Airline forced to cancel flight after child refused to sit down and buckle up

Porter Airlines canceled a Toronto-bound flight after a child refused to sit down and buckle up before takeoff, leaving the aircraft unable to depart safely. The incident occurred Thursday evening at Victoria International Airport (British Columbia), when a flight attendant noticed the child standing in their seat and not complying with requests to secure the seatbelt, according to the Toronto-based airline. The parent and crew were unable to get the child seated and restrained. Because the plane “could not take off in this unsafe condition,” the crew returned the Embraer E195-E2 to the terminal to remove the parent, child and their baggage. The delay pushed the trip past the airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway closure. Porter apologized, and passengers were rebooked on the following day’s flight.