Chow boycotting Porter Airlines (I'll ride my bicycle to Ottawa instead!)
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Chow boycotting Porter Airlines (I'll ride my bicycle to Ottawa instead!)
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Chow boycotting Porter Airlines
JEFF GRAY
Attacked by the mayor and despised by local activists, start-up air carrier Porter Airlines says it will make its maiden flight to Ottawa from its controversial perch at Toronto's island airport at 7 a.m. on Oct. 23.
But at least one MP from Toronto hopes none of her colleagues will be on board.
The NDP's Olivia Chow, who fought against expansion of the airport as the local city councillor, said yesterday she is calling for a boycott of the new airline by her colleagues in Ottawa.
"I will be watching very closely to see that no MPs or civil servants travel via that airport, because the City of Toronto has been very clear" about opposing airport expansion, Ms. Chow said in a phone interview from Ottawa.
As of today, passengers can purchase tickets on-line for Porter's 10 flights each weekday every 90 minutes to and from Ottawa, with one-way fares starting at $120.
A check of Air Canada's on-line reservations yesterday showed 17 Ottawa flights on Oct. 23 with one-way fares starting at $111.
Porter's chief executive officer, Robert Deluce, is promising high-end service before and during the 56-minute flight aboard Bombardier Q400 planes, which are equipped with 70 leather seats.
A second plane is expected to arrive within a few days. Porter hopes to have four of the Toronto-made planes in operation by year's end, and has ordered 10 with an option to buy 10 more. Porter also has plans to offer more destinations in Canada and the United States.
"Passengers will be pleased to learn that we don't charge extra for the basics," Mr. Deluce said in a press statement that promises complimentary food and beverages, including beer and wine.
"Porter is all about 'flying refined,' " Mr. Deluce added.
The federal Transport Department gave a final go-ahead to Porter's plans last month. But Mayor David Miller has vowed to continue his fight against any increase in the number of flights from the airport, which he sees as incompatible with waterfront redevelopment plans.
Mr. Miller clashed with Mr. Deluce during the 2003 election, and later delivered on a promise to kill a proposed bridge to the island airport meant to aid the entrepreneur's last attempt to start an airline there.
Last week, The Globe and Mail reported that Mr. Deluce received $20-million in a confidential settlement with the previous Liberal federal government over the cancellation of the bridge -- $9-million of which he agreed to invest in infrastructure at the island airport.
In all, $35-million was doled out to the Toronto Port Authority, the federal agency that runs the airport -- which is not allowed to receive federal subsidies -- and to other companies.
A review of the TPA by Montreal lawyer Roger Tassé, commissioned by the Transport Department, is due for release this month.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ional/Ontario/
Chow boycotting Porter Airlines
JEFF GRAY
Attacked by the mayor and despised by local activists, start-up air carrier Porter Airlines says it will make its maiden flight to Ottawa from its controversial perch at Toronto's island airport at 7 a.m. on Oct. 23.
But at least one MP from Toronto hopes none of her colleagues will be on board.
The NDP's Olivia Chow, who fought against expansion of the airport as the local city councillor, said yesterday she is calling for a boycott of the new airline by her colleagues in Ottawa.
"I will be watching very closely to see that no MPs or civil servants travel via that airport, because the City of Toronto has been very clear" about opposing airport expansion, Ms. Chow said in a phone interview from Ottawa.
As of today, passengers can purchase tickets on-line for Porter's 10 flights each weekday every 90 minutes to and from Ottawa, with one-way fares starting at $120.
A check of Air Canada's on-line reservations yesterday showed 17 Ottawa flights on Oct. 23 with one-way fares starting at $111.
Porter's chief executive officer, Robert Deluce, is promising high-end service before and during the 56-minute flight aboard Bombardier Q400 planes, which are equipped with 70 leather seats.
A second plane is expected to arrive within a few days. Porter hopes to have four of the Toronto-made planes in operation by year's end, and has ordered 10 with an option to buy 10 more. Porter also has plans to offer more destinations in Canada and the United States.
