Porter Airlines to keep flights grounded until at least December

Porter Airlines is once again pushing back its planned restart date.

The Toronto-based airline Tuesday said Tuesday that its shutdown will continueuntil at least Dec. 15, markingthe latestone-month extension in its ongoing suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The flare up of COVID-19 cases in certain markets during the last month dampened any expectation of changes to government restrictions that will enable us to begin flying again in November," said airline president and CEO Michael Deluce in a written statement.

"The federal government is indicating that they need more confidence about what course the pandemic will take before restrictions are reconsidered. We hope that lifting of travel restrictions will soon be possible given evolving technology, such as rapid testing, and health and safety investments that the travel industry is making."

The airline stopped flying on March 21 and issued temporary layoffs for staff based in Thunder Bay.