Porter Airlines flight canceled after child refuses to wear seatbelt

A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto was canceled on August 6 after a young child refused to sit in their seat and fasten their seatbelt. The incident occurred while the aircraft was taxiing toward the runway.

Despite repeated attempts by the flight crew and the child's parent to ensure compliance with safety regulations, the child remained standing on the seat. Due to the inability to guarantee a safe takeoff, the pilot decided to return the aircraft to the terminal. The child and their accompanying parent were removed from the plane along with their luggage.

The resulting delays, including the time required for passenger removal and flight plan readjustments, caused the aircraft to miss the 12:30 AM runway closure deadline at Victoria International Airport. Consequently, all passengers were required to disembark, and the flight was rescheduled for the following day. Porter Airlines issued an apology to the affected passengers.