A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria to Toronto was cancelled Thursday night, August 6, following a toddler’s refusal to fasten their seatbelt.
The airline then declared the condition “unsafe.”
Flight PD444 had already taken off from the airport terminal and was on its way to the runway when the crew spotted a toddler who was “standing in their seat” and would not wear his safety belt. The child’s parents tried to buck the child up, and so did the crew members.
In the official statement, the airline stated: “The aircraft couldn’t take off in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passenger disembark.”
While the family was escorted off the plane, the delay resulting from this occurrence has caused the flight to miss the airport’s runway closing at midnight, resulting in the cancellation of this flight, and the passengers have been kept stranded at Victoria.
According to the details provided by the online website FlightAware, the new schedule of this flight started on Friday at 10:49 p.m. and arrived in Toronto at 6:16 a.m. the next day.
The airline apologised, stating “for the effect this had on other passengers.”
The cancellation was imposed as under Transport Canada regulations, the use of a child safety seat or restraint device is compulsory for infants under 2 years old occupying a seat. The airline strongly recommends approved child restraints for all phases of flight as they “provide the highest degree of protection for your infant or child.” The involved family has not been publicly identified.
2026-08-08 21:25:00