"Passengers will be pleased to learn that we don't charge extra for the basics," Mr. Deluce said in a press statement that promises complimentary food and beverages, including beer and wine.
"Porter is all about 'flying refined,' " Mr. Deluce added.
The federal Transport Department gave a final go-ahead to Porter's plans last month. But Mayor David Miller has vowed to continue his fight against any increase in the number of flights from the airport, which he sees as incompatible with waterfront redevelopment plans.
Mr. Miller clashed with Mr. Deluce during the 2003 election, and later delivered on a promise to kill a proposed bridge to the island airport meant to aid the entrepreneur's last attempt to start an airline there.
Last week, The Globe and Mail reported that Mr. Deluce received $20-million in a confidential settlement with the previous Liberal federal government over the cancellation of the bridge -- $9-million of which he agreed to invest in infrastructure at the island airport.
In all, $35-million was doled out to the Toronto Port Authority, the federal agency that runs the airport -- which is not allowed to receive federal subsidies -- and to other companies.
A review of the TPA by Montreal lawyer Roger Tassé, commissioned by the Transport Department, is due for release this month.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ional/Ontario/
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[QUOTE=rotornut;2886325]GLOBEANDMAIL.com
"Porter is all about 'flying refined,' " Mr. Deluce added.
How 'refined' can a one hour flight get? Is he putting sleeper beds in those things? I'll start off with the shrimp appetizer and then I'll have my steak medium rare please.Seriously though, best of luck to the Deluce's and company. Good to see someone is trying to turn the clock backwards to the good old days.
"Porter is all about 'flying refined,' " Mr. Deluce added.
How 'refined' can a one hour flight get? Is he putting sleeper beds in those things? I'll start off with the shrimp appetizer and then I'll have my steak medium rare please.Seriously though, best of luck to the Deluce's and company. Good to see someone is trying to turn the clock backwards to the good old days.
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GLOBEANDMAIL.com
Chow boycotting Porter Airlines
JEFF GRAY
The NDP's Olivia Chow, who fought against expansion of the airport as the local city councillor, said yesterday she is calling for a boycott of the new airline by her colleagues in Ottawa.
"I will be watching very closely to see that no MPs or civil servants travel via that airport, because the City of Toronto has been very clear" about opposing airport expansion, Ms. Chow said in a phone interview from Ottawa.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ional/Ontario/
Chow boycotting Porter Airlines
JEFF GRAY
The NDP's Olivia Chow, who fought against expansion of the airport as the local city councillor, said yesterday she is calling for a boycott of the new airline by her colleagues in Ottawa.
"I will be watching very closely to see that no MPs or civil servants travel via that airport, because the City of Toronto has been very clear" about opposing airport expansion, Ms. Chow said in a phone interview from Ottawa.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ional/Ontario/
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Well that's good then Mrs Chow start pedalling. It might save the general public, you know the tax payers, the ones who elected you hard earned dollars. Im glad to see your so conciencous about your travel budget!!
I wonder how she's getting to YOW in the winter? dog team !!
LOL what a stupid bunch, how do these polititians get elected anyhow?
I wonder how she's getting to YOW in the winter? dog team !!
LOL what a stupid bunch, how do these polititians get elected anyhow?
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Hmmm lets see. MP's don't work for the City of Toronto so why would they give two s#@ts about what some loud mouth woman has to say. What is she going to do if she discovers MP's and civil servants travelling on Porter? Last time I checked Canada was still a free country. She could be on very thin ice making comments like those. The average joe in Toronto doesn't care about who operates in and out of the harbour. Its another case of the rich (the only ones that can afford to live on the harbour front) bitching about the noise from an airport that was their LONG before they ever moved in!! Amazing how they leave out the fact that the Gardiner Expressway creates far more noise CONTINUOUSLY than a Dash-8-400 will create for the 30 secs or so it takes to climb away from their precious condo's!!! This kind of crap drives me nuts!!!
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Miller+Chow=Morons who will someday need to fly from the Island because the 401 is a parking lot, when that day happens I hope the press is there to see them turned back from the porter counter, Sorry no space left!!!
Where's your bikes???? LOL
Where's your bikes???? LOL