Porter Airlines gears up to offer New York flights

Porter Airlines, a regional carrier based at the Toronto City Centre Airport (TCCA), has earned itself an enviable reputation for offering passengers premium in-flight service at economy-class prices. Porter announced earlier this week that it will begin flying from TCCA to Newark Liberty Airport, near New York City, as of March 31^st, 2008, thus adding the first American destination to its still relatively small network of routes. Porter currently offers ten daily flights from Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal, as well as weekend service to Halifax and Mont Tremblant, a ski resort located in Quebec’s Laurentian region.  Porter Airlines notes, in a somewhat tongue and cheek manner, that by offering seven daily flights from Canada’s largest city to New York, America’s financial capital, it’s about to “take a bite out of the big apple.” Porter might just also take a bite out of Air Canada’s profits, a carrier that serves as one of its major competitors on this route, even though the country’s national airline operates its flights out of Toronto’s Pearson Airport, rather than the TCCA. Porter, however, offers higher quality service than that provided in Air Canada’s economy class cabin. Porter’s clients are all invited to use the carrier’s trendy business lounge at the TCCA—which offers free internet access and complimentary drinks—and passengers receive a free snack and alcoholic beverages of their choice, once aboard the plane. The TCCA is also especially convenient for most businesspeople, as the airport is situated less than 10 minutes from downtown Toronto, on an island, and is connected to the city by a ferry.  Airfare for Porter’s Toronto to New York route is currently priced at $105 each way, not including taxes.