Porter Airlines cancelled a flight from Victoria to Toronto on 6 August after a child passenger refused to comply with seatbelt requirements, according to statements from the airline and accounts from other travelers.
The child was standing in their seat as the aircraft taxied toward the runway. Crew members and the accompanying parent made multiple attempts to secure the child in their seat, but these efforts proved unsuccessful. The airline determined that the unsafe condition prevented departure, so the plane returned to the terminal and all passengers were required to disembark.
Airline spokesperson Brad Cicero explained that complete evacuation became necessary because removing only the child and parent and processing related paperwork would consume enough time that the aircraft could not depart before the airport’s 12:30am closure. All affected passengers were subsequently rebooked on a flight departing the following day.
Passenger Aryeh Kozuch characterized the situation differently from public commentary, noting the child appeared frightened rather than disruptive. He described the child as attempting to hide under the seat in front of them rather than engaging in typical disruptive behavior. Another passenger, Hillary Hertzberg, suggested the airline could have resolved the matter more quickly, noting that the aircraft remained on the ground for nearly an hour before the child eventually departed at 11:30pm.
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