Porter
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 2025
Number of pilots/flightcrew members: 831
Pilot bases: Montréal, Qué.; Ottawa, Ont.; Vancouver, B.C.; Halifax, N.S.; Thunder Bay, Ont.; Toronto, Ont.—Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre
Headquarters: Toronto, Ont.
Operations: Porter Airlines is headquartered at Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre. The carrier operates passenger service across Canada, with routes to the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Fleet: 47 Embraer E195-E2s (+75 on order) and 29 De Havilland Dash 8-400s
In under 20 years, Porter Airlines has transformed from a small regional carrier based in Toronto to Canada's fourth-largest airline. The company's rapid expansion, which includes routes across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean, caused the pilot group to grow by more than 150 percent in the last five years. Operating the Embraer E195-E2 and the De Havilland Dash 8-400, this growth highlighted the need for a more formal pilot group structure to address their interests.
A number of Porter pilots began a grassroots initiative called “Porter Pilots for Change.” Their efforts led to ALPA’s certification as the bargaining agent for the Porter pilots by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) on August 11, 2025.
With ALPA certification complete, the pilots are now focused on establishing their internal organizational structure and preparing for bargaining, including setting up three strategically located Local Councils (LECs) to ensure robust representation:
- LEC 272: Represents pilots based in Vancouver, Halifax, and Thunder Bay.
- LEC 274: Represents pilots in Ottawa and Montréal.
- LEC 276: Represents pilots in Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre.
As the Porter pilots stand united under the ALPA banner, with access to ALPA’s vast resources, they are poised to contribute to the airline's continued prosperity, ensuring a stable, rewarding, and secure future for all who fly for Porter.
