Porter Airlines Flight PD444, scheduled on August 6, 2026, was cancelled at Victoria International Airport after a toddler refused to remain seated and buckled during taxiing toward the runway. The incident occurred after the aircraft had left the gate but before takeoff clearance.
Flight attendants along with the child’s parent attempted multiple times to secure the child with a seatbelt, but the toddler repeatedly stood on the seat. Due to the unresolved safety concern, the flight crew decided to return to the terminal to disembark the child, parent, and their baggage.
The time required for the removal process caused the
flight to miss Victoria International Airport’s overnight curfew, which prohibits departures after 12:30 a.m. This restriction forced the cancellation of the flight, leaving passengers stranded in Victoria overnight where they had to arrange their own accommodations.
The following morning, Flight PD444 operated approximately twelve hours later than originally scheduled, resuming service from Victoria to Toronto Pearson International Airport. Porter Airlines apologized for the cancellation and rebooked affected passengers on the next available flight.
A Porter Airlines spokesperson confirmed that the child’s refusal to comply with seatbelt regulations represented a genuine safety hazard necessitating cancellation and return to the gate. The
cabin crew followed all standard safety protocols during the incident, and no other flights for the airline were affected as part of this event.
Passenger Hillary Hertzberg reported that passengers remained seated on the grounded aircraft for close to an hour before the child and parent disembarked around 11:30 p.m. She also noted limited communication from Porter Airlines following the flight’s cancellation, leading passengers to independently secure overnight lodging in Victoria.
Incidents involving young children unwilling to wear seatbelts pose recognized challenges to airlines and aviation safety regulations. Airports like Victoria International enforce strict night curfews; any delay passing the
12:30 a.m. cutoff can convert a short disruption into a full cancellation, as occurred with Flight PD444.
