AIRWAYS TRAVELER Porter Airlines
abatement rules for jet aircraft , forced Porter to move away from the island airport for its jet operations . The airline thus set the type ’ s launch at Canada ’ s busiest airport , Toronto Pearson .
I entered Toronto from my connecting flight from Montreal Trudeau , operated on one of Porter ’ s smaller Q400 aircraft . When you book this flight online , Porter offers several options to connect to sites on its network that some smaller airlines in Canada are still yet to offer . This made travel from Montreal to Edmonton seamless , and I would only expect the same for many other destinations on their network . It ’ s now possible to fly from Victoria , British Columbia on the west coast to St . Johns , Newfoundland on the east coast with a simple connection in Toronto .
Boarding for the flight commenced on time and was completed quickly . The loads on many routes on Porter ’ s network are still quite low , as many west coast travelers are still learning about the east coast-based operator . In contrast , my Montreal- Toronto flight was completely sold out , while I would estimate only a 40 % -50 % load factor on the longer Toronto to Edmonton flight . With the reduction of service from competitor WestJet on the east coast , Porter is expecting continued success on its eastern routes and , because of this , is hoping to draw more new customers .
Where Porter sets itself apart from its competition is in its onboard experience and customer service . Most of Porter ’ s advertising on the west coast has focused on its service , and this flight did not disappoint . The most noticeable thing after boarding was the spacious 2-2 cabin design . The seats , although firm , were still comfortable for the flight . And with only one person potentially next to you , each person has plenty of personal space . There was more than enough space under my seat for my carry-on , and the overhead bins are big enough for your standard cabin bag . The cabin was also incredibly quiet , noticeably quieter than I ’ ve found on similar jets like the 737-8 MAX aircraft .
The first four rows were reserved as part of the Porter Reserve Class , which is similar to a traditional Premium Economy or domestic Business product . These seats included extra legroom , along with priority boarding and inflight perks . Inflight , passengers can expect a free meal along with pre / mixed cocktails and wellness shots .
While still at the gate , the cabin crew started highlighting some of the amenities on the flight . They mentioned the location of the aircraft ’ s two lavatories and the aircraft ’ s inflight Wi-Fi . In a Canadian first , Porter offers free onboard Wi-Fi to all customers . This Wi-Fi was fast and reliable throughout the flight and could be used from gate to gate . Speeds were fast enough to continuously
2 The cockpit features a state ’ of-the-art Honeywell Primus Epic 2 advanced integrated avionics system with large displays , advanced graphics capabilities and Honeywell ’ s Next Generation Flight Management System ( NGFMS ).
3 A classic photo angle taken while boarding in Toronto Pearson .
4 Porter Airlines ’ Embraer E195-E2 seats 132 passengers in a single class , although with some differences . For instance , rows 1-4 offer a seat pitch of 36 inches ; for rows five to seven , it is reduced to 34 inches . The rest of the cabin offers a 30 inch seat pitch , excluding the emergency exit rows ( 34 inches ).
5 The cabin features a twoby-two abreast configuration , which means no middle seat .
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