At a time when de Haviland of Canada Dash 8-400s (aka Q400s) are being retired from fleets like airBaltic, Horizon Air and LOT Polish – it’s news when an airline like Porter Airlines adds a new route for the turboprop. This once-daily route will connect the Prince Edward Island provincial capital city of Charlottetown (YYG) with the Canadian national capital of Ottawa (YOW) starting on May 17.
Porter provides connections to a strong route network
Porter is fulfilling a need for Prince Edward Island communities. As Doug Newson, CEO Charlottetown Airport Authority, said in a statement,
“We are thrilled to welcome Porter Airlines to YYG and Prince Edward Island. Islanders and visitors alike have been requesting Porter for many years, so it is extremely rewarding for us to be able to announce this today. This new non-stop service to Ottawa will not only provide convenient access to the nation’s capital, but will also allow travellers the opportunity to connect to Porter’s expanding network at Ottawa International Airport.”
Ottawa International Airport’s President and CEO Mark Laroche is also equally welcoming, noting that,
“Historic Charlottetown is one of the few provincial capitals with limited air capacity to Ottawa-Gatineau. Porter Airlines' continued growth from YOW will change that as travellers from both areas will have more non-stop options from the coast to the Capital and vice versa. YYG passengers will likely enjoy connecting at YOW, including for Porter's excellent downtown Toronto access.”
Indeed, Porter is well known for using the downtown Toronto Billy Bishop Airport. The airport is a quick electric ferry or pedestrian tunnel from downtown Toronto, convenient for all travelers. Furthermore, at Ottawa International Airport, Porter connects to the following Canadian cities with a route network now supported by Embraer E195-E2 jets alongside the Dash 8-400s:
- Calgary, Alberta
- Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Fredericton, New Brunswick
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Moncton, New Brunswick
- Quebec City, Quebec
- Toronto, Ontario – both Billy Bishop and Pearson International Airports
- Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Vancouver, British Columbia
Porter is making new connections
For Porter Airlines, this is a logical expansion of its route network goals of connecting Eastern Canadian towns to each other and to points in the west. As Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer said,
Porter is continuing to invest in regional flying across Eastern Canada. Charlottetown is an entirely new destination for us and the addition of Prince Edward Island means that Porter is serving every Atlantic Canada province for the first time.
It is also worth noting that Porter also connects to the American cities of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and to New York City via Newark.
About Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is the setting of the “Anne of Green Gables” series of fables – one of several sources of tourism to the island, alongside its beaches, golf courses, and eco-tourism opportunities. Furthermore, Prince Edward Island is home to a strong agricultural economy, while the provincial government supports a growing aerospace and defense industry with an airport business park at Charlottetown. According to the airport's webpage about the business park,
The Park is located at Prince Edwards Island’s only commercial airport, which holds the only customs facility in the province. Additionally, the Airport Business Park is located in the capital city, Charlottetown, and is situated on the main thoroughfare for PEI. This centrally located prime commercial land for lease is ideal for both business commercial and light industrial uses and appeals to a wide cross section of industries.
Finally, Charlottetown is the birthplace of the Canadian Confederation, where the first conference to bring the British provinces together as one country was held between September 1 and 9, 1864. As the CBC explains;
The original intent of the conference to discuss a Maritime union was overwhelmed by talk of a larger union. In a matter of days the Maritimers and Canadians had persuaded each other to create a new federation.
The rest was a process of history-making when Canada was born by the British Parliament’s passage of the British North America Act of 1867, on July 1. So it’s fitting that, in 2023, one can now fly between Canada’s birthplace of Charlottetown and Canada’s capital of Ottawa.
Are you planning to fly on Porter to Charlottetown? Please share in the comments.
Sources: CBC: The Charlottetown Conference; Charlottetown Airport