E195 E2 PORTER
PR: Porter Airlines is launching new seasonal non-stop service connecting Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
“These new routes offer attractive travel options for our passengers. Through our enhanced services and strategic partnerships, we are committed to providing an unparalleled travel experience throughout North America and beyond.
The YUL-LAX route will operate four times a week starting June 27, and the YUL-SFO route, three times a week starting June 28.
This seasonal service, which will provide passengers with a seamless route to travel between Eastern Canada and the vibrant West Coast of California, will be offered until October 26.
Passengers traveling on either route will enjoy Porter’s signature service, which includes fast, free Wi-Fi for all, premium snacks and complimentary beer and wine served in real glasses. Those opting for the all-inclusive PorterReserve fare can also enjoy fresh, healthy meals, which are also available à la carte with the purchase of a PorterClassic ticket.
The route is operated by an Embraer E195-E2 aircraft that features 132 state-of-the-art seats in a two-by-two configuration, meaning there are no middle seats on this or any other Porter flight. With a 65% lower noise footprint and 25% better fuel burn than the previous generation, the E195-E2 is the greenest single-aisle aircraft on the market.
When Porter placed its first E195-E2 order, many wondered how the airline would compete against well-established LCCs in the Canadian market. Especially not being able to deploy these aircraft from home turf at Billy Bishop Airport.
Then came a follow-up order for more E2s. Clearly, the airline has found markets and partners to deploy these aircraft effectively. A large part of the success has to be the payload/range combination of the E195-E2. With low trip costs, the E2 allows Porter to open markets it has not been able to reach before.
By attracting traffic from its partner, Air Transat, Porter can achieve the breakeven load factors more quickly. Moreover, the California flights are in addition to Porter’s boosted flights to Florida, where it has doubled its capacity.
Porter will compete with Air Canada and WestJet for traffic. It will also encounter other Canadian LCCs. In terms of risk management, the keyword here is “seasonal.” If Porter finds market support, then seasonal may become year-round. The E2’s operating costs allow the airline to open new routes at lower risk.
Porter may still dominate Billy Bishop Airport traffic, but it is also moving in a new direction, which is enabled by the E195-E2.
