Porter Airlines cancelled Flight PD444 on August 6, 2026, after a toddler on board refused to remain seated and fasten the seatbelt during taxi from Victoria International Airport in British Columbia to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
After pushback, the flight was taxiing to the runway when cabin crew noticed the child standing on the seat instead of being properly restrained. Despite repeated efforts by both the flight crew and the child’s parent to seat and secure the toddler, compliance was not achieved.
Due to safety regulations requiring passengers to be seated and buckled before takeoff, the flight crew returned the
aircraft to the gate at Victoria International Airport to disembark the child and parent. The delay extended beyond the airport’s 12:30 a.m. overnight operating curfew, forcing cancellation of the flight that evening.
Passengers on Flight PD444 were left stranded overnight in Victoria. Porter Airlines rebooked those affected on the next morning’s departure, which occurred approximately twelve hours late. Some passengers reported limited communication from the airline and had to arrange their own overnight accommodations.
Porter Airlines issued an apology to passengers and confirmed the cancellation stemmed solely from the child’s refusal to comply with seatbelt safety rules, describing it as
a genuine safety issue with no alternative but to abort departure. The airline stated that all other flights remained unaffected.
Federal aviation safety mandates require all passengers to be secured in their seats before takeoff. Victoria International Airport’s curfew aims to minimize noise disruptions to surrounding communities by restricting flights after 12:30 a.m. Delays extending past this curfew legally prohibit departures, leading to cancellations such as the one involving Flight PD444.
