TORONTO – After months of lobbying City Hall, Porter Airlines is taking its pitch for a bigger runway to the people: “Get on board. We need your support” is the slogan the regional carrier is using for an online campaign encouraging travelers to support the company’s plan for a runway extension at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport.
In addition to launching a web page, the Canadian regional airline carrier this week contacted its customers via email on the benefits of its expansion plan. Porter wants to lengthen the runway by 168 metres on each end.
“These plans will bring significant economic benefits to the City of Toronto and also to the travelling public, with increased competition and lower airfares,” Porter Airlines stated in an email. Then it got to the point: “Councillors will listen to their voters and you can make a difference by contacting your local Councillor.”
Some residents and city officials argue the project will raise the noise level in the downtown waterfront where the island airport is situated.
Last month, Porter announced the purchase of 12 CS100 Bombardier jets with the goal of reaching new destinations such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, California, Florida and the Caribbean.
But before they can accomplish that, the airline will need to convince Toronto city council to amend an airport agreement between the municipality, the federal government and the Toronto Harbour Commission that states no jets are to operate or land at the airport.
Porter Airlines President and CEO Robert Deluce insists Bombardier jets are quiet enough for a downtown airport.
“We chose the Bombardier C-Series aircraft because they are the world’s quietest commercial jets in production,” he said in a press release last month. “Bombardier CS100 is a brand new aircraft that is tailor made to operate in downtown urban airports.”
The airline currently flies smaller, turbo-prop planes.
Councillors will vote on whether or not to approve a study of the proposed expansion plan at a city hall meeting on May 7.
If successful, the study could take all summer to be completed. At that point, a final vote on the matter will then be presented to council later in the fall.
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