Wow, customer comes first on Porter
TORONTO, Ont. -- Every frequent flier knows that there's adventure in reaching your destination, but Porter Airlines puts a new relaxed twist in the air. I was curious about the boutique Toronto-based airlines that began full service (six round trips daily) out of Midway Airport in January.
Earlier this month I flew Porter to the tiny Toronto City Centre Airport, situated on a downtown island. Travelers take a two-minute ferry ride to the mainland. Porter (the name is derived from the literal definition; to carry, move from place to place) flies 70-seat turboprops built in Toronto.
Flight attendants wear throwback uniforms with dark blue scarves and pillbox hats. They were designed Kimberly Newport-Mimrand (her clients include Kate Hudson, Fergie, Maggie Gyllenhaal) of Pink Tartan, a Toronto-based design company. In-flight snacks and drinks are free and the drinks are served in glassware.
I anticipated the adventure of a ferry ride to downtown Toronto but was disappointed to see you could simply walk to the mainland if a bridge existed. I later learned area residents led a drive to stop bridge construction. A shuttle bus takes passengers from the dock to the downtown Royal York Hotel.
Departures at Midway and Toronto were hassle free. It's worth it to arrive early at the Toronto City Centre Airport to soak in the Porter Lounge. The lounge is open to every passenger, regardless of fare. There's free Wi-Fi, spacious cubicles to plug in your laptop, free snacks, soft drinks, newspapers and lots of free lattes. I took in so much caffeine I e-mailed people over and over again. More relaxed passengers sat in leather sofas surrounded by dim lights and real houseplants.
I flew home on the heavy rainy Sunday, March 8. My girlfriend was delayed four hours on a flight from Kansas City, Mo., to O'Hare. My Porter flight was just 15 minutes late into Midway.
Besides Chicago, the airline serves Ottawa, Montreal and Newark, N.J. In the future, Porter plans to add flights from Toronto to Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Current flights from Chicago to Toronto range from $149 (one way) to $499 (three days out).
Porter's hipster Web site was designed in part by the advertising firm of Wallpaper magazine founder Tyler Brule.
For more information visit fly porter.com or call (888) 619-8622.