TORONTO — Porter Airlines is making changes at the top.
Kevin Jackson, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, has been named President of Porter Airlines.
Michael Deluce will continue in the position of CEO.
The airline is introducing the new senior leadership structure to support its ongoing development into a carrier with greater presence across North America.
“Porter’s continuing evolution into a company that is actively competing in key markets across the continent requires leaders to be focused on achieving all of our objectives,” said Deluce. “This starts with me recognizing that my energy is currently best used on initiatives that often have longer timelines. I will remain closely involved in Porter’s overall strategic direction, while Kevin oversees daily business matters and operations.”
Deluce will maintain overall responsibility for Porter, with a focus on strategic planning, maintaining a strong capital structure, managing key stakeholder relationships, and overseeing infrastructure investments like the Saint Hubert passenger terminal in Montréal. Deluce’s title as president and CEO of the airline’s parent company, Porter Aviation Holdings Inc., remains unchanged.
Jackson has been with Porter for the past 11 years, overseeing airport operations, technology, sales and marketing, communications, revenue management and customer experience. Jackson now oversees all commercial and operational teams. Prior to joining Porter he spent over a decade at America West Airlines and US Airways.
“What people are seeing from the outside is Porter quickly growing with many aircraft deliveries, the introduction of new routes and a level of service that is disrupting what travellers think is possible when flying in economy,” said Jackson. “As we continue expanding across North America, we are evolving internally by implementing a number of strategic initiatives that will ensure we compete aggressively in the marketplace and continue providing the high level of service that passengers expect from us. I’ve loved my time at Porter and this new position is an opportunity for me to support the entire Porter team in delivering the passenger experience we are all proud of.”
Porter’s expansion, first announced in July 2021 and launched in January 2023 with the first of dozens of brand new Embraer E195-E2s, has given the airline a network of 30 destinations and counting throughout North America. Porter’s fleet has doubled over the past year to 58 aircraft, for now split equally between the E195-E2s and the Dash 8-400s. Porter has confirmed orders for 75 E195-E2s, with purchase rights for an additional 25 E195-E2s.
