Porter Airlines has received official clearance from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide scheduled and charter service. The first planned destination is New York through Newark Liberty International Airport, with plans to ultimately serve as many as nine U.S. destinations, including New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

In its disposition, the DOT states that the approval is consistent with the terms of the U.S.-Canada Air Transport Agreement and in the public interest. In addition, the DOT found that Porter is operationally and financially qualified to conduct its proposed operations.

“This is a significant day for Porter,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. “We will now be able to offer true competition and superior service on a number of U.S. routes. Regular service to New York will begin later this year and not later than the early part of 2008. This is great news for business and leisure travellers, for the city of Toronto and the downtown economy.”

Porter’s primary focus is on short-haul Canadian and U.S. destinations within 500 nm of its base at Toronto City Centre Airport, only a few kilometers from the city’s financial and entertainment districts.

The airline’s emphasis on speed, convenience and service has changed how people fly to and from Toronto. Since launching its first scheduled service to Ottawa in October, Porter has added Montreal to its schedule and will begin flying to Halifax on June 29.
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