Porter Airlines has returned to the skies after being grounded for almost 18 months due to COVID-19 public health and travel restrictions.
“We currently have over 900 team members who have put in countless hours to get everything ready for our return to service, with more being recalled or hired every week,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines.
Flights to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Thunder Bay, Ont., were the first to resume on Sept. 8, followed by Halifax, Quebec City, St. John’s, Nfld., and Moncton, N.B.
U.S. destinations in Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington are also now serviceable.
Flights to other year-round destinations are set to take off as of Oct. 6, with all routes currently available for booking.
Porter says it has strengthened its existing standards with a focus on high levels of sanitization in order to protect the health of its passengers and team members. In addition to its Healthy Flights program, Porter has introduced a COVID-19 vaccination policy for its team members. To support a safe and healthy workplace and travel experience, team members must present a negative COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of the start of their shift or be fully vaccinated.
In August, the Canadian federal government announced its intention to mandate vaccination for federally-regulated workers. Porter says its policy may evolve once specific details about this mandate are known.
