[Flying with Chris] Inaugural Flight-Toronto Island to New York on a Rare Aircraft

On the morning of March 29, 2026, a De Havilland Dash 8-400 dressed in Air Canada's maple leaf livery fired up its twin props on the apron at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ). It taxied onto Runway 26. And there I was, sitting in seat 2F, documenting every moment of Air Canada's brand-new route's maiden voyage.

1. Understanding the Constraints

To grasp the significance of the YTZ–LGA inaugural flight, you first need to understand what Billy Bishop Airport actually is. Here's the thing: if you're flying to Toronto, there's a 95% chance you're landing at Pearson. Billy Bishop, on the other hand, sits at the western tip of the Toronto Islands. No mental picture? Imagine turning Central Park—or Roosevelt Island—into an airport. YTZ is an airport embedded in the city, less than two kilometers from downtown as the crow flies. Walk through a 260-meter underwater tunnel and you're at the terminal. It's hands down the closest commercial airport to an urban core in North America. Period. During busy morning slots, a Bay Street banker can wrap up a meeting and be at the gate within 45 minutes flat.

Travelers make their way through the modern underground tunnel at YTZ, surrounded by vibrant artwork and illuminated signs.

So if this airport's so convenient, why do only 5% of flights use it?

Answer: constraints.

First, there are physical constraints. It's on an island. Runway length is locked in. There's virtually no room to expand. You can't just keep pushing outward, extending runways, adding taxiways like Toronto Pearson does. YTZ's main runway, 08/26, is only 1,200 meters long. The other runway, 06/24, clocks in at a mere 750 meters. Translation: the 737s and A320s we see everywhere? They can't land here. Full stop.

Schematic diagram illustrating the integration and proximity of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) to the downtown core, highlighting its location on Toronto Island and quick access via pedestrian tunnel or ferry, with a transit time of approximately 10 minutes.

Second, there are policy constraints. In 1983, the Canadian federal government, the City of Toronto, and the Toronto Port Authority signed what's commonly known as the "Tripartite Agreement"—a document that drew strict boundaries around Billy Bishop's operations: no runway extensions, no jets. The rationale was to protect the quality of life for residents on both sides of the island—surrounded by neighborhoods and parks on all sides. The price? This airport has been limited to turboprop aircraft for the past four decades.

The Tripartite Agreement carries another invisible constraint: US Preclearance. Preclearance allows passengers to clear US Customs, Immigration, and Agriculture inspections on Canadian soil before departure, so they arrive in the US as domestic passengers—no lines, no extra checkpoints. This system covers Canada's eight major airports, but Billy Bishop has always been the odd one out. The reasons range from insufficient facility space to regulatory prioritization issues, plus over a decade of negotiations spanning two US administrations that never bore fruit. No preclearance means no direct flights to airports like LaGuardia, which only have domestic arrival facilities.

Officials and dignitaries gather at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to mark the opening of the new pre-clearance facility, enhancing travel convenience and efficiency.

So you might be asking: how did YTZ solve this problem?

Short answer: it didn't.

First, the physical constraints haven't changed. The runway is still 1,200 meters. The island is still the island. The solution wasn't extending the runway—it was choosing the right aircraft. Aircraft like the Dash 8 Q400, a high-performance turboprop that can carry sufficient passengers at speed even on short runways, squeezing efficiency down to the last drop.

NoJetsTO advocates against jet expansion on Toronto's waterfront. Join the movement to preserve the city's natural spaces and protect local ecosystems.

Second, policy constraints haven't truly budged either. The "no jets" framework remains intact, but the market has shifted. In 2013, Porter Airlines petitioned to amend the Tripartite Agreement, requesting a roughly 200-meter extension on each end of the runway to accommodate the Bombardier CS100 jet (now the Airbus A220-100). The proposal set off a firestorm. A local residents' group, "NoJetsTO," sprang up overnight, vehemently opposing the plan on grounds of noise, safety, and urban planning. In 2015, the newly elected federal government flatly refused to reopen the Tripartite Agreement. Porter withdrew its application, and the CS100 plan was dead in the water. This setback was a watershed moment in Billy Bishop's history. It proved that market demand alone couldn't topple the political firewall of the Tripartite Agreement—and it inadvertently extended the lifespan of the turboprop monopoly. That is, until another card was played.

Nieuport 17 is suspended above the entrance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, surrounded by banners celebrating the airport's accolades.

2. The Flight Experience

Now that you understand YTZ's long-standing struggles, it's not hard to see why everyone's so pumped about Air Canada's new route.

First off, departing from downtown, I barely felt like I was "going to the airport." The cab ride from my hotel took seven minutes. Cars can only reach the mainland side; passengers must haul all their luggage into a 260-meter underground tunnel and walk to the terminal on the island side.

