CASE STUDY: Porter Airlines gets fuel efficiency and much more

Author: Ian Markle, Manager of Flight Dispatch, Porter Airlines

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Ian Markle, Manager of Flight Dispatch at Porter Airlines shares the airline’s successful implementation of a dynamic flight optimization solution and the value that has delivered 

I’ll start by introducing readers to Porter Airlines, the airline at the heart of this case study.

PORTER AIRLINES

Porter Airlines began operations in 2006 with three De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 turboprop aircraft. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic began, the fleet had grown to 29 aircraft, though operations were suspended for 18 months. During that pause, Porter placed an order for 75 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, plus 25 options—becoming the first North American carrier to fly the E2.

Our E2 growth began in 2022. Today, we operate 47 E2s alongside 29 Dash 8s, serving every Canadian province and destinations across North America. This winter, our network expands to include the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. It’s been quite a journey – and we’re only getting started.

BEFORE THIS PROJECT AND THE BUSINESS CASE

Before adopting APiJET’s Digital Winglets, Porter used traditional flight planning software. Flight crews received their plans hours before departure, but once airborne, winds and other environmental conditions often shifted, leaving them without the most efficient options in real time.

The business case for Digital Winglets was straightforward: fuel savings. Fuel is the number-one cost driver for airlines worldwide, and every reduction in fuel burn also reduces CO₂ emissions. We also saw value in potential time savings, which are harder to quantify financially but meaningful in daily operations.

IMPLEMENTING APiJET IN PORTER AIRLINES

Implementation was complex. Multiple departments were involved, and at the same time we were introducing the new Embraer E2 – a type APiJET had never modeled before. This required building a detailed performance model and unlocking additional aircraft data to enable the best possible optimizations.

The first step was setting up direct data feeds (gate times, fuel on board, position data). Next, we provided fleet performance data so APiJET could build a custom model for Porter. The APiJET team then came on-site, spending time with dispatchers and leaders to understand the nuances of our operation before completing the engineering work to integrate the data and deliver real-time proposals.

Within about a month, APiJET produced optimization capabilities generating 3–4% fuel savings per flight, plus time savings. Training and fine-tuning followed, with APiJET working closely alongside our dispatchers to ensure the solution functioned smoothly in our environment.

As the first Canadian implementation, some unique challenges surfaced. For example, Digital Winglets initially didn’t account for Canada’s mandatory IFR routing rules, which required custom development. APiJET worked through these quickly, adapting the system to our airspace requirements.

HOW DIGITAL WINGLETS WORK

Digital Winglets is a real-time flight path optimization tool. Dispatchers use the interface to send optimizations to pilots, who can then request approval from Air Traffic Control. The system focuses on the cruise phase of flight, offering lateral (route), vertical (altitude), or combined adjustments from top of climb to top of descent.

Every five minutes, Digital Winglets evaluates potential improvements but typically identifies just one meaningful proposal per flight – striking the balance between efficiency and pilot workload. What sets it apart is active traffic deconfliction. The system incorporates known traffic positions, ensuring proposed changes won’t conflict with other aircraft. This increases the likelihood that ATC will approve the request. Behind the scenes, a genetic algorithm runs in real time to identify the best opportunities.

For dispatchers, sending a proposal is a single click. Pilots then evaluate whether to request ATC clearance.

DIGITAL WINGLETS IN PORTER AIRLINES

For Porter, adopting Digital Winglets required minimal process change. Dispatchers review optimizations against their systems and forward them to crews via ACARS. Pilots then request approval from ATC if appropriate.

The bigger challenge was technical alignment. The Embraer’s onboard Flight Management System (FMS) has limited computing power, so it didn’t always match Digital Winglets’ ground-based proposals. To resolve this, APiJET worked with Embraer performance engineers and collaborated with our pilot group. The goal wasn’t to make the numbers identical, but to build trust and validate the logic behind the proposals.

Because APiJET develops its performance models in-house, their team continually reviews, validates, and fine-tunes them. Over time, discrepancies narrowed and confidence among pilots grew. The ongoing refinement process continues to strengthen results.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

The project began in Q4 2024 with setup of data feeds and collection of performance data. Porter provided the required information within weeks. After a holiday pause, APiJET finalized the build in early 2025, taking about six weeks – slightly longer than usual since it was their first Canadian deployment.

Digital Winglets went live on March 24, 2025, with APiJET on-site for training. They returned regularly in the following months to address nuances and fine-tune the solution. By July 2025, the commercial agreement was in place.

OUTCOMES

From the outset, APiJET’s team was attentive and responsive. For Porter, the partnership has been mutually beneficial: we gained meaningful fuel and emissions savings (up to 3% fuel savings per optimized flight), while APiJET successfully entered the Canadian market. Most importantly, our pilots and dispatchers have found Digital Winglets intuitive and natural to use. Looking ahead, integration with our existing software will streamline workflows even further, reducing manual review and embedding optimization directly into daily operations.

FUTURE PLANS FOR DIGITAL WINGLETS AND PORTER’S USE

The product initially was developed for fuel savings, so it was meant for an airline to find more efficient ways to fly that would ultimately save fuel, reduce CO₂ emissions and support decarbonization efforts. The feedback that APiJET has received from airlines has overwhelmingly been that the fuel savings are great. However, it’s one thing to save fuel and another thing to optimize flights to the right variable at the right time and that is the direction that APiJET is taking with Digital Winglets.

Digital Winglets provides a powerful suite of tools that allow us to optimize flights in real-time for the most fuel-efficient routing, which improves on-time performance and helps us deliver the elevated passenger experience that Porter is known for. Our continuing fleet expansion means that each new aircraft is seamlessly added to the platform immediately. We’re excited about the potential the product will bring to the airline.