Porter Airlines has become the latest carrier to place a fresh focus on the comfort of its economy class passengers, revealing today that it will bring new, more comfortable seats to its De Havilland Q400s as part of a range of PaxEx enhancements.

Following a string of recent announcements that suggest physical comfort is table stakes — see Cathay Pacific’s decision to refresh its A321neos with greater legroom, WestJet’s cabin densification u-turn, and Emirates’ move to take its already-stellar economy product up a notch with a game-changing new headrest — Porter today revealed it will upgrade its Q400s with Expliseat’s latest-generation TiSeat 2V seats, assuring that the seats will “enhance passenger comfort and convenience.”

The move represents a reversal for Porter Airlines, which densified its Q400 cabins with Expliseat’s ultra-slimline TiSeat E2 seats during the COVID pandemic. And it addresses concerns flagged by Porter’s customers about the E2 seats.

Yes, those E2s ticked some important boxes: they are extremely lightweight and consequently, more sustainable. But, as Runway Girl Network contributor Jason Rabinowitz observed in a 2025 trip report, the padding is “woefully inadequate” — a stark contrast to the generously padded seats on Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 twinjets.

“While I actually had no problem with the 30″ pitch and non-reclining nature of the seat, the seat padding was woefully inadequate. It seemed to be particularly weak at the back of the seat pan, right where most of my body weight ended up,” Rabinowitz wrote at the time.

“This experience might be fine for a short hop between Toronto and Montreal, but Porter operates the Q400 on some longer routes and I sure wouldn’t want to be on board one during a three-hour taxi out to the runway at Newark.”

Porter executive vice president and chief operating officer Kent Woodside acknowledges that the carrier’s passengers have made themselves heard.

“Our passengers told us that seat comfort is a meaningful part of their experience, even on shorter regional flights. Updating seats, along with other cabin upgrades, will noticeably refresh and modernize the overall environment,” he says.

“Porter is known for providing a globally recognized flying experience, and we’ll continue prioritizing comfort and genuine hospitality as part of our standards. We are pleased to be the first Canadian airline operating with enhanced Dash 8 cabins.”

The 2V seats feature “redesigned seat and back cushions, custom-developed to Porter’s specifications, updated tray tables and an integrated personal electronic device holder for hands-free viewing,” Porter says. First-row seats have also been redesigned with new tray tables to provide additional personal space.

As part of the refurbishment, legroom and the Q400’s 2-2 cabin configuration remain unchanged, with Porter continuing to operate the turboprops with 78 seats, featuring a 30″ pitch in its standard economy offering, dubbed PorterClassic, and a 32″ pitch in the front-row, extra-legroom PorterReserve seats.

Other cabin enhancements include installing LED technology with mood lighting, LED reading lights, and new carpeting.

The first refreshed aircraft is already in service, with Porter’s full fleet of 29 Q400s expected to be completed this fall.

“We are proud to continue supporting Porter as it invests in the evolution of its cabin experience,” says Expliseat’s vice president, sales North America, Jean-Francois Tessier.

“This refresh reflects our shared commitment to combining innovative seating technology with lightweight performance, operational efficiency and enhanced passenger comfort—principles that have defined our collaboration for several years.”

Related Articles:

• Why Porter Airlines E195-E2 eclipses the Q400 experience
• Expliseat launches business seat and signs first US airline customers
• WestJet takes U-turn on densified economy aboard 737 MAX 8s
• Press Release: Expliseat positioned as seat supplier to CRJ operators

Featured image credited to Porter Airlines