Once inside the terminal, the flow is refreshingly clean. No convoluted pathways, no excessive retail space. Check-in, security, preclearance—it's practically a straight line. You can immediately sense this airport is doing one thing: compressing time.

A sleek, modern underground tunnel with illuminated advertisements, including a vibrant poster for a Chinese Restaurant, lines the walkway.

On inaugural day, Air Canada set up five check-in counters: two for priority, three for economy. But there were no commemorative signs, no banners, nothing to indicate this was a maiden flight. The process mirrored standard check-in: document verification, baggage drop, the works. Worth noting: YTZ has zero self-service kiosks. Every check-in requires a counter agent. Given the modest passenger flow, having this many counters actually makes sense.

Passengers can check in at five Air Canada counters.

After check-in, passengers head to security. Then comes YTZ's pivotal game-changer: US Customs preclearance. After passing through Canadian security, I entered a dedicated CBP inspection zone. The screening was identical to any US land border crossing or Pearson: passport verification, travel purpose inquiry, declaration checks. Once cleared, passengers enter the transborder departure lounge in "precleared" status, meaning upon landing in the US, you disembark as a domestic passenger—zero additional steps.

Pre-Clearence Lane

For an airport of YTZ's size, the preclearance zone's physical layout is compact but rational. My advice: arrive at least 90 minutes before transborder flight departure to allow for queue buffers—especially during morning peak hours when multiple US-bound flights cluster. That said, based on today's real-world test, security and customs queues were each under five minutes.

After preclearance, passengers enter the transborder departure lounge. The terminal's architectural language aligns perfectly with its target demographic: high-net-worth, time-sensitive, efficiency-driven travelers. The lounge is single-story. The interior flow is stripped-down simple. Worth mentioning: every chair in the lounge is a plush armchair, reminiscent of China's high-speed rail business class waiting rooms. The entire vibe of YTZ feels like a private aviation terminal. Compared to a mega-hub like Pearson, YTZ has the intimacy of a long-distance bus station. The airport operator, Nieuport Aviation, knows full well that Billy Bishop's core competitive advantage is speed: from entering the tunnel to boarding the plane, the entire process can clock in at 30 minutes flat.

Comfortable seating and amenities at Billy Bishop Airport's resting area, offering relaxation for all passengers before their flights.

I'd barely sat down, munching on a bag of chips, when Air Canada started sending emails and announcements that the flight was delayed 30 minutes due to "aircraft preparation issues." For an inaugural flight, this is downright embarrassing. No ceremony to begin with, and now a 30-minute delay? I later chatted with the crew and learned the real reason was a mechanical issue—specifics undisclosed.

Thankfully, 30 minutes later, boarding began.

The boarding process is no-frills. Walk out of the gate, straight onto the tarmac, up the stairs, onto the plane.

3. About the Dash 8

Once on board, let's talk about today's aircraft.

Our aircraft, the DHC-8-400 (C-GUJZ) is stationed on the tarmac, connected to a boarding tunnel.

The DHC-8-400, commonly known as the Dash 8 or Q400, is a twin-engine turboprop regional airliner developed by De Havilland Canada. It first flew in 1998, initially produced by Bombardier, then sold to Longview Aviation Capital in 2019, which revived the De Havilland Canada brand. Its core selling point has always been the fastest cruise speed in its class: 360 knots (667 km/h)—a full 90 knots faster than its main rival, the ATR 72-600.

Power comes from Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A turboprops, each delivering 4,850 shaft horsepower, paired with Dowty six-blade composite propellers. The aircraft features an ANVS (Active Noise and Vibration Suppression) system that uses computers to actively cancel low-frequency vibrations from the props.

Air Jazz's fleet is currently retrofitting 25 Dash 8-400s with new cabins, installing France's Expliseat-manufactured TiSeat 2V lightweight seats, along with updated overhead panels, sidewalls, and LED lighting.

Passengers board the aircraft through an insulated jet bridge, really cool!

After boarding, I found myself in aircraft registration C-GUJZ (10 years old). The cabin layout is the classic 2-2 configuration, all-economy, 78 seats. The first four rows are Preferred Seating, available for CAD$50 via the Air Canada app before departure. I'm in 2F today—right-side economy, first row, which also happens to be the emergency exit row. Legroom? Solid.

Seat specs: standard 30-inch pitch, 17-inch width, 3-inch recline. For the North American short-haul market, this is textbook average.

Legroom bliss: Enjoying the spacious comfort of an exit row seat

Where it exceeds the textbook: peripheral features. Air Canada equipped the Dash 8 with complimentary Wi-Fi. This genuinely deserves applause—it's the world's first airline to outfit a Dash 8 with Wi-Fi and make it free. The Wi-Fi system is sponsored by Bell and was first rolled out in October 2025 on YTZ routes to Montreal and Ottawa. It's live on today's inaugural as well.

