There is some serious competition coming to Air Canada and WestJet and also the ULCC’s Swoop and Flair.
After Porter had suspended flights “temporarily” at the end of the day on Friday, March 20, 2020, it will be almost 18 months when they resume operating again in phases starting on September 8, 2020 with flights to Ottawa, Montreal and Thunder Bay with more destinations to follow. Flights to/from the US will resume on September 17, 2020.
It is also interesting to note how they are setting themselves apart by offering full refunds on all fare levels including even on “Basic” fares. This is quite a departure from what Air Canada and WestJet has been offering.
Now we see they are expanding with flights in/out of Toronto Pearson Airport with services to more destinations in Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean. This will be achieved with the order they have placed for 80 Embraer E195-E2 jet aircrafts which includes a firm order for 30 planes and 50 purchase right options at a price tag of US$ 5.8 billion.
Since there are limitations at the downtown airport, these aircrafts will operate out of Pearson Toronto airport while the 29 DeHavilland Dash 8-400 turboprops will likely continue from the island airport.
So, it will be interesting to see what perks and cabins/classes Porter will eventually offer. What we do know for now is that there will be no middle seats – so essentially a window or aisle seat guaranteed for all passengers.
Other features include:
– Large windows with scooped sidewall panels to provide more personal space.
– Spacious overhead bins which will provide room for a carry-on bag for every passenger.
– Coloured LED mood lighting that will change gradually during each phase of flight.
– Power outlets at every seat.
– Touchless lavatories which will prevent physical contact with flush and faucet levers for maximum hygiene and extra space and a special grip for wheelchair passengers.
– Natural leather seats.
– Adjustable headrests.
– Bi-fold, sliding tray table for more space.
– Unobstructed under-seat footwell area for additional carry-on bag stowage.
From an environmental perspective, these aircrafts will have
– a noise footprint that is up to 76% smaller than previous-generation narrowbody aircraft.
– The initial order of 30 E2s will emit 165,000 fewer annual tons of CO2 than older-generation Airbus A319 narrow-bodies.
– Will have the lowest fuel consumption per seat and per trip among 120- to 150-seat aircraft – making them competitive.
Another point to watch for will be what lounge facilities they will offer out of Pearson – have their own dedicated mini lounges with free snacks and beverages or tie up with existing lounges like the Plaza Premium lounges for their top tier viporter passport and viporter priority members.
This is an exciting development indeed to have more options and indeed good to see some competition among the major players and the ULCC’s. I am looking forward to flying on Porter again and definitely out of Pearson with them.
Images courtesy of flyporter.com.
Written by Dominic Fernandes aka CanadaPointsGuy.