Porter Airlines announced it is installing Expliseat TiSeat 2V ultra‑lightweight seats across all 29 of its De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft as part of a fleet‑wide cabin modernisation programme. The first upgraded aircraft have already entered service, with the remaining fleet slated for completion by autumn 2026.
Expliseat markets the TiSeat 2V as the world’s lightest aircraft seat in its category, constructed from carbon fibre and titanium. The manufacturer claims the seat can be up to 30% lighter than traditional economy seats, helping Porter lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions on its high‑frequency short‑haul routes.
In addition to the seats, Porter is equipping the Dash 8 fleet with LED mood lighting, new LED reading lights and fresh cabin carpeting. The airline says it is keeping the existing cabin layout unchanged, preserving 30‑inch pitch in PorterClassic and 32‑inch pitch in PorterReserve, and retaining the 2‑2 seat configuration with no middle seats.
Kent Woodside, Porter’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said passenger feedback identified seat comfort as a meaningful part of the travel experience, even on shorter regional flights. He added that the cabin refresh will noticeably renew the onboard environment and make Porter the first Canadian airline to operate Dash 8 aircraft with this enhanced cabin design.
Jean-François Tessier, Expliseat’s Vice President of Sales for North America, noted the upgrade reflects the companies’ long‑standing commitment to combining innovative seating technology with lightweight performance, operational efficiency and passenger comfort. Porter’s Dash 8‑400s serve regional routes across Eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, complementing its growing fleet of Embraer E195‑E2 jets on longer domestic and international sectors.