I tested it on two phones and an iPad. Verdict: this is one of the fastest inflight Wi-Fi systems I've ever used. I'd even say it's faster than most airlines' paid Wi-Fi. Real-world test: I streamed 720p videos on Bilibili without buffering, scrolled through Xiaohongshu effortlessly, and even downloaded apps. Mid-flight, I updated a ~75MB app. Done in seconds.

Enjoying seamless Instagram browsing in-flight, thanks to the fast and free Wi-Fi.

But after giving you blazing-fast internet, Air Canada basically phones it in everywhere else. Personal entertainment screens? Forget it. The real kicker: no seats have USB ports or universal outlets, meaning you can't charge your devices during the flight. I get it—for a 70-minute flight, no big deal. But you can never guarantee every passenger boards with a full battery. Morning flights, sure, you might be fine. But afternoon or evening departures? Business travelers heading straight into the city often need to jump into their next leg immediately—Uber, calls, maybe even straight to a meeting. For their efficiency, this is a real handicap.

A Porter Airlines Dash 8 (C-GLQJ) is parked at the airport. Competition it is!

Today's inaugural departed from Runway 26 using the MAVAN 2 departure procedure. Takeoff weight: 57,000 lbs (~26,000 kg), fuel load 6,000 lbs (~2,700 kg). V1: 107 knots, Vr: 113, V2: 125. Flight level FL-250, cruise speed approximately 0.581 Mach (350 knots TAS).

During taxi and takeoff acceleration, the PW150A's thrust pales compared to jets in the same category, but the rotation speed is correspondingly lower, and the aircraft lifts off in a relatively gentle attitude after a short runway segment. You can definitely feel noticeable shaking and vibration. The moment we left the ground, Toronto's skyline unfurled from the right side. Downtown landmarks like the CN Tower stood crisp against the sunrise.

A breathtaking view of Toronto’s skyline, featuring the iconic CN Tower, captured during takeoff.

Two minutes after takeoff, the flight attendants began service. Yes, two minutes. Air Canada's service on this route can be summed up in one word: bare-bones. The timing alone tells you everything: this flight's service has been ruthlessly compressed. But come on, Air Canada—it's your inaugural flight. This level of service is genuinely pathetic.

Compared to Porter Airlines' gourmet snack baskets and beverage selection, Air Canada's offering is a single pack of Biscoff cookies. Porter, meanwhile, serves economy passengers the same snack baskets as US domestic first class—chocolates, chips, the works.

Beverage-wise: juice comes from Canadian brand Oasis, sodas are the full Coca-Cola lineup. On this flight, ordering a Coke got you a cup, not the full can. Most absurd of all: because it's a morning flight—or perhaps due to the Dash 8's cramped storage—there was no ice on board. On this 70-minute "airborne shuttle," Air Canada's service isn't aiming to elevate the experience—it's just checking boxes.

Enjoying a cup of soda and a cookie while browsing onboard Wi-Fi on an Air Canada flight.

Halfway through the flight, I decided to check out the forward lavatory. Space is tight. At 6'1", I could barely stand upright. For the first time across all aircraft types I've flown, I encountered a toilet with no sink—just a bottle of hand sanitizer. The flush system is vintage old-school, straight out of a UA 757. The door handle is round and requires twisting, and the lavatory door is right next to the cockpit—so close that the cockpit door even has a toilet logo on it.

Compact restroom with a countertop for a hand sanitizer bottle. No sink?...

Let's test the decibels. Using my phone, the average reading hovered around 100 dB. Compared to mainstream regional jets, turboprops are loud as hell.

The Dash 8's overhead bins are positioned low and cramped. Passengers who stand up too quickly risk smacking their heads—which I did on my way to the lavatory.

Passengers seated inside Dash 8, mid-flight.

As the PW150A engines began to spool down, we entered LaGuardia's busy arrival procedure. As the aircraft crossed the East River, Midtown Manhattan's skyscrapers gradually emerged through the window.

View of one of the propeller engines of Dash 8

We touched down on LGA Runway 22 at 9:07 AM, total flight time one hour flat. The landing was on the firm side—the jolt from the Dash 8's landing gear hitting the pavement was palpable, marking the first-ever YTZ–LGA arrival.

One last detail, and honestly the most surprising part of the entire flight: the Dash 8 can dock at a jet bridge. Historically, turboprops are synonymous with remote stands and tarmac walks. But for a route chasing efficiency, your deplaning experience is identical to an A320 or 737.

Connected to a Jet Bridge!

After landing, the crew welcomed me into the cockpit for a brief tour. The Dash 8-400's flight deck isn't spacious. The center console houses the power levers, prop pitch levers, and fuel cutoff handles. Five Thales LCD displays are arranged in standard layout: Primary Flight Display (PFD), Navigation Display (ND), and Multifunction Display (MFD). The information architecture is clear; daytime readability is solid. Mechanical backup instruments are still present—altimeter and airspeed indicator—as required by airworthiness standards. The first officer briefly shared today's flight data.

The cockpit of Dash 8, showcasing advanced digital displays and control systems.

The captain walked me through some Dash 8 specs. The PW150A turboprop engine is what sets it apart from earlier Dash 8 series and the ATR 72. Each PW150A produces 4,850 shaft horsepower (3,620 kW)—2.7 times the Series 100's PW120 (1,800 hp) and nearly double the Series 300's PW123 (2,500 hp). As mentioned earlier, this power leap translates directly to cruise speed: the DHC-8-400 cruises at 360 knots (667 km/h), 60–90 knots faster than its predecessors and well ahead of the ATR 72-600's 270 knots.

The PW150A uses a FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) system, fully digitizing engine management. Pilots don't manually adjust fuel-air mixtures. The paired propeller is a Dowty R408 six-blade composite prop with a roughly 4-meter diameter, each blade aerodynamically optimized. During climb, noise and vibration from these props are actively suppressed by the ANVS system.

Additionally, the Dash 8's aerodynamic characteristics are quite unique in its class. The wing uses a high aspect ratio design (roughly 12:1), meaning the wing is extremely long relative to its chord, delivering exceptional lift-to-drag ratios and outstanding cruise fuel efficiency. High aspect ratio wings also improve lateral stability, performing steadily in turbulent air. The tail employs a T-configuration, with the horizontal stabilizer mounted atop the vertical fin. The engineering logic: keeping the horizontal stabilizer clear of propeller downwash (prop wash), ensuring cleaner airflow during low-speed and takeoff phases, boosting pitch control effectiveness. The T-tail is also highly distinctive—unlike the ATR 72's low-set horizontal stabilizer—making it the most reliable visual cue for identifying a Dash 8.

Our Dash 8 parked at LaGuardia

The landing gear is another noteworthy design detail: the main gear retracts into nacelles beneath the engines, keeping the fuselage belly clean and reducing drag from gear bays. The retraction axis runs between the wing leading edge and nacelle, creating a visually dramatic "legs-out" gesture that Dash 8 enthusiasts know well.

4. Conclusion | What's Next?

As a product, the YTZ–LGA route basically delivered what it promised today. No traffic from downtown, preclearance actually works, Wi-Fi is genuinely fast, landing means you walk straight out. Add it all up, and for business travelers shuttling between Toronto and New York, there's real value here.

But there are a few questions I still can't shake after landing.

Air Canada chose to launch this route with zero fanfare and a mechanical delay on inaugural day. Is this a four-star North American carrier brimming with swagger, opting for strategic understatement? Or just plain operational unpreparedness? A route that's been a decade in the making, two decades in negotiation, takes off on its maiden voyage without so much as a whisper. Should I interpret this as confidence—or carelessness?

Passengers waiting to board the first flight from LGA to Billy Bishop Toronto City.

I think the answer is this: Air Canada has never been selling "the flight experience"—it's selling "time arbitrage."

The traditional Toronto–New York route looks like this: downtown → Pearson → security → preclearance → flight → arrival → city center.

The YTZ–LGA route cuts out the time drain of getting to Pearson. The Bay Street and Midtown finance bros willing to pay for this route in the future would rather endure an hour of 115-decibel prop noise, no charging ports, and stale cookies than waste three hours at YYZ on check-in and queues.

Air Canada's "bare-bones approach" is essentially a calculated bet on its user profile. If you're already paying a premium for those two saved hours, then a missing sink and mediocre snacks in the cabin? Meh. No skin off your back.

Zoom out a bit. This route's ceiling is already written on the map. LaGuardia has limited slot capacity. YTZ has limited runway and flight capacity. This isn't a market that can expand infinitely. Meanwhile: Porter is flying Newark, Air Canada is flying LaGuardia. Same corridor, two completely different playbooks.

Modern and vibrant interior of LaGuardia Airport TB. Well-lit terminal adorned with greenery and welcoming facilities. I just love the new LGA!

Over the next year or two, three things will likely happen here: frequency will increase, product offerings will diverge, and a price war will erupt. What survives won't necessarily be the "cheapest" option, nor the one with "better service"—it'll be the route that compresses time the most.

So back to the original question: why does this route matter?

Because it proves that on one of North America's busiest corridors—the "Toronto–New York express," essentially a "NYC–LA line" or "NYC-Chicago line"—what truly holds value is making an existing distance shorter.