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PORTER AIRLINES
AirTrain dropped me in the middle of the terminal and after going up a short flight of stairs, I was in the main ticketing area. The Porter Airlines counter was just a few yards away (near Alitalia which, incidentally, might soon be defunct) and the wait took all of 20 seconds to check in and get my boarding pass. NOTE: Porter Airlines doesn't allow online check-in for international flights but they do for domestic destinations (Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa). Obviously, Porter Airlines is a Canadian-based airline and began flying to the U.S. in late March 2008. Porter bills themselves as "an airline that does it right," which I thought was a lot of hype until a few of my friends raved about them. That's one reason I gave them a whirl ... that and the fact that they were much cheaper than any other airline between the two cities. FYI: Porter flies between Newark and Toronto seven times a day.

MY PORTER EXPERIENCE
There was no lineup at security, which was nearby. The gate area had plenty of seats but it was depressing as it's quite old. Fortunately, that theme didn't carry over to Porter's planes. They are brand spanking new! Boarding began at 1:15pm for a 1:45pm departure; they begin with rows 10 through 18 and are strict. They fly Canadian-built Bombardier Q400s. The Q supposedly stands for "The Quiet One" but it wasn't all that quiet. It was actually difficult to hear the PA announcements and the safety demonstration, which is done in Canada's two official languages, English and French. The modern plane had leather seats, lots of legroom and a 2x2 configuration so there's no dreaded middle seat. There's only one class of service and economy holds 70 passengers. They offer just three types of fares so you know what you're getting and the ticket rules don't require a Master's Degree to understand. The flight attendants wear retro uniforms, complete with a hat and scarf and offer a snack and beverage service on all flights, including complimentary soft drinks, wine and beer. On my flight, the snack choices were terra chips, oatmeal cranberry bar (from Dare Foods) or mixed nuts. Porter's own branded bottles of water are shaped like the mini Fiji bottles of waters but these are bottled in Montreal at Blue Orchid Waters. On my morning return flight, they served cinnamon danishes, yogurt and granola. While many airlines are getting rid of in-flight magazines, Porter has stepped it up a notch and offers a small booklet with pertinent stories from the same publisher of Wallpaper Magazine.

NEWARK TO TORONTO
At takeoff, the plane was only a third full. Flight time took 59 minutes and we flew right over Niagara Falls, which was amazing to watch. I found it surprising that the pilot didn't announce it. I had no idea where the Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ) was located and for a moment, it looked like we were going to land right next to Toronto's most famous building -- the CN Tower. (BTW: I had dinner at the top of the CN Tower last year in the 360 Restaurant). Anyways, then I saw the runway. Let me tell you: This has to be one of the most convenient city airports I have ever been to. The only one I have been to that possibly compares is the Reykjavik Airport (RKV). We had a smooth landing and pulled right up to the airport door. It was literally just two steps off the plane and I was in the building. I was the third person off and just followed the signs to customs where there were two agents patiently waiting. They spent about one minute with each visitor: Why are you in Canada? Who are you visiting? Where are you staying? For how long? I cleared customs and walked about 50 yards to the airport ferry.

TORONTO CITY CENTRE AIRPORT
Yep, the airport is actually on an island. There's a free ferry that goes to the mainland every 10 minutes and it takes just two minutes to cross, which is way too short because the view of downtown Toronto is amazing. Porter also offers a free shuttle that goes to The Royal York Hotel, which is centrally located. (I stayed there a few years ago). I have to say that this airport and airline make traveling to Canada a complete joy. And the return flight was even better (except for the fact that the U.S. doesn't offer immigration here as they do at Toronto's Pearson Airport). Porter's waiting room at the Toronto City Airport is equivalent to airline club lounges. There are comfortable seats, free newspapers, Mac computers, free WiFi (though I couldn't connect), snacks and drinks. NOTE: Passengers used to be able to show up just 30 minutes before flight time until a few weeks ago. Since then, the required check-in time has changed to 60 minutes because U.S. officials were fining the airline for not handing over the flight manifest in time. Porter Airlines, Tel: 416-619-8622 or toll-free 1-888-619-8622.

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