On Thursday, August 6, 2026, Porter Airlines canceled Flight PD444 from Victoria International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport after a young child passenger refused to remain seated with their seatbelt fastened. The aircraft had already left the gate and was taxiing toward the runway when the flight crew observed the child standing on their seat instead of sitting secured by a seatbelt, a requirement under Canadian aviation safety regulations. Repeated attempts by both flight attendants and the child’s parent to have the child sit and buckle their seatbelt failed, forcing the aircraft to return to the gate so the
child and parent could disembark.
Impact of Victoria International Airport Curfew
Victoria International Airport enforces an overnight curfew starting at 12:30 a.m. to reduce noise disturbances. The delay caused by disembarking the child and parent pushed the flight’s departure past the curfew, making it impossible for Porter Airlines to proceed with the flight that evening. This led to the cancellation of Flight PD444 for safety and regulatory compliance reasons, as night flight restrictions prohibit takeoff after the curfew.
Passenger Experience and Disruption
Passengers remained on the grounded aircraft for close to an hour before the child finally disembarked around 11:30 p.m., according to passenger Hillary Hertzberg. Following the cancellation, passengers
were stranded overnight in Victoria and had to arrange their own accommodations independently. They were rebooked on the next day’s Victoria to Toronto departure, leaving approximately twelve hours between the original flight and the rescheduled one. The incident significantly disrupted travelers expecting same-day arrival in Toronto.
Official Statements and Safety Protocols
Porter Airlines confirmed the child’s refusal to wear a seatbelt was a genuine safety issue that left no option but to abort departure, in line with Canadian aviation regulations requiring all passengers to be properly secured before takeoff. The airline apologized for the disruption and stated that cabin crews followed standard safety protocols throughout
the event.
Route and Operational Details
Porter Airlines operates six weekly flights on the Victoria to Toronto route, every day except Saturday. Flight PD444 was the flight affected by this incident; there were no other reported disruptions to Porter Airlines services at Victoria International Airport on that day.
Regulatory and Industry Context
Transport Canada mandates that all passengers, regardless of age, be properly seated and secured with seatbelts before takeoff. Failures to comply with these regulations, such as refusal to buckle a seatbelt, are grounds to deny boarding or cancel a flight before departure, as per airline policies. In addition to federal regulations, Victoria International Airport’s noise abatement
policies enforce a strict overnight curfew starting at 12:30 a.m., converting delays into cancellations if flights cannot depart on time. Incidents involving young children refusing safety restraints present particular challenges for airline crews and can lead to delays or cancellations, as demonstrated by this situation.
