Porter Airlines approved for take-off from Toronto Island Airport

Travellers in Toronto will be able to begin booking charter flight reservations with Porter Airlines in the coming days now that the company has won approval to make the Toronto Island Airport its home base.

The airline will begin offering round-trip service to Ottawa beginning in mid-October. Fare and schedule information have not yet been released. The private airline also plans on offering short-haul flights to other destinations in Canada and the United States.

The airline said Tuesday it hadreceived an Air Operator Certificate from Transport Canada and a licence from the Canadian Transportation Agency,an independent quasi-judicial tribunal.

"We're very pleased to have moved beyond the approvals stage and final phase of our commercial launch," Porter Airlines president and CEO Robert Deluce said in a news release issued Tuesday.

"We can now focus on the final preparations to deliver a passenger-focused travel experience."

Deluce, who formerly headed up Air Ontario before it was taken over by Air Canada, announced the formation of Porter Airlines last February.

Mayor David Miller immediately opposed the launch of the new airline and has fought airport expansion as part of his plans for a revitalization of the waterfront. Some residents on the island have also expressed opposition, citing pollution, noise, and safety concerns.

Air Canada Jazz cut its service from downtown Toronto on March 1, after it was evicted from the airport. Earlier this summer, the regional carrier announced plans to restore commuter daily service to Ottawa and Montreal. However, the Toronto Port Authority refused to approve a lease that would allow the carrier to use the island facilities.