TORONTO — Porter Airlines has pushed back its target for resuming operations yet again amid strict new rules for travellers returning from abroad.
The Toronto-based airline had set March 29 as its latest target for resuming flights but it now says that it won’t take the skies again until at least May 19.
The latest delays comes after a new federal government rule took effect, requiring that all flyers returning from international destinations spend up to three-days in a quarantine hotel while they await the results of a COVID-19 test.
Commercial passenger flights from abroad are also limited to Canada’s four largest airports – Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport.
“The implementation of more restrictive travel rules by governments since our last update makes an early spring restart unviable,” Porter Airlines President and CEO Michael Deluce said in a press release.
“While there are signs of progress in containing the pandemic, it is necessary to reset our sights based on changing conditions. We remain optimistic that things are moving in the right direction, but it is possible that this tentative date may also need to be modified if vaccinations don’t accelerate to enable the easing of travel restrictions.”
Porter Airlines first suspended operations back on March 21, 2020.
Since then it has repeatedly pushed back its scheduled return to operations.
