling from Washington Dulles to Billy Bishop this weekend. I am concerned about all of the cancellations that Porter airline seems to have. I have been checking the weather and there is a 60% chance of rain in DC on the day of departure. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Indeed, the view of Niagara Falls was a nice bonus; flying from Toronto to Newark, however, should one switch to the right side of the plane to see it again?
It depends on the route. Best to ask the pilot.
love porter
The airline (like others) has a policy that if they are late due to poor weather / snow storm etc. ‘beyond their control’ then to bad, so sad for the customer. I was in Halifax in early December and left for the airport over 2 1/2 hours before the flight was to leave. Unfortunately for me the highway I was on was brought to a halt for over an hour and 1/2 due to the snow storm / accident and as a result I was ‘stuck’ unable to move 10 feet in that time. I called the airline to see if I could get on the later flight given the travel problem ‘beyond my control’. They simply informed me that I would have to pay $170 (more than what I had originally paid for the one way fare). I have used Porter for years but I will no longer utilize their service. I (and you) have a choice in airlines and I would not recommend you choose Porter!!
As was already said porter is extremely convenient and very pleasurable BUT ONLY IN A PERFECT WORLD!! As soon as something goes wrong they are utterly incompetent and you can end up paying upwards of $300 dollars in “late fees” as many people on my flight found out when they were late due to a marathon in downtown Toronto. The airline was at a total loss with how to deal with this influx of people so instead of helping them by holding their flight they charged them. Lost a great amount of customers that day.