Porter Airlines Celebrates First Embraer E195-E2 Flights

DALLAS — Porter Airlines (PD) commenced operation of its new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, connecting Ottawa (YOW) and Montreal (YUL) to its hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

With the addition of the E195-E2, passengers now have more flight options for these routes serving the greater Toronto area. The Pearson-Ottawa service starts with four daily nonstop return flights, while the Montreal service will have three daily nonstop return flights (will increase to four starting February 7, 2023).

The passengers on yesterday's inaugural flights were introduced to PD's hospitality and premium in-flight service. The passengers were offered: Balzac's Coffee Roasters, Sloane Fine Tea Merchants, and Cookie It Up chocolate chip shortbread.

Upon boarding, all passengers received a travel voucher of valued at US$150 for future travel, with one lucky passenger winning a round-trip for two to any of PD's 23 destinations. The lucky winner will be flying in Porter Reserve-- a new all-inclusive economy experience introduced in 2022.

Comments on the New E195-E2 Flights

The CEO and President of PD, Michael Deluce, said, "A tremendous amount of innovation and dedication was invested to get us to this point, and today our team members get to see the results of their efforts. Now passengers can fly with us using either Toronto airport and experience the style, care, and charm that only Porter provides"

He further added that "It's a momentous occasion and it makes sense that these first flights connect with our two longest-standing partners, Montreal and Ottawa, where we have been serving these communities from Billy Bishop since 2006."

Arjan Meijer, president and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, "Porter Airlines, the North American launch customer for this advanced new aircraft, is the first to bring their guests this level of refined comfort, with no middle seats, ample overhead storage for bags, and the lowest noise levels, both inside and outside the cabin."

Mark Laroche, president and CEO, Ottawa International Airport Authority, said, "We're thrilled to be a part of Porter's exciting growth as they incorporate passenger-friendly and efficient Embraer E195-E2 jets into their network. The future is incredibly bright for Ottawa-Gatineau travellers who want to fly refined with Porter. We welcome four times daily service to Toronto Pearson and additional non-stop destinations as the fleet expands."

Stéphane Lapierre, vice president, airport operations and air services development, Aéroports de Montréal "ADM Aéroports de Montréal is very pleased to welcome for the first time at YUL the Embraer E195-E2, in Porter Airlines' colors, for its Montreal-Toronto route. The arrival of this aircraft is aligned with the sustainability approach being taken by ADM and its airline industry partners since it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as the noise footprint."

Janik Reigate, director of strategic customer relationships, Greater Toronto Airports Authority said, "We place great importance on partnerships that echo and amplify our own value of putting the passenger first. We're delighted that passengers travelling through Pearson can now avail themselves of Porter's culture of prioritizing their customers."

Porter's Outlook

With the expansion at YYZ, PD is jetting towards becoming the only airline with comprehensive networks at both of Toronto's main airports, including Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).

In fact, PD's Dash 8-400 are in service at YTZ airport. The carrier is looking to focus on regional flights through YTZ and North American destinations and YYZ.

Additional flights at YYZ begin this month, starting with Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Halifax on February 7, 14, 22, and 23, respectively.

As the airline expands its E195-E2 service, more new route announcements are approaching. Porter wants to increase its presence in key Canadian cities and make connections with the southern US, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Featured image: Porter Airlines/Airways

https://airwaysmag.com/embraer-delivers-e195-e2s-porter/