Porter Airlines' Muskoka service grounds to a halt

Porter Airlines announced it would not be continuing its seasonal service to Muskoka.

The service began in 2019 and was put on hold during the pandemic but resumed last year.

In a statement, the company said it "appreciated working with local tourism and airport partners to promote Muskoka" and that the joint efforts have "contributed to generating broader interest in the region."

Jeff Lehman, the new Muskoka District Chair, said the decision is disappointing for the tourism industry in cottage country.

He noted that the route saw very good use last summer and that service is viable and worked well.

However, he acknowledged issues at the island airport as the reason for the service not continuing this year.

Len O'Connor, the general manager of the airport, said that Muskoka continues to be a popular destination for both business and leisure passengers.

He added that the Porter Airline service offered many opportunities to enhance operations and that they look forward to what the future brings.

Lehman said that while other carriers have been able to offer scheduled service, there has been some investment in what is needed at an airport to support this kind of service.

"We hope to see it continue whether it's Porter being able to resume in the future or other carriers," he said.

Lehman calls Porter's decision to pull out a short-term loss for the area, but he believes it's a viable business that will one day return to the Muskoka airport.