Porter Airlines is celebrating its first flights with the new Embraer E195-E2 between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

The introduction of E195-E2 service on these routes, which are also served by Porter’s Dash 8-400 operations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ), means passengers have more choice when travelling to and from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

As it expands, Porter will be the only airline with comprehensive netowrks at both of Toronto’s main airports, focusing on regional flights via Billy Bishop and other top North American destinations at Pearson.

E195-E2 routes from Toronto to Vancouver (February 7), Edmonton (February 14), Calgary (February 22) and Halifax (February 23) will also begin this month.

Porter is debuting the E195-E2 for North American travellers. The E2 has the lowest fuel consumption per seat and per trip among 120 to 150 seat aircraft. Featuring a two-by-two seat configuration, the plane has natural leather seats, adjustable headrests, bi-fold sliding tray table, power outlets at every seat, unobstructed under-seat footwell for additional carry-on bag storage, ample overhead storage, and touchless (flush and faucet) lavatories.

“A tremendous amount of innovation and dedication was invested to get us to this point and today our team members get to see the results of their efforts. Now passengers can fly with us using either Toronto airport and experience the style, care and charm that only Porter provides,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines. “Our emphasis on service and treating economy passengers with dignity challenges expectations for what flying should be like. It’s a momentous occasion and it makes sense that these first flights connect with our two longest-standing partners, Montreal and Ottawa, where we have been serving these communities from Billy Bishop since 2006.”

The airline has ordered up to 100 E195-E2s, including 50 firm deliveries scheduled to arrive over the next two years. As it establishes its E195-E2 network, Porter intends to build a presence in key Eastern Canada cities – Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax – that will connect across the continent to the West Coast, southern US, Mexico and the Caribbean.