The new service will employ Porter's expanding 132-seat Embraer 195-E2 fleet and aims to connect the airline's extensive Eastern Canada network with British Columbia.
This move marks the Toronto-based airline's first direct route between Ottawa and Western Canada. Kevin Jackson, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Porter Airlines, highlights Ottawa's strategic importance to the company's growing North American network, noting plans to bolster the airline's presence in the region and provide enhanced service and travel options for economy passengers.
Porter's E195-E2 aircraft feature a passenger-friendly two-by-two seating configuration, eliminating the need for middle seats. The airline received its first two E195-E2s in December 2022, a pivotal acquisition enabling network expansion into Western Canada. Recent route additions include flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
In August 2023, Porter intends to operate five daily round-trip flights between Toronto and Vancouver. Jackson suggests that passengers can expect further flight additions to these markets and the announcement of entirely new destinations in the coming months.
Cirium fleets data reveals that Porter currently operates nine E195-E2s and 29 De Havilland Dash 8-400s. The airline has firm orders for an additional 41 E195-E2s, with purchase rights for 50 more, totaling a list-price value of $7.38 billion.
