Porter Airlines cancelled a flight from Victoria to Toronto on 6 August after a child passenger refused to wear a seatbelt, according to statements from the airline and accounts from other travelers on the flight.
The child was standing in their seat as the aircraft taxied toward the runway when crew members and the accompanying parent made multiple unsuccessful attempts to secure the passenger. Following these efforts, the flight crew made the decision to return to the terminal and have both the child and their parent exit the aircraft, citing safety requirements that prevented departure in those circumstances.
Airline spokesperson Brad Cicero explained to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that the entire passenger complement had to disembark because the logistical demands of removing just the child and parent—including the need to refile paperwork—would have caused the flight to exceed the airport’s 12:30am closing time. The airline apologized for the disruption and confirmed that all affected passengers were rebooked on a flight departing the following day.
Passenger Aryeh Kozuch offered context about the child’s behavior, noting that the passenger was not being disruptive but rather appeared frightened by the confined aircraft environment. Kozuch characterized the situation as the child attempting to cope with fear by hiding beneath a seat rather than engaging in typical behavioral problems. Another passenger, Hillary Hertzberg, suggested the airline could have resolved the matter more quickly, noting that roughly an hour elapsed before the child exited the aircraft at 11:30pm.
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