A Porter Airlines flight headed from British Columbia to Toronto was reportedly canceled after a toddler repeatedly refused to sit down and fasten their seatbelt while the plane was preparing for takeoff.
While crew members and the child’s parents tried to resolve the situation, their efforts failed, and the aircraft had to return to the terminal.
The delay caused the flight to miss the airport’s overnight runway closure, forcing passengers to wait until the next day to continue their trip.
The incident quickly divided social media users, with several blaming the parents.
“Who is in charge? A toddler took over the entire plane! Not in my days. And not my children. Discipline starts early,” one commenter wrote.
A Porter Airlines flight was canceled after a toddler refused to wear a seatbelt
The incident occurred on the night of August 6 aboard Porter Airlines Flight PD444, which was scheduled to fly from Victoria International Airport (YYJ) in British Columbia to Toronto, per CTV News.
According to Porter Airlines, the aircraft had already pushed back from the gate and was taxiing toward the runway when crew members noticed a young child “standing in their seat” instead of remaining buckled in.
The airline further shared with The New York Post that both the child’s accompanying parent and members of the cabin crew tried to get the toddler to sit down and fasten the seatbelt.
Despite those efforts, the child continued refusing.
Because passengers must remain properly restrained during takeoff for safety reasons, the crew decided they could not continue.
In a statement, the airline explained, “The aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark.”
Once the aircraft returned to the gate, the family left the plane, and their checked baggage had to be removed.
The crew also had to complete new paperwork and refile the flight plan before another departure could even be considered.
The delay due to the child caused the flight to miss the airport’s overnight runway closure
Although the situation with the child was eventually resolved, another problem quickly followed.
Victoria International Airport closes its runway overnight at 12:30 a.m.
According to Porter Airlines, by the time the family had deplaned, baggage had been unloaded, and all the required paperwork had been completed, the aircraft had missed the departure window.
As a result, the flight had to be canceled altogether.
Passengers were forced to spend the night in Victoria before boarding a replacement flight the following day.
Flight tracking data later showed the rescheduled flight departed at 10:49 p.m. local time on Friday and arrived in Toronto at 6:16 a.m. the next morning.
Porter apologized to everyone affected.
“We apologize for the effect this had on other passengers.”
Victoria International Airport also confirmed that the flight had been delayed and ultimately canceled because it could not depart before the scheduled airfield closure.
While many people online focused on the inconvenience caused by the delay, airlines said the rule is not optional
Porter explained that children must be properly restrained during takeoff because unexpected movements or sudden braking on the runway can create serious safety risks.
The airline also noted that Transport Canada strongly recommends approved child restraint systems during all phases of flight.
“It provides the highest degree of protection for your infant or child and its use during flight will help in case of unanticipated turbulence.”
Parents traveling with children under two who occupy their own seat must use an approved child restraint device. In contrast, older children must remain seated with their seatbelt securely fastened whenever instructed by the crew.
Because the toddler repeatedly stood up while the aircraft was preparing for departure, the crew could not legally continue with the takeoff until the situation was resolved.
The incident quickly sparked a heated debate about parenting and airline rules
Several people across social media blamed the parents.
One user wrote, “That gentle parenting crap.”
Someone else believed the solution should have been immediate, writing, “No. You remove the child and his parents from the plane and proceed with the flight.”
A third added, “Good grief. What kind of parents can’t get their child to do one simple thing?”
One more user suggested a stricter policy, adding, “You have 10 minutes to rectify said situation, then off the plane with kid and family.”
A few imagined how stressful the situation must have been. “I imagine it involved lots of blood-curdling screaming,” one said, while another wrote, “That’s a new level of tantrum that’s gonna be brought up against them for the rest of their life.”
However, not everyone blamed the parents.
One person shared their own experience, writing, “And this is why I never flew with my toddler. I would have managed to buckle him, but he would have screamed and struggled the whole time. He hated being stuck and could not be reasoned with or distracted.”
This is not the first time a toddler has delayed a flight because of a seatbelt dispute
In July 2026, a traveler shared a story on Reddit about a flight to Sweden that was delayed by about an hour after a three-year-old refused to sit in their own seat during takeoff preparations.
The passenger blamed what they called “incompetent parents” and said the family eventually had to leave the aircraft.
According to the post, the delay meant the plane had to be refueled, baggage had to be removed, and weight calculations had to be completed again before takeoff.
The traveler even said they would pay extra for adults-only flights.
However, many Reddit users defended the parents, with one saying, “Even good, experienced parents can’t control a toddler at some point.”
“They canceled the flight instead of booting the family? Insane,” wrote one user
