A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto was cancelled on August 6 after a young child reportedly could not be safely secured in the assigned seat before departure.
According to Porter Airlines, the child repeatedly stood on the seat while both the parent and cabin crew attempted to secure the child with a seatbelt. As the passenger remained unsecured, the aircraft was unable to safely depart and had to return to the terminal.
The additional time required to remove the family, handle their luggage, update flight plans and complete other procedures pushed the departure beyond Victoria International Airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway closure.
As a result, passengers were required to remain in Victoria overnight, with the flight eventually rescheduled for the following day. Porter later apologised to the affected travelers.
The incident has also sparked discussion online about aviation safety procedures, child restraint requirements and the challenges families can face when travelling with young children.