Porter Airlines is a Canadian regional carrier based out of Toronto Billy Bishop Airport (YYZ). We had the opportunity to recently fly them from Toronto YYZ to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Porter Airlines is known for their onboard experience as well as their unique airport hub, Toronto Billy Bishop Airport. Toronto Billy Bishop Airport is located on an island just off the Toronto waterfront providing a quick airport to city commute. Given the short runway infrastructure at Bishop Airport only propeller driven aircraft are permitted on the airfield. As a result Porter Airlines operates the Bombardier Q-400 Turboprop Aircraft on routes between Toronto and United States as well as Canada . Being from the United States, flying turboprop aircraft is hard to come by these days. On this flight we got to see for ourselves what differentiates Porter Airlines from the competition.
Booking
Booking was accomplished by visiting flyporter.com. From there we selected our class of service. There is a basic option that does not include bags. There are choices ranging from the most basic class named “basic” to the most inclusive fare called freedom. Selecting the best fare class depends on what you may need such as, seat selection, bags, etc. We opted for the freedom fare class. In this fare we were entitled to a fully refundable fare, no change fees, carryon bag and up to 2 free checked bags. Compared to the other fare classes, this was the best value for the money given our fare price of $163 a person.
Check In Experience
Toronto Billy Bishop Airport offers free shuttle bus service to and from Union Station to the Airport. The shuttle bus runs every 15 minutes. As we were staying near the train station, we opted to use this complimentary service. After a short ride we were dropped off at the terminal entrance. As Billy Bishop Airport is on an island we had to take an underground tunnel to cross the channel. Upon reaching check in we were greeted by very friendly staff who engaged in small conversation while checking us in. We were able to have our boarding passes printed free of charge. Very quickly we were checked in and proceeded to the security checkpoint where we were greeted to an empty checkpoint.
Boarding Area
Toronto Billy Bishop Airport has 2 separate boarding areas separating domestic and US departing passengers. Our departure area had adequate seating with different options. This area felt similar to an airline lounge with the different types of seating, however there was no free food. Boarding our aircraft was done back to front with priority and pre boards boarding first followed by the rear few rows. We were row 8 so we were the last group to board. Its worth noting that if towards a later boarding group you may need to gate check your bag at the doorway as overhead bin space is limited on Porter Airlines aircraft.
First Impressions
Boarding a Q-400 aircraft is a rather fun experience unless you are on the taller side. If so be careful as the door area is quite low. Our aircraft was configured with 78 seats laid out in a 2 by 2 configuration. Porter Airlines had recently refurbished their fleet with grey slimline style seats. Sitting down we immediately could tell that these seats were not going to be the most comfortable. The seats lack padding throughout and do not recline. In the seatback pocket is a safety card, air sickness bag and inflight magazine.
Inflight
Our flight had a full snack and beverage service. About 15 minutes after departure the crew came around offering either almonds (tamari or olive oil and sea salt) or chips (BBQ and regular). A full beverage service followed after. Porter Airlines is one of the few airlines that offer wine and beer complementary on these short of flights. Much to our surprise we received our soda in a real glass. Porter Airlines Q-400 aircraft do not have Wi-Fi or power ports however, looking at the passing landscape was plenty of entertainment for us. There is also no inflight entertainment so its worth downloading a movie or tv show on your device prior to departure.
Final Approach And Rankings
We begun our descent into Boston about an hour early and received our bags almost immediately after clearing customs. Our Porter Airlines flight was a near perfect experience with only a single shortcoming. The seats were uncomfortable to say the least. There was minimal padding on both the upper and lower cushions. The seat did not recline at all. The tray table was small and flimsy feeling compared to other aircraft we flown on. Besides the uncomfortable seat, Porter Airlines excelled in all aspects. The booking process was easy and transparent with the fees. Our ticketing and gate agents were extremely friendly and professional. The inflight crew were attentive and provided a swift service. Little details like having a snack selection and glassware gave our flight a more premium feel. We do wish however that Porter Airlines brings back their snack boxes. While not exclusive to Porter we felt that Toronto Billy Bishop Airport was a quick and relaxing experience when compared to Toronto Pearson.
If your travels take you between the US and Canada or within Canada, Porter Airlines is worth considering. We have ranked Porter Airlines below:
- Preflight Experience: 5/5
- Crew: 5/5
- Seat : 1/5
- Food: 3/5
- Total: 14/20
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