TORONTO -- Porter Airlines says it is pushing back its restart date amid ongoing travel restrictions.

The airline had hoped to resume flights this summer, but said Tuesday that won’t be possible and it will instead aim to restart service on Oct. 7.

“We want to see our planes in the sky as soon as possible and are actively working to prepare for our resumption of service,” the airline said in a statement. “However, the ongoing uncertainty presented by government travel restrictions, including border closures, is impacting our ability to operate flights.”

Porter said its flights to Muskoka, Ont. and Stephenville, N.L. have now been cancelled for the rest of the year.

The airline said it is “closely watching developments” and expects to eventually offer travel options as part of the recovery.

“Porter is preparing to introduce enhanced health and safety measures for its return to service,” the statement read.

The company is waiving change and cancellation fees on all flights and vacation packages booked between now and Oct. 7.

The airline industry has been hard-hit by the pandemic. Flights are allowed, but travel is generally being discouraged unless essential.

The Canada-U.S. border also remains closed to non-essential travel. It will remain that way until at least August 21. But with case numbers still soaring in many U.S. states, it seems unlikely the situation will change soon.