Porter begins commercial service at Montreal’s South Shore airport

Porter Airlines has started commercial flights from the revamped Montreal Metropolitan Airport in Longueuil, marking a new phase for the South Shore hub. The airline will operate 138 weekly flights to 11 Canadian destinations, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto. A launch ceremony on Monday included a traditional water salute for the first aircraft to arrive at the new terminal. The airport, which opened in 1927 and was previously used mainly for cargo, has capacity for up to four million passengers a year. Porter says bookings have been stronger than expected, while local officials and aviation experts see the airport as a potential alternative for travellers trying to avoid congestion at Trudeau International Airport.