Flight Delayed Overnight as Toddler Resists Seatbelt Compliance

WHO:

Fox News - Passengers aboard Porter Airlines flight 444.

NDTV - A toddler and their parent involved in the incident.

WHAT:

Fox News - Porter Airlines flight 444 was canceled after a toddler refused to buckle their seatbelt.

NDTV - The flight was canceled after the child stood on the seat and refused to buckle the seatbelt, leading to passengers being stranded overnight.

NDTV - The airline stated that the aircraft could not take off in an unsafe condition, prompting the crew to return to the terminal.

WHERE:

Fox News - The flight was from British Columbia to Toronto.

NDTV - The flight originated from Victoria International Airport in Victoria, BC.

WHEN:

NDTV - The flight was canceled on Thursday (Aug 6).

NDTV - The time it took to deboard the toddler and parent and complete paperwork extended past 12:30 am local time, when the runway closed for the night.

WHY:

NDTV - The cancellation was due to safety concerns as the child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt.

HOW:

NDTV - Cabin crew members and the child's parent attempted to buckle the child's seatbelt but were unsuccessful, leading to the decision to deboard them.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 23:19 UTC)

Porter Airlines flight 444, which was traveling from Victoria International Airport in British Columbia to Toronto, was canceled after a toddler refused to buckle their seatbelt and stood on the seat. Despite attempts by cabin crew and the child's parent to secure the seatbelt, safety concerns prompted the crew to return to the terminal, leading to passengers being stranded overnight. The cancellation occurred on Thursday, August 6, and the deboarding process extended past 12:30 am local time, when the runway closed for the night.