Porter Airlines continues to grow its presence in New Brunswick with Tuesday’s launch of service from Toronto to Fredericton.

The daily service, announced in late June, complements Porter’s existing service to Moncton and planned service to Saint John on September 21, 2017, and will have Porter serving the three most populous cities in New Brunswick.

Hundreds of locals greeted arriving passengers with fanfare that included a bagpiper, Garrison District guards, maritime cuisine and music. Politicians and other community leaders were among those participating in arrival ceremonies.

"The enthusiastic welcome for our inaugural flight is something that we want to build on to ensure Porter has a long, successful presence in Fredericton." Said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, after arriving on the inaugural flight. "We believe that the desire for competition and lower prices will encourage more people to fly and consider Porter when they do."

"The arrival of Porter Airlines is great news for Fredericton's economy and will definitely benefit leisure and business travellers across the region." said Fredericton Mayor Mike O'Brien. "We're growing and air service is growing with us!"

"We're thrilled to come together with our entire community in welcoming Porter to Fredericton." said Johanne Gallant, president and CEO of Fredericton International Airport Authority. "Our businesses and residents are excited to have this new option for accessing key markets and leisure travel. Porter's arrival is great news for New Brunswick's Capital Region."

Porter’s service to Fredericton from Toronto requires a stop in Ottawa of approximately 30 minutes, opening up the New Brunswick capital to the capital of Ontario and the capital of Canada.

"As Canada's capital city, we welcome connectivity to all parts of our nation, but we especially appreciate expanded non-stop service that is being provided by Porter Airlines to provincial capitals, like Fredericton," said Mark Laroche, Ottawa International Airport Authority president and CEO. "Porter committed to this community when it chose YOW as its inaugural destination more than 10 years ago. Their continued growth among government, business and leisure travellers since then is a testament to their high standards of passenger comfort and reliability."

Porter Escapes vacation packages, including air and hotel, can be booked at the Porter Escapes website or through Softvoyage connected channels like SIREV and Sabre Vacations. Fredericton packages for Ottawa departures are currently available for two nights starting at $400 per person (including all taxes) on select October dates. Two-night stays in Toronto, departing from Fredericton, are $450 per person during the same period.

Porter has operated in New Brunswick since 2010 when it began servicing Moncton. Its first flight to Saint John will depart on September 21, 2017.

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