Score Another One for Porter

In the past month I’ve flown both Porter Airlines and Air Canada. On my five-hour flight to Vancouver on Air Canada, I wasn’t offered any kind of snack and us lowly Economy passengers were left to peruse the On-Board Café menu. I consider it a special kind of hell when grown adults are drooling over pictures of mini Pringles tubes and carrots with ranch dip costing $3 each (credit card payments only, of course!). The only substantial items are two uninspired sandwiches and a soggy Quizno’s Pepperoni Pizza for $7. Plus, if you’re trying to drown your food-related sorrows with alcohol, get ready to swipe away $6 for each hit.

Let’s compare this for a second with the complimentary snack box I received on my one-hour flight from Toronto to Newark, NJ on Porter Airlines.

The box opened up to reveal a turkey sandwich with brie cheese on cranberry brown bread, two oatmeal raisin cookies and a mini Lindt milk chocolate. The sandwich is only snack-sized but for a short-haul flight, it’s a civilized offering. And yes, that’s a tall glass of white wine that’s complimentary as well. This small gesture is the only reason I need to choose Porter Airlines over the competition whenever it’s an option. The convenient downtown Toronto location and awesome airport lounges (located in Toronto and Ottawa) are just added bonuses.

Note: I’ve been enamoured by airplane food since I was a kid. Here’s a look at a past Porter snack and the Delta Airlines Travel Delights box.