Porter delays restart of flight operations five weeks to mid-November

Published September 8, 2020 at 5:14 pm

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TORONTO — Porter Airlines Inc. is extending its suspension of all flights until Nov. 12, five weeks after its previously announced target to resume flying.

The Toronto-based airline grounded its fleet on March 21 amid the COVID-19 outbreak, with initial plans to take off again in early June.

Travel restrictions and plummeting demand have prompted the company to push back its relaunch date several times.

Porter says the Atlantic Canada travel bubble, travel restrictions limiting those who can come to Canada and the ongoing two-week quarantine requirement for those entering the country are factors in its delayed restart.

CEO Michael Deluce says all of its markets are affected by the travel ban on would-be visitors to Canada.

The pandemic has devastated the airline industry, with the International Air Transport Association projecting Canadian airline revenues in 2020 will fall by $14.6 billion or 43 per cent from last year.

The Canadian Press

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