Porter Airlines recently went all-in with its press announcements. From new aircraft arrivals to new destinations, the Canadian carrier is covering great ground across the board to set up a strong start to 2023.

New arrivals

Last week, Porter received the first of its two 50 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on order in Brazil. The operator also had the purchase rights for another 50 units of the twinjet.

To prepare for the new arrivals, the airline has been building a facility in Ottawa that involves two hangars housing up to six Embraer 195s. This will be the airline’s primary maintenance facility and the initial maintenance base before it may look at other opportunities as the fleet grows by up to 100 aircraft.

Gaining ground

Altogether, this initiative is the groundwork to ensure that it has the right preparation for its ambitious network expansion.

From February, the carrier will be heading to the likes of Vancouver International, Montréal–Trudeau International, Edmonton International Airport, and Calgary International from the busy Toronto Pearson Airport. Still, it’s not only in Toronto where there will be growth.

In Ottawa, the airline will be flying to four new destinations from March. Utilizing its De Havilland Dash 8-400s, it will be flying to Boston Logan, Newark Liberty, Québec City Jean Lesage, and Thunder Bay from Canada's capital.

These announcements combine with the strong momentum across Porter’s wider network. As Porter Airlines’ EVP & CCO Kevin Jackson puts it:

“We are entering Toronto's Pearson Airport for the first time. So, now Porter will be the airline that serves both Toronto Billy Bishop and Toronto Pearson Airport. We will have a significant expansion there along with expansion in Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. So, four major cities across eastern Canada that ultimately will receive the Embraer E195. And we will serve nonstop destinations from all four of those airports.”

Onboard experience

While new aircraft and routes are usually enough to concentrate on, Porter is determined to make the most of this recovery period. Thus, it announced an innovative new promotion that sees it offer free WiFi, extra legroom, and hot meals in an "all-inclusive economy" package. The airline touts this as a North American first and envisions it will help set the firm's product apart from competition across the continent.

Porter's operations were considerably affected by the restrictions of the pandemic. While US competition had a head start in early 2021, Canada's operators had to wait a little longer to return consistently.

Looking ahead, it’s all the play for across Porter’s market segments. The carrier will undoubtedly be rearing to go in the new year with its fresh start following a rough few years in Canadian aviation.

What are your thoughts about Porter Airlines’ plans? What do you make of the overall initiatives? Let us know what you think of the carrier and its operations in the comment section.