Porter Airlines announces direct flights to Toronto from Fredericton, Moncton

For the first time, Moncton and Fredericton travellers will soon be able to fly directly into downtown Toronto.

Porter Airlines is offering the flight to Billy Bishop Airport on the Toronto Islands beginning May 5.

"It's something that we're really, really excited to see," said Bernard LeBlanc, the president and CEO of the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport.

"Typically, Porter has had a huge amount of activity between Billy Bishop and in Ottawa and Montreal. So this opens up that airport to Atlantic Canada." 

Porter said it doesn't have plans for any Saint John service at the moment.

LeBlanc said the process of getting the new service for Moncton took years to work out because Porter was subject to flight restrictions surrounding Billy Bishop Airport such as distances the aircraft in the Porter fleet can fly and the airport runways.

"It's a great airport, a lot of activity there ... we've talked about would be so nice if we could go directly to Billy Bishop because we could connect to the full Porter network," said LeBlanc. 

Halifax is also expecting service to Billy Bishop Airport starting April 7 from Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

However, Saint John Airport remains in talks with Porter. 

In an email to CBC News, Jacques Fournier, director of airport commercial development, said negotiations are continuing with Porter to get a flight for this summer season, and an announcement regarding the status of the talks is expected in the coming days. 

Porter said it would maintain the different connecting flights departing from Fredericton and Moncton to Billy Bishop via a stop in Ottawa, but Saint John will not get back a similar service after the "usual winter pause." 

"We are constantly evaluating our flight network and don't rule out the possibility of returning to Saint John in the future," the airline said.

LeBlanc said the additional Porter service for Moncton is much appreciated at a time when the travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. 

"I think with the pandemic and the gradual ramp up, it gives them a chance to try new routes or markets like this and confirm that they're viable and then keep them going over the long term," said LeBlanc, noting the pandemic has also led the airlines to be more experimental in offering service.