Porter Airlines extends temporary suspension of all flights again

Porter Airlines has once again extended their temporary service suspension.

Due to continued COVID-19 travel restrictions, the suspension will now be in place until December 15, the airline said in a release.

Porter originally suspended service on March 21 through to June 1, but has extended the suspension of flights several times, most recently until November 12.

“We want to see our planes in the sky as soon as possible and are actively working to prepare for our resumption of service. However, the ongoing uncertainty presented by government travel restrictions, including border closures, is impacting our ability to operate flights,” said Porter. “We are closely watching developments and know that Porter will be an important part of providing people with travel options as the economy recovers.”

With the border between Canada and the US closed, the Atlantic bubble still in place, and rising COVID-19 cases in Ontario and Quebec, Porter’s 22 destinations are severely affected by current travel restrictions.

Porter said they will be introducing enhanced health and safety measures once their flights restart.

“We hope that lifting of travel restrictions will soon be possible given evolving technology, such as rapid testing, and health and safety investments that the travel industry is making, ” said Michael Deluce, the president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in the release.

Porter says they are waiving change and cancellation fees on all fares booked until December 15, including Porter Escapes vacation packages.

In July, the International Air Transport Association announced that global air travel is not expected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024. Although, short-haul travel, which Porter provides, is expected to recover faster than long-haul flights.