On Thursday, August 6, 2026, Porter Airlines Flight PD444 departing from Victoria International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport was cancelled after a toddler repeatedly refused to sit and buckle their seatbelt, preventing a safe departure.
Flight Interrupted by Toddler’s Seatbelt Refusal
The flight had already pushed back from the gate and was taxiing toward the runway at Victoria International Airport when cabin crew noticed the toddler standing unrestrained on their seat. Despite multiple attempts by the cabin crew and the child’s parent to have the child sit down and fasten the seatbelt, the child did not comply.
Due to safety regulations requiring all passengers to
be properly seated and buckled for takeoff, the crew made the decision to return to the terminal. The toddler and parent disembarked around 11:30 p.m., after passengers had spent nearly an hour waiting on the grounded aircraft.
Overnight Delay Exceeds Victoria Airport Curfew
The extended delay resulting from the child’s refusal pushed Flight PD444 past Victoria International Airport’s overnight operating curfew, which begins at 12:30 a.m. The curfew aims to minimize noise disturbance to surrounding communities by restricting late-night flight operations.
Because of the curfew limit, Flight PD444 was unable to take off that evening and was officially cancelled. Passengers were left stranded overnight at Victoria
International Airport without airline-arranged accommodations.
Porter Airlines rebooked the affected passengers on a flight that departed the following morning approximately twelve hours after the originally scheduled time.
Airline Response and Passenger Experience
Porter Airlines described the toddler’s refusal to remain buckled as a genuine safety concern that forced the cancellation. The airline stated its cabin crew followed all standard safety protocols throughout the incident and apologized for the disruption caused to passengers.
There was no confirmation from Porter Airlines regarding compensation for passengers’ out-of-pocket expenses. However, the airline committed to adhering to federal regulations on treatment standards for delays and cancellations related to safety.
Some
passengers criticized the airline’s handling of the incident’s aftermath, citing extended waiting times before disembarkation and insufficient communication following the formal cancellation. Passengers were responsible for arranging their own overnight stays in Victoria.
Safety Regulations and Operational Constraints
Federal aviation safety rules mandate that every passenger, including children, be properly seated and secured before takeoff. Incidents involving children refusing to buckle seatbelts present recurring challenges for airlines in maintaining compliance and safety.
Victoria International Airport’s noise abatement policy enforces a strict overnight curfew starting at 12:30 a.m., limiting the window for flight departures during such delays. This regulatory cutoff can escalate in-cabin delays into flight
cancellations if safety-related hold-ups push operations beyond permitted hours.
Porter Airlines provides six weekly flights on the Victoria to Toronto route, excluding Saturdays. The cancellation of Flight PD444 disrupted travel plans for passengers expecting same-day arrival in Toronto on August 6.
