Porter Airlines expands operations with new crew bases in Vancouver and Montreal

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In a move that signifies that Porter Airlines’ intention to solidify its national presence, the airline announced today it will be establishing three new crew bases at three major airports across Canada.

This includes Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and Ottawa International Airport (YOW).

A combined total of over 350 pilots and flight attendants will be based at these three hubs, including about 150 at YOW starting in June 2024, about 100 at YUL starting in July 2024, and another 100 at YVR starting in October 2024.

These crew will specialize in operating Porter Airlines’ new Embraer E195-E2 fleet, which has enabled the Toronto-based airline to recently expand its network nationwide and serve destinations in the United States.

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Currently, Porter Airlines has about 650 pilots and 775 cabin crew operating from an Embraer E195-E2 crew base at Toronto-Pearson International Airport (YYZ). This is in addition to their Dash 8-400 crew bases at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ), Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT), and YOW.

By the end of 2024, the airline will grow to a total crew size of about 2,000 pilots and flight attendants, which supports the airline’s rapidly expanding North American network.

“These new bases will provide significant opportunities for crew who want to live close to where they work,” said Kent Woodside, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Porter Airlines, in a statement. “Local crew can better support Porter’s commitment to operational reliability and ultimately provide an even more elevated level of service for our passengers.”

By this summer, the airline will operate three non-stop, direct routes from Vancouver — reaching YYZ and YOW, and the new addition of a daily service for YUL starting on April 11, 2024. Porter Airlines’ first route serving YVR was launched in early 2023, and it flies multiple times daily to YYZ.

It will also grow to six non-stop, direct routes from Montreal and 14 routes from Ottawa, serving both Canadian and American destinations.

Porter Airlines also flies non-stop, direct between Victoria International Airport (YYJ) and YYZ.

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