Porter Airlines Cancels Toronto Flight After Child Stands on Seat

A Porter Airlines flight travelling from Victoria, B.C., to Toronto was cancelled Thursday evening after a young child would not remain secured in their seatbelt.

Flight PD444 was scheduled to depart Victoria International Airport for Toronto Pearson International Airport. However, Porter Airlines said the aircraft could not safely take off because the child was standing in their seat and repeatedly refused to stay buckled in.

Porter spokesperson Brad Cicero said the accompanying parent and cabin crew made several attempts to secure the child, but the situation could not be resolved.

Aircraft Returned to Terminal Over Safety Concerns

The plane had already left the terminal and was heading toward the runway when flight attendants determined that departure would not be possible under the circumstances.

Because passengers must be properly secured during takeoff, the aircraft returned to the terminal and passengers were eventually asked to disembark.

According to Cicero, the process of reconnecting the aircraft to the terminal, removing the child and parent, collecting their luggage and completing updated paperwork caused a significant delay.

Victoria International Airport’s runway closes at 12:30 a.m., meaning the flight could no longer depart before the nightly closure.

Porter apologized for the disruption and said affected passengers were able to travel on another flight the following day. The aircraft departed the next afternoon.

Passenger Says Child Appeared Frightened

Passenger Aryeh Kozuch said there was considerable frustration among travellers, but he did not believe the child was deliberately misbehaving.

Instead, Kozuch described the child as extremely frightened. He said the child repeatedly hid underneath the seat and would slide out when attempts were made to keep them strapped in.

Passengers Criticize Delay and Communication

Some travellers said Porter Airlines could have handled the incident more quickly.

Passenger Hillary Hertzberg said the child did not leave the aircraft until around 11:30 p.m., approximately an hour after passengers had been sitting on the plane.

She also criticized the airline’s communication after the cancellation, particularly as travellers tried to arrange accommodation for the night.

Hertzberg said she was fortunate to already have somewhere to stay, while other passengers had to search for available hotel rooms.

Passengers Seek Compensation for Expenses

Hertzberg said she would like Porter Airlines to reimburse passengers for expenses resulting from the cancellation, including accommodation costs.

When asked about compensation, Porter Airlines did not confirm whether affected travellers would receive reimbursement.

Porter Airlines cancelled Flight PD444 after a young child could not remain safely secured for takeoff. The resulting delays pushed the flight beyond Victoria airport’s operating window, forcing passengers to travel the following day.

While some travellers expressed sympathy for the frightened child, others criticized the airline’s response time and communication following the cancellation.