Zoom Airlines is no More

[JohnDotCom]

Just in case any members have flights booked with Zoom airlines...

I today, very early this morning, with others had to take an Aircraft from crew and passengers at Cardiff airport.
This jet is now being held for non payment to us and others.

The company which is a transatlantic budget carrier has now ceased trading will be going into administration and anyone that has tickets for flights
should Re book with alternative carrier and claim off their credit card Company.
Currently there are thousands of ticket holders in this position.

Other Planes were held at Glasgow and Gatwick in the UK.

UK - Canadian Zoom blamed their problems on $50 million added fuel Bills, Increased service Costs and slowdown in economy.

I hope you have not been affected by this.


Zooming No More. All 7 planes in UK Grounded.


EDIT: Zoom has now gone into Protected admininstration after its other Planes were refused fuel deliveries leaving many Passengers Stranded.
Full report below in Post 8.

[tourerfogey]

Zoom Airlines?? Never heard of them! Sympathies for anyone who has booked tickets but I think I would be very wary of an airline with a gimmicky name like that in the first place...

[stocktake]

Hope it doesn't happen on Monarch within the next two weeks

[JohnDotCom]

In last year TF they flew over 500,000 thousand Passengers,
so not as small as you may think.

Many other Airlines will be going down the Pan,
so only ever book with credit card for Protection.

[Greeners]

Flew with them last year, absolutely superb airline, and it's a real loss that they are no more.

[Sancho]

Thank god. I'm off to Canada in two weeks time and, against others' recommendations, decided not to go with Zoom and to fly Northwest instead.

I guess you're going to tell me they want bust a month ago.....

[JohnDotCom]

Since NWA merged with Delta airlines they have now become the biggest carrier by traffic,
so hopefully you should be safe.

[JohnDotCom]

Here is the BBC's view of todays events:


Transatlantic budget carrier Zoom Airlines has suspended all flights and is applying to go into administration.

Thousands of passengers due to fly with Zoom have been told to rebook with other carriers, and to contact credit or debit card issuers about refunds.
Earlier, two of the airline's jets were held at Glasgow and Cardiff airports.
UK-Canadian Zoom blamed its problems on the "horrendous" price of jet fuel - which had added $50m (£27.3m) to annual fuel bills - and the economic slowdown.

'Desperately sorry'
Zoom, which has flown since 2001, employs 450 staff in Canada and 260 staff in the UK.
It operated flights from London Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff and Belfast, as well as Paris and Rome.

It is a tragic day for our passengers and staff
Zoom Airlines

Analysis: More turbulence ahead?


And it flew to eight destinations in Canada, New York, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale and Bermuda.

Zoom's co-founder Hugh Boyle told BBC News he "did not hold much hope" of finding new investors to salvage the company.

"We are very, very sad and disappointed that we thought we could pull through this very difficult situation," he said.

"We had some financing in place, but sadly it didn't come quick enough to avert some of the creditors who came in today to seize one of the planes, which resulted in a domino effect of the situation that we're faced with".
In a statement, Mr Boyle and his brother John said they "deeply regretted" having to suspend all Zoom operations.

One of the grounded planes had been due to leave Glasgow on Thursday


"It is a tragic day for our passengers and staff," they said.
"We are desperately sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment that this will cause passengers and those who have booked flights.
"We have done everything we can to support the airline and left no stone unturned to secure a re-financing package that would have kept our aircraft flying."

This was supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime for my wife and I


William Moonie
Would-be Zoom passenger

Passengers hit at Glasgow

They added that hopes of securing a new investment package to ensure future operations had failed, meaning administration procedures had to begin.
Zoom said BA and Virgin Atlantic were offering "special" fares for passengers whose flights had been cancelled.
Trip jeopardy
The announcement came after one of its planes was detained at Glasgow Airport for non-payment of air traffic control charges.

WHAT SHOULD ZOOM AIRLINES' PASSENGERS DO?

Any Zoom flight you have booked will not be departing. If you still wish to travel, Zoom recommends contacting other carriers and lists several on its website

If your flight is part of a package holiday originating from the UK, you may be able to make a claim under the CAA's Air Travel Organiser's Licence (Atol) scheme.

If you have paid for a Zoom flight, contact your credit card or debit card issuer to see if they can refund your money

Source: Zoom Airlines

Meanwhile passengers on a flight from Cardiff were told to get off their Zoom plane, which was then impounded. (Ooops sorry about that)

One of the passengers due to fly from Glasgow to Vancouver said he had been told on Thursday morning that there was a "technical difficulty" with the aircraft, and that the plane would not leave until 11pm.
"Then at 7 o'clock the British airport authorities started telling us that Zoom Airlines had entered into administration and basically that we could go home," William Moonie told BBC News.
"This was supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime for my wife and I. I've just retired from the fire service after 30 odd years and my wife is 50 this year.
"We were going to have a celebration holiday. We were supposed to