Child’s Refusal to Wear Seatbelt Leads to Toronto-Bound Flight Being Cancelled

A Porter plane taxis at the airport in Ottawa, on Mar 30, 2025. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria, B.C., to Toronto was canceled after a toddler refused to remain seated and fasten their seatbelt, leaving passengers stranded overnight, the airline said.

A child stood on their seat as the plane was taxiing toward the runway for takeoff, and would not sit down and allow their seatbelt to be securely fastened, Porter Airlines told The Epoch Times in an email.

“Attempts by the accompanying parent and crew to address this were unsuccessful,” the airline said. “The aircraft could not takeoff in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark.”

The incident resulted in the flight missing its departure window, requiring passengers to be booked on a flight the following day.

“The time required to bridge the aircraft, deplane the passengers in question, retrieve their baggage, refile flight plans and other paperwork meant that it was too late to depart given that YYJ’s runway closes at 12:30 a.m.,” the airline said, using the three-letter airport code for Victoria International Airport.

The airline apologized for the impact the delay had on passengers’ travel plans.

The requirement for all passengers—including children—to be seated and buckled, or otherwise secured, during taxiing, takeoff, and landing comes from the federal Canadian Aviation Regulations, administered by Transport Canada.

Section 605.25(1) of the regulations says the pilot-in-command must direct everyone on board to fasten their safety belts during movement of the aircraft while on the ground, during takeoff and landing, and “any other time during the flight when the pilot considers it necessary.”

Section 605.25(2) specifically says those directions also apply to child restraint systems, which are typically used for infants who are not required to wear a seatbelt.

While the airline did not specify the age of the child, section 605.26(1)(b) makes it clear that a person responsible for an infant who has no child restraint system must “hold the infant securely in the passenger’s arms,” when directed to by the pilot or a flight attendant.

Airlines and their flight crews are required to comply with Canada’s aviation safety regulations, and Transport Canada can take enforcement action when those regulations are violated.