Another airline is landing at Pittsburgh International Airport, this one with plans to offer twice daily flights to Toronto starting this fall.
Porter Airlines, a Toronto-based regional airline, will begin two daily nonstops to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport from Pittsburgh on Sept. 21. Weekday flights will depart at 10:05 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Introductory roundtrip air fares will start at $286.
Porter will compete against Air Canada, which currently offers four flights a day to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, which is located about 14 miles from the city.
The Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is about a mile and a half from Downtown. Pittsburgh airport officials believe the proximity to the city core will make the Porter flight an attractive option for business travelers.
“I think we will attract more people and I think we will attract a different clientele,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which operates Pittsburgh International.
Authority officials, she said, have been talking to Porter for about a year about starting service in Pittsburgh. She said she has been hearing from travelers who wanted improved service to Toronto and other Canadian cities since she started her job in January.
Porter offers connecting flights to a host of Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City, as well as to U.S. destinations such as Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C.
The Toronto City airport “is where people want to be. It’s easier to get in and out of,” she said, adding that the Pearson airport is preferred for travelers making connections to Europe or Asia.
“Our goal is to give more Canadians an opportunity to experience Pittsburgh, and provide those in Pittsburgh with a new way to connect with Canada,” Robert Deluce, Porter Airlines president and CEO, said in a news release.
Porter will fly 74-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprop planes between Pittsburgh and Toronto. Passenger amenities will include leather seats and complimentary snacks and wine and beer. Flights can be booked online at www.flyporter.com.
Given the different airports used by Air Canada and Porter, Ms. Cassotis believes both can be successful in Pittsburgh. “We think the market is big enough to support them both,” she said.
Porter is the fourth airline to announce the start of service at Pittsburgh International in the last year. The others are Sun Air Express, OneJet and Allegiant Air.
Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.
First Published: June 25, 2015, 5:16 p.m.
Updated: June 26, 2015, 12:40 a.m.