After a number of false starts, Canada’s Porter Airlines relaunched service on Sept. 8 nearly a year and a half after being grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As previously reported by Routes, the carrier’s initial route network from its base at Toronto Bishop Airport ({{YTZ) includes flights to Ottawa (YOW), Montreal (YUL) and Thunder Bay (YQT). Four more domestic destinations—not previously revealed—will start to be served from YTZ in the next 10 days: Halifax (YHZ), St. John’s (YYT), Moncton (YQM) and Quebec City (YQB).

From Sept. 17, Porter will restart transborder US service from YTZ to Boston (BOS), Chicago Midway (MDW), Newark (EWR) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

Porter is an all-De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop operator.

“Our passengers and team members have been waiting for this day to arrive,” Porter president and CEO Michael Deluce said. “We currently have over 900 team members who have put in countless hours to get everything ready for our return to service, with more being recalled or hired every week. Everyone at Porter is looking forward to welcoming passengers back and delivering our distinct style of service again."

Sept. 8 marked the restart of commercial service at YTZ, the small island airport with more direct access to downtown Toronto than Toronto Pearson (YYZ).

Air Canada also restarted service at YTZ on Sept. 8, with Jazz Aviation operating Air Canada Express-branded 5X-daily regional flights to Montreal (YUL) using De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprops.

Porter’s restart comes as Canada is more broadly opening up following the easing of some of the strictest COVID-19 travel rules in the world. Air Canada Rouge has also restarted operations after a seven-month hiatus, flying an initial three routes from YYZ.

Photo credit: Joe Pries