A former abandoned industrial building set the scene for one of the most impressive parties our region has seen in recent memory. As for the impeccable host, it was a raccoon.
Mr. Porter is the anthropomorphic brand mascot for Toronto-based Porter Airlines.
Hundreds of guests were invited on Thursday to the company’s so-called “house party”, where, thankfully, the leave-your-shoes-at-the-door rule did not apply.
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For Ginger Bertrand, some of her earliest childhood memories in Ottawa are centred around healthcare. “I grew up across the street from what was originally the General Hospital,” she explains,
The venue, with its exposed brick walls, concrete floors and open spaces, offered the perfect urban loft-feel that organizers were going for. The party was held at Zibi House, which is part of a remarkable mixed-use development project that spans the Ottawa River, involving both Gatineau and Ottawa.
The evening celebrated Porter’s growing presence in Ottawa, which remains its fastest-growing market outside of Toronto. It also allowed guests to enjoy all the key elements of the airline’s onboard service, kind of like getting the full Porter experience without stepping on an actual plane.
“What we’re doing is creating a brand immersive space,” Porter Airlines president Kevin Jackson said in an interview.
The party went all out. For example, many guests received a parting swag bag that included a complimentary flight from Porter Airlines.
The unique, modern and fresh vibe captured everything Porter believes it should be as an airline. Normally, what the public would get is “someone like me, in front of the room, with a power point,” said Jackson. “We said to the team, ‘No talking heads’. We want people to come into this space, we want them to take in this space and to see the key messaging around the space, that educates them as to what makes Porter different.”
Porter brought in U.K.-born, U.S.-based progressive house sensation Marsh, who sells out clubs and festivals. They got the word out through social media that the successful DJ and producer was coming to town, and that his fan base was invited to come. Registration reached its limit within minutes.
Roughly an hour into the night, the company slid back some doors to reveal a private party Marsh was hosting with his fans. Instantly, the corporate gathering collided with an electro dance party in a way that was unexpectedly exciting. Marsh worked his music magic while flight attendants waved airport safety wands in the air and swayed in rhythm to the music’s beats. The audience was both a mix of young people and of social media influencers, some of whom wore aviator outfits.
At the party, sections of the venue were transformed into rooms one might find in an urban loft, including a walk-in closet, living room and office. The main mingling area felt like a rooftop terrace with its glass ceiling and hanging outdoor string lights.
The seating areas were configured solely in pairs because, just like on Porter flights, there are no middle seats to cramp the passengers’ style.
Guests were encouraged to don captain hats and neckerchiefs made readily available before stepping into a fun photo booth that resembled the cover of the airline’s inflight magazine, re:porter. There was also a conspicuous map displaying all the destinations Porter currently serves from Ottawa, along with its future destinations.
Included on the map was the new direct service between Ottawa and St. John’s, N.L. It just began Thursday.
Attendees included Porter Airlines founder Bob Deluce, Ottawa Tourism CEO Michael Crockatt and Ottawa International Airport Authority president and CEO Mark Laroche.
Images of Mr. Porter were displayed throughout the venue. There were framed photos on desks and shelves, and hanging from walls, of the animated mascot visiting Porter destination cities. When the airline first launched in 2006, it created the mascot as a way of differentiating itself in the market. It specifically chose the raccoon because it’s so emblematic of urban life in Toronto, and renowned for its cheeky personality.
Key to the party experience were the culinary dishes offered that night. Porter is particularly proud of the fresh food it serves on its flights. “I would argue that it is to a level that you will not find in economy on any other carrier that I know of,” said Jackson.
All of its passengers have access to the same menu, whether they’re flying with the perks available on PorterReserve or with an à-la-carte experience with PorterClassic. “Everyone can have the same food onboard,” said Jackson. “That’s really core to the brand, because the brand believes in treating everyone with the same level of quality service. Everyone gets free beer and wine on board, everyone gets free snacks on board.”
The Mr. Porter House Party marked the third time the airline company has hosted such a celebration in a major city, having thrown similar parties in Vancouver and Toronto last year. “I love watching social media because that’s where you really see the power of it,” said Jackson, referring to the staggering 1.7 million social media impressions from the Toronto bash. It involved a crowd of 650 people, many of whom were social media influencers.
When Porter began, its first destination was Ottawa. Prior to the pandemic, it had as many as 19 departures a day to the nation’s capital, with some flights timed every 45 minutes.
While COVID upended business travel, the airline is back to eight flights a day from the Billy Bishop island airport with another four from Pearson International.
Porter is in the process of growing its fleet of up to 100 new E195-E2 jets, manufactured by Embraer. The aircrafts are allowing the airline to fly to more non-stop destinations across North America. As part of its growth plan, one of the markets that Porter is aggressively expanding into is Ottawa.
Porter serves 16 non-stop destinations out of Ottawa. It’s expecting to fly two million people this year, compared to three-quarters of a million last year.
“It’s significant growth,” said Jackson. “We’re the largest carrier in Ottawa this summer by the number of seats and the number of departures, and we’re continuing to grow.”
On top of that, Porter just opened a brand new aircraft hangar at the Ottawa airport and is growing its team from about 200 members in Ottawa to about 400 by the end of the year, said Jackson.
Porter is making a significant investment in Ottawa, Jackson emphasized. “Our intent is to become Ottawa’s hometown airline.”
Jackson indicated that Porter is drawn to the Ottawa market due to its business sector and its demand for leisure travel. Porter already offers direct service from Ottawa to several destinations across North America, including Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in Florida. It’s looking to add more direct flights from Ottawa to Florida destinations, as well as to California, Las Vegas and the Caribbean. In Ottawa, many people have been accustomed to travelling via Toronto or Montreal to reach various destinations, said Jackson. “We are now introducing non-stop services that were previously unavailable in this market.”
caroline@obj.ca
