Porter Airlines operating a flight from Victoria to Toronto on 6 August cancelled the departure after a child refused to fasten their seatbelt, according to an airline statement. The child stood in their seat as the aircraft prepared to taxi toward the runway. Despite efforts by the accompanying parent and crew members to secure the child in their seat, these attempts proved unsuccessful.
Airline spokesperson Brad Cicero told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that the crew made the decision to return to the terminal given the unsafe conditions. Because the time required to remove the child and parent from the aircraft and complete associated paperwork would have extended past the airport’s 12:30am closing time, the airline determined all passengers would need to disembark. Cicero stated the airline regretted the impact on other travellers, noting that passengers were rebooked on a flight the following day.
Passenger accounts offered different perspectives on the incident. Aryeh Kozuch told Canadian Press that the child was not behaving disruptively but rather appeared frightened, attempting to hide beneath a seat rather than acting out. He suggested that online commentary criticizing the parents did not fully reflect the circumstances. Another passenger, Hillary Hertzberg, indicated that the airline’s response took considerable time, with the child remaining on board for nearly an hour before departing at 11:30pm.
The incident highlighted differing views on how the situation was managed, with some passengers sympathizing with the child’s apparent distress while others questioned the duration of the resolution process.
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