Porter Airlines Toronto: the E195 E2, the eastern network, the contract and why a Canadian chose the new option
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#1 Two years at Porter, Toronto, and since Porter has grown fast and there is almost nothing about it here, this is the write up.
What Porter is now
For years Porter was a small airline flying Dash 8 turboprops out of Billy Bishop, the island airport downtown. That Porter still exists. The new Porter is a jet operation out of Pearson and Ottawa and Montreal and now western bases, with Embraer E195 E2s, flying across Canada and to the US, with a business class style service in an all economy cabin (free wine and beer, snacks, no middle seats on the E2). It has grown from a regional to a national carrier in a couple of years and hired a lot of crew to do it.
The E195 E2
132 seats, two by two, no middle seats, a quiet modern aircraft. Two or three cabin crew. The cabin is small enough that you know every passenger by the end and the service is a proper drinks and snack service on every flight, which Porter markets heavily. It is a nice aircraft to work. The galley is small. The overhead bins are smaller than a 737 and you will have that conversation with passengers every flight.
The network
Toronto to everywhere in Canada, and a lot of US: Florida, the Carolinas, Vegas, LA, Boston, New York, Chicago and more. Mostly two and four sector days, night stops across Canada and in the US sun cities in winter. Some of the western flying involves being away several days.
The contract
A single tier contract, which is the point of difference from Air Canada's Rouge structure. Pay that is competitive with the Canadian market for a new carrier, a proper hourly rate plus per diems, and a company that is hiring so fast that seniority builds quickly. Union representation came in as the airline grew, and the contract has improved with it.
Why I chose it
I had a Rouge offer and a Porter offer in the same month. I chose Porter for the single tier contract, the eastern network (my family is in Halifax), the aircraft, and the sense that a growing airline would promote faster. Two years in, all four reasons have held. The growing pains are real: schedules change, bases open and close, and the operation has had bumps that a mature airline would not. That is the trade for the growth.
Who it suits
Someone in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal or now the west, who wants a proper contract from day one, does not need long haul, and is willing to be part of something still being built. It is the closest thing Canada has to a start up airline with real scale.
Who should look elsewhere
Someone who wants the 787 to Tokyo. Someone who needs the stability of a 70 year old operation. Someone in Vancouver who wants the Pacific flying, although the western bases are changing that.
Questions welcome, especially from Canadians comparing the five options.
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#2 Rouge Toronto, and I said it in my thread: everyone at Rouge is watching Porter. The single tier contract is the thing. If I were choosing today it would be a hard decision.
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#3 Air Canada mainline, and I would say Porter is now a real competitor for crew, not just passengers. The E2 is a lovely aircraft. The growing pains are also real, I hear about the schedule changes from friends. Tara's honesty about both is why this thread is useful.
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#4 In training now and Porter was one of my four applications. The 'seniority builds fast at a growing airline' argument is what convinced me to include them. Rooting for you all.
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#6 Vancouver, and the western bases are changing the picture out here. Six months ago Porter was a Toronto thing. Now people at YVR are talking about it. That is fast.
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#7 WestJet Vancouver, and I would add that the Canadian market having five real options is a very recent thing and this forum's Canadian section is finally catching up to it. Good thread.
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#8 Air Transat Montreal, and the Montreal base at Porter is growing, so the bilingual crew have another door. Which is good for all of us. Competition for crew is a good thing to have.