Porter Airlines cancelled a flight from Victoria Airport to Toronto Airport on August 6, 2026, because a young child passenger refused to fasten their seatbelt, preventing the plane from departing safely.
Flight Halted Due to Child’s Seatbelt Refusal
The child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt despite repeated attempts by the accompanying parent and crew. Porter Airlines stated these attempts were unsuccessful, and the crew decided to return to the terminal and disembark the two passengers due to the unsafe condition.
Timing and Passenger Rebooking
The child passenger was removed around 11:30 p.m. after passengers had been onboard for nearly an hour. This delay meant the
flight missed Victoria Airport’s runway closure at 12:30 a.m. All passengers were required to disembark and were rebooked on flights departing the following day.
Passenger and Expert Observations
Passenger Aryeh Kozuch described the child as scared, hiding under the seat and resisting restraint: “If they got forced into [being] strapped in, they just kind of slid out underneath.” Kozuch said the child’s response was to try to hide under the seat in front. Child aviation safety expert Lia Tuso said, “Unrestrained children can become projectiles,” posing risks during turbulence, takeoff, or landing.
Airline Response and Public Debate
Brad Cicero, Porter Airlines spokesperson, explained the safety issues caused the aircraft
to return to the terminal and all passengers to disembark. Cicero apologized for the effect on other passengers, who were rebooked to depart the next day. Passenger Hillary Hertzberg noted the airline’s response was slow, stating, “The kid eventually got off the plane at 11.30 so we had been on the flight for almost an hour at that point.” The incident revived discussion on how airlines enforce safety regulations for children and manage families during travel.
