Porter Airlines cancelled a flight scheduled on August 6, 2026, from Victoria Airport to Toronto Airport after a child passenger refused to fasten their seatbelt.
Flight Cancellation Due to Seatbelt Refusal
The airline reported that the child was standing in their seat and repeatedly refused to secure the seatbelt despite efforts by the accompanying parent and the flight crew. Attempts by the accompanying parent and crew to address this were unsuccessful. As a result, the aircraft returned to the terminal without taking off. The child and parent disembarked at about 11:30pm after nearly an hour delay onboard the plane.
The aircraft could not take off in
this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the two passengers disembark. The flight was delayed past midnight and the airport runway closed at 12:30 a.m.
Safety Risks and Expert Views
Child aviation safety expert Lia Tuso supported the crew’s choice to prioritize safety, warning that unrestrained children can become projectiles during turbulence, similar to loose luggage, which poses a serious risk especially on takeoff and landing.
Passenger Impact and Airport Constraints
All passengers had to disembark and were rebooked on a flight departing the following day. The aircraft could not depart on the scheduled day, causing inconvenience to all passengers onboard and requiring
rebooking.
Passenger Accounts and Industry Debate
Passenger Aryeh Kozuch described the child as scared and hiding under their seat, saying, “If they got forced into [being] strapped in, they just kind of slid out underneath.” Kozuch added, “This was a child that was in a tube with 150 people … They’re obviously terrified, and their response was to try and hide under the seat in front of them.” Another passenger, Hillary Hertzberg, said the airline response could have been faster. The incident sparked debate about the enforcement of airline safety rules with children and the etiquette of traveling families, amid similar controversies around the removal
of families or children from flights due to safety or behavior concerns.
Official Statements from Porter Airlines
Brad Cicero, Porter Airlines spokesperson, confirmed all passengers had to disembark and were rebooked. He apologized for the impact on passengers and reiterated that safety concerns prevented the flight from departing. The airline stated that the young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt, and attempts by the accompanying parent and crew to address this were unsuccessful.
