DALLAS — Porter Airlines (PD) is expanding its operations in Canada by establishing three new crew bases at Ottawa International Airport (YOW), Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR). This move will accommodate over 350 pilots and flight attendants and aligns with the airline's growth strategy in North America.

During the summer season, PD will offer 14 nonstop routes from Ottawa, six routes from Montreal, and three routes from Vancouver. These crew bases will bolster Porter's existing network in Eastern Canada and facilitate the airline's expansion into Western markets.

Porter says establishing these crew bases will present significant opportunities for crew members seeking to live near their workplace. By having local crew members, the airline aims to enhance operational reliability and provide an elevated level of service to its passengers.

Timeline, Crew Numbers

The crew base in Ottawa is set to launch in June 2024 with approximately 150 crew members. The Montreal crew base will follow in July 2024, accommodating around 100 crew members. Lastly, the Vancouver crew base is scheduled to begin operations in October 2024 with approximately 100 crew members. These additions will bring the total crew members to around 2,000 by 2024.

Porter operates from an Embraer E195-E2 crew base at Toronto-Pearson, where approximately 650 pilots and 775 cabin crew members are based. Additionally, the airline has Dash 8-400 crew bases at Toronto City, Ottawa, Halifax, and Thunder Bay.

Featured image: De Havilland Dash 8-400. Photo: Porter Airlines