Porter Airlines flight PD444 from Victoria International Airport in Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto was cancelled on August 6, 2026, after a toddler aboard refused to fasten their seatbelt and repeatedly stood in their seat. The issue was noticed after the aircraft had closed its doors and was taxiing toward the runway.
Both the toddler’s parent and cabin crew made repeated attempts to secure the child, which were unsuccessful. A Porter Airlines spokesperson said, “A young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt.” The crew decided the aircraft could not safely take off in this
condition and aborted the takeoff, returning to the terminal to disembark passengers.
After returning to the gate, the toddler and their family were removed along with their checked baggage. Additional procedures including refiling the flight plan and recalculating the aircraft’s load distribution caused the delay to push beyond Victoria International Airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway curfew.
The overnight runway curfew at Victoria International Airport, which starts at 12:30 a.m., prevented any further attempts to depart that night. Porter Airlines cancelled flight PD444 and rescheduled it for the following morning.
The rescheduled flight departed Victoria at 10:49 a.m. on August 7, 2026,
and landed in Toronto at 6:16 a.m. Eastern time that day, completing the journey without further incident.
Porter Airlines issued a statement explaining the cancellation was due to the unsafe condition caused by the toddler’s behavior, stating that the crew “elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark.” The airline apologized for the disruption caused to all passengers on board flight PD444.
This incident is part of a series of increasingly reported flight disruptions caused by unruly young children. Online discussions have emerged about the feasibility of adult-only flights for travelers seeking calmer environments. An anonymous passenger
cited by International Business Times Australia stated, “I would seriously pay extra to go on adult-only flights.” Porter Airlines has had previous controversies related to passenger conduct and minors.
