What to know
- Porter Airlines flight PD444 was preparing to depart Victoria International Airport for Toronto on Thursday, Aug. 6.
- Crew members noticed a child standing in their seat as the plane prepared to head for the runway.
- The aircraft returned to the gate after the child could not be secured in their seat.
- The child, their parent and their luggage were removed from the aircraft, according to media reports.
- The delay meant the flight missed Victoria airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway closure and was cancelled.
- The flight was rescheduled for Friday night, arriving in Toronto early Saturday morning.
A misbehaving child caused a flight from B.C. to Ontario to be cancelled after both the parent and flight crew failed to get them buckled into their seat.
Porter flight PD444 had departed the terminal at Victoria’s international airport on Thursday, August 6, and was preparing to head for the runway when crew members noticed that a child onboard was not wearing their seatbelt.
“A young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt,” Porter told Now Toronto in an email.
“Attempts by the accompanying parent and crew to address this were unsuccessful. The aircraft could not takeoff in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark,” the statement continues.
By the time the airline crew was able to return the plane to the gate, get the child and parent, as well as their bags, off the plane, and complete the necessary paperwork it was too late to depart, according to media reports. Victoria International Airport’s runway closes at 12:30 a.m.
‘We apologize for the effect this had on other passengers, who were able to depart on a flight the following day.”
The flight was then rescheduled to Friday at 10:49 p.m., arriving in Toronto on Saturday morning, according to flight tracking data. It is unclear if the airline provided accommodations or other compensation to other passengers who were impacted by the over 24-hour delay.
Online, people were sharing their shock and disbelief at the situation.
“How ridiculous is that? Return to the gate, quickly unload the child and parents and leave,” one X user posted.
“The parents should be fined,” another X user posted.
“Parents should have gotten off and forfeited their bags to allow the plane to continue.”
“Why hasn’t anyone come up with an adults only flight? Surely there is a market for this!”
