Porter Airlines extending suspension of all its flights into the fall
Porter Airlines has extended its flight suspension once again until October 7, over a month after its already revised restart date.
Previously announced for August 31, the airline revealed the initial temporary suspension of all its flights in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first relaunch of operations was planned for June 1, but was pushed as the virus continues to impact the travel industry.
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According to the airline, factors continuing the suspension include the Canada-US border remaining closed to non-essential travel until at least August 21, the Atlantic Canada travel bubble that restricts movement beyond the region, non-essential travel advisories issued by governments, and mandatory quarantine rules for all travellers returning to the country.
“We never intended to suspend operations for such an extended period of time,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in a release. “Unfortunately, the layers of travel restrictions are serving to keep most people at home and show no signs of easing.”
He added that the company will continue to update its decisions as the situation evolves.
In light of the continued halt on flights, Porter is waiving change and cancellation fees on all fares booked up until October 7, including its vacation packages.
The news comes after the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a forecast last week predicting that air travel may not return to pre-coronavirus traffic levels until 2024.
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