On location: Porter Airlines launches Toronto–Nassau service, expanding winter sun network
Edmond Eldebs, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Porter Airlines (left), stands with Kurush Minocher, Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Greater Toronto Airport Authority, as he presents an inaugural flight commemorative plaque
Porter Airlines this morning inaugurated its first flight between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, The Bahamas (NAS), signaling a significant expansion of its winter sun-destination roster. The 9:00 a.m. departure marked the first of what will be seven-times-weekly service from Toronto; beginning December 12 the route will move to daily operations.
PAX International was on-site at YYZ as Porter celebrated the inaugural flight with a family-friendly activation at the gate, featuring a passenger raffle to win a round-trip flight on any Porter route, Mr. Porter vanilla shortbread cookies, Mr. Porter keychains, a photobooth with props and a guest in a Junkanoo outfit, adding an additional touch of celebratory Bahamian culture to the celebration.
Flights are operated on Porter’s 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, with a two-by-two seating configuration—ensuring no middle seat for any traveler—along with free fast Wi-Fi, complimentary beer and wine in glassware, and premium Canadian snacks as part of Porter’s elevated Economy offering.
“Porter is now the better way of getting to The Bahamas. Our distinct approach to service, with genuine, warm hospitality, means that passengers can enter vacation mode long before landing in Nassau. This is the first of multiple routes that we are launching this season that will bring Canada and The Bahamas closer together,” said Edmond Eldebs, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Porter Airlines.
The route comes as Porter continues to roll out additional sun destinations this month. On November 14, the airline kicked off its Toronto–Puerto Vallarta, Mexico service, and on November 5 launched flights to Cancún—its first regular scheduled service beyond Canada and the U.S.
Find more photos from the event below:
Crew and representatives of The Bahamas Tourist Office celebrate the route launch
Quinn Brown, Marketing Representative for the Bahamas Tourist Office (left), poses for a photo alongside Kenya Dames, District Sales Manager for the Bahamas Tourist Office
Left to right: Quinn Brown, Marketing Representative for the Bahamas Tourist Office; Brent Carnegie, Nassau and Paradise Island tourism; Mikala Moss, Director Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation; Kenya Dames, District Sales Manager for the Bahamas Tourist Office and Giovanni Grant, director, Airlift and Emerging Markets, The Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board pose for a photo at the YYZ-NAS route launch on November 26
Edmond Eldebs, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Porter Airlines, addresses the crowd and passengers at the YYZ-NAS route launch
Kurush Minocher, Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Greater Toronto Airport Authority, welcomes invited media guests and passengers to the YYZ-NAS route launch
Mikala Moss, Director Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, at the YYZ-NAS launch
Giovanni Grant, director, Airlift and Emerging Markets, The Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board, at the YYZ-NAS launch
Left to right: The celebration ensues at the YYZ-NAS route launch on November 26 as a guest in a traditional Junkaroo costume poses alongside Mikala Moss, Director Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation; Kenya Dames, District Sales Manager for the Bahamas Tourist Office and Quinn Brown, Marketing Representative for the Bahamas Tourist Office
Brent Carnegie, Nassau and Paradise Island tourism (left) poses for a photo with Giovanni Grant, director, Airlift and Emerging Markets, The Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board
Left to right: Edmond Eldebs, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Porter Airlines; a guest in celebratory Junkaroo outfit; Mikala Moss, Director Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation; Kurush Minocher, Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Greater Toronto Airport Authority and Giovanni Grant, director, Airlift and Emerging Markets, The Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board at the YYZ-NAS launch
A passenger poses with passport at the route launch celebration
Left to right: Edmond Eldebs, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Porter Airlines; invite guest in celebratory Junkaroo outfit, and Mikala Moss, Director Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, at the YYZ-NAS route launch
Porter inflight crew prepare for the inaugural flight
Brent Carnegie, Nassau and Paradise Island tourism (left) with Sofiya Maksymchuk, Hub Manager at YYZ, Porter Airlines
A passenger before the flight
A young passenger poses for a photo ahead of the flight
A passenger and four-legged friend pose for photo ahead of the flight to Nassau, Bahamas
