Porter Airlines Landing in Kelowna With New Toronto Pearson Flights

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2024--

Porter Airlines is expanding its presence in British Columbia with flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Kelowna International Airport (YLW). Service begins on May 14, 2025, with five weekly roundtrip flights, increasing to daily roundtrip flights on June 23.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217061916/en/

Kelowna will be the third city in British Columbia that Porter serves with its new 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, complementing existing flights to Vancouver and Victoria. The E195-E2 has the lowest fuel consumption per seat and per trip in its class, and is the quietest single-aisle jet flying today. The two-by-two configuration means no middle seats on any Porter flight.

Connecting flights with Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John’s will also be available.

“Our presence in Western Canada continues to grow and more travellers can now enjoy their trip as soon as they get onboard the aircraft with Porter’s award-winning elevated economy experience,” said Edmond Eldebs, senior vice president and chief commercial officer, Porter Airlines. “Travellers will appreciate direct access to Kelowna’s mountainous landscapes and all of the beauty that the Okanagan Valley has to offer. It’s a true year-round destination that will benefit from improved connections to Eastern Canada.”

Porter’s onboard experience provides every passenger with complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, a selection of Canadian premium snacks, and free, fast streaming WiFi. The all-inclusive PorterReserve fare includes fresh, healthy meals, and features such as the ability to change flights without a fee, dedicated check-in, extra legroom, and two checked bags. For travellers who want to choose specific features to fit their needs, the PorterClassic fare offers these perks à la carte.

Sustainability is at the heart of the menu design, with a priority on reducing and eventually eliminating single-use plastics onboard, providing biodegradable cups and cutlery, and eco-friendly packaging.

"Porter Airlines' decision to expand its services to Kelowna is a significant milestone for our community. This new route not only enhances connectivity between Kelowna and Toronto but also opens up new opportunities for tourism and business in the Okanagan Valley,” says Sam Samaddar, Kelowna International Airport CEO. “We are excited to welcome Porter Airlines to Kelowna and look forward to the positive impact this partnership will bring."

Flights are now available for booking at www.flyporter.com and with travel agents.

About Porter
Since 2006, Porter Airlines has been elevating the experience of economy air travel for every passenger, providing genuine hospitality with style, care and charm. Porter’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft serves a North American network from Eastern Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating®. Visit www.flyporter.com or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Porter Airlines is expanding its presence in British Columbia with flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Kelowna International Airport (YLW). Service begins on May 14, 2025, with five weekly roundtrip flights, increasing to daily roundtrip flights on June 23. (Photo: Business Wire)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)