Porter Airlines aborts takeoff after toddler refuses to wear seatbelt, flight delayed
A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria to Toronto was cancelled when a young child would not fasten the seatbelt, forcing passengers to stay overnight.
Porter Airlines flight PD444 left Victoria International Airport bound for Toronto on Thursday, Aug. 6, but was halted when a toddler stood up and declined to wear the seatbelt. Crew members and the child’s parents tried repeatedly to strap the youngster in, but were unsuccessful, prompting the pilot to abort the departure for safety reasons. The aircraft returned to the terminal and passengers were asked to deplane.
With runway shutters closing at 12:30 a.m., the flight could not be rescheduled that night, so travelers were accommodated in Victoria until the next day. The flight finally took off on Friday at 10:49 a.m. local time and arrived in Toronto at 6:16 a.m. Porter Airlines apologized for the inconvenience. Similar incidents involving uncooperative toddlers have been reported on other routes, sparking debate over parental responsibility and airline policies.
Why it matters
The incident highlights how a single passenger's behavior can disrupt airline operations and affect many travelers.
In this story