Porter Airlines Adds Embraer E2s to Fleet
Carrier’s purchase of new jet aircraft will extend its route map across Canada and beyond
Canadian carrier Porter Airlines is expanding its network with the introduction of Embraer E195-E2 jet aircraft into its fleet. The order doubles the airline’s current fleet, which previously had operated as a regional turboprop carrier.
The new aircraft has transcontinental range, allowing Porter to launch longer-range services to destinations across Canada, as well as the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Porter is Embraer’s North American launch customer for the E2 and the total order is valued at up to $5.82 billion. The airline has placed firm commitments on 30 aircraft with an additional 50 purchase right options.
The airline says it intends to operate the E2s from Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The specific routes will be announced in advance of aircraft deliveries.
The new jets will enter into service starting in the second half of 2022.
In the meantime, Porter is gearing up to resume its turboprop service out of its home base at Billy Bishop Airport, located on an island in Toronto’s harbor. Flights to its Canadian destinations are set to restart on Sept. 8, with service to US cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington, DC, beginning Sept. 17.
Porter’s flights out of Billy Bishop had been grounded for more than a year due to the pandemic and the scheduled restart has been pushed back in recent months.
However with the prospect of Canada easing travel restrictions, [note: insert link to When Canada Reopening story] the country’s air carriers are anticipating a resurgence in air travel demand in the months ahead.
While establishing service at Pearson Airport for the first time, according to the airline, flights from Porter’s existing hub at Toronto’s downtown island airport remain core to its business and will continue with high-frequency regional service on turboprop aircraft.
