TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2025--
Porter Airlines is further enhancing its cross-Canada service with the launch of new non-stop service between Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and Victoria International Airport (YYJ). The new service is the only route connecting the two capitals.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250515149653/en/
Flights begin with four weekly roundtrips, increasing to daily roundtrips on June 16. Operated by Porter’s 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, all flights feature a two-by-two seat configuration, meaning no middle seats for any passenger.
The scheduled flight times are as follows:
Porter is the only airline offering non-stop flights between these two cities and uniquely provides travellers an elevated economy experience. The launch is marked with special promotions at both Ottawa and Victoria airports, in collaboration with Victoria’s Fairmont Empress and Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier. These iconic hotels reflect the elegance and heritage of each capital city, making them fitting ambassadors for this new connection. Passengers travelling on these inaugural flights have an opportunity to win a future getaway, including two roundtrip flights on Porter and a two-night stay at the Fairmont in their arrival city.
Porter’s elevated economy experience includes complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, premium Canadian snacks, and fast, free WiFi on board. PorterReserve fares offer added benefits such as fresh meals, two checked bags, extra legroom, and priority services. Travellers can also choose their preferred enhancements à la carte through PorterClassic.
Connections to Porter’s Eastern Canada network via Ottawa include Halifax, Charlottetown, Fredericton, and St. John’s. Flights are available for booking at flyporter.com.
Quotes
“This route is a natural connection between two cities that share deep national significance and tourism appeal. We’re proud to be the only airline offering non-stop service between Ottawa and Victoria, providing travellers with a more efficient and enjoyable way to move across the country.”
- Andrew Pierce, vice president, network planning and reporting, Porter Airlines
“We are excited to welcome Porter’s non-stop service to Victoria, British Columbia, and another opportunity to connect Ottawa-Gatineau travellers with iconic Canadian destinations. Porter’s continued growth and investment at YOW confirms the importance of the Ottawa-Gatineau market but also opens Canada’s west coast to passengers from the east with easy connections.”
- Susan Margles, President and CEO, Ottawa International Airport Authority
“Direct service between Victoria and Ottawa is a welcome new connection between two of Canada’s capital cities. From federal engagement to tourism and exploration, Porter Airlines’ new service offers convenience, efficiency, and a uniquely Canadian travel experience. We’re excited to welcome more visitors to Vancouver Island, and equally excited to make it easier for our community to explore the heart of our nation.”
- Elizabeth Brown, President and CEO, Victoria Airport Authority
“Destination Greater Victoria was delighted to partner and invest in the efforts to launch this service through its Air Route Development program. This connection will be fantastic to connect two great capital cities and very helpful in our efforts to continue to boost the meetings and conferences business along with tourism on the South Island as a whole.”
- Paul Nursey, CEO, Destination Greater Victoria
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 launches non-stop service between Ottawa and Victoria
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.
The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean,” she said.
U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”
Several U.S. government social media accounts posted brief videos that appeared to show various parts of the ship’s capture. Black-and-white footage showed at least four helicopters approaching the ship before hovering over the deck while armed troops dropped down by rope. At least nine people could be seen on the deck of the ship.
The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.
The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.
The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.
According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.
As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House later Thursday, Noem declined to say how many sanctioned oil tankers the U.S. is tracking or whether the government is keeping tabs on freighters beyond the Caribbean Sea.
“I can’t speak to the specifics of the operation, although we are watching the entire shadow fleet and how they’re moving,” she told reporters.
However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.
Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro’s capture and the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, not the Galileo.
Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)
