Toddler Seatbelt Refusal Forces Toronto Flight Cancellation

A Porter Airlines flight scheduled to travel from British Columbia to Toronto was canceled last week after a child refused to remain seated and fasten a seatbelt prior to takeoff, according to the airline and local reporting from outlets such as ND Mais and O Globo. The disruption on flight PD444 began after the aircraft left the terminal at Victoria International Airport and headed toward the runway on Thursday, February 6, 2026.

Flight PD444 Returns to the Terminal

Crew members noticed the child standing on a seat and refusing to buckle up as the plane readied for departure, according to a statement from Porter Airlines cited by O Globo. Both the accompanying adult and the flight crew attempted to resolve the issue without success. Because the aircraft could not safely take off under those conditions, the crew opted to return to the terminal and deplane the passengers, as reported by ND Mais.

Returning to the gate required a series of time-consuming procedures. According to O Globo, ground crews had to connect the jet bridge to the aircraft, disembark the passengers, unload baggage, revise flight plans, and complete necessary documentation. That lengthy process caused the flight to miss its departure window before the scheduled closure of the Victoria International Airport airfield at 12:30 a.m., according to statements confirmed by an airport spokesperson via O Globo.

Passengers Reschedule and Depart the Following Day

While the airline did not disclose the exact passenger count or the age of the child, the aircraft used for the route has a maximum capacity of 132 seats, according to Porter Airlines data shared by ND Mais. Passengers affected by the cancellation spent the night grounded and boarded a rescheduled flight the following day, Friday, February 7, 2026, after the airline issued formal apologies for the disruption.

Flight tracking data from FlightAware cited by ND Mais shows that the replacement flight departed Victoria International Airport at 10:49 p.m. local time on Friday and touched down in Toronto at 6:16 a.m. local time on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the Porter Airlines flight from Victoria to Toronto to cancel?

Flight PD444 was canceled because a child stood on a seat and refused to fasten a seatbelt before takeoff, forcing the plane to return to the terminal, according to Porter Airlines.

When did the affected passengers finally reach Toronto?

Passengers departed on a replacement flight the following evening at 10:49 p.m. local time and arrived in Toronto early Saturday morning, according to FlightAware data cited by ND Mais.

How many people were on board the canceled flight?

Porter Airlines did not release the exact passenger count, though the aircraft model assigned to the route can accommodate up to 132 people, according to airline spokespeople.