Island Squatters Don't Understand Competition

They are furious that a business would give discounts to attract business. It is not surprising when they have the NDPers and lap dogs like Miller supporting them in order to garner their votes. Can someone explain why Miller is opposed to jobs being created in Toronto when Porter Airlines are successful and order additional ultra-quiet planes?

Miller blasts Porter airline deal

Company signs 'massive subsidy' agreement to fly fed employees at a discount

By ROB GRANATSTEIN AND ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU

The federal government and Porter Airlines have twisted the knife into the opponents of the island airport again.

Porter announced yesterday it has signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to fly federal employees on its flights at a discounted rate. Airport opponents are furious with the news.

"It becomes clearer and clearer that airport is only there for federal civil servants and because of federal civil servants," Toronto Mayor David Miller said yesterday. "Porter Airlines had a massive subsidy disguised as a legal settlement. This is another way of the federal government propping them up. It becomes very clear why Porter's flights are to Ottawa."

Bill Freeman, spokesman for Community Air, the group calling for a boycott of the island airport, said the federal government is again ignoring Toronto's wishes.

"It's in your face to David Miller and to the people of Toronto opposed to the island airport expansion," he said.

The agreement makes it far more likely Porter will become a viable airline.

"We certainly think it goes a long way toward our long-term sustainability," Porter president Robert Deluce said.

Porter had to be included in the Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI), part of Public Works and Government Services Canada, to be eligible to fly federal employees.

The government has a deal with several carriers, including Air Canada and WestJet.

Community Air estimated this week 90% of trips from the island airport on previous commercial carriers were made by civil servants.

Porter takes off on Monday with 10 flights daily to Ottawa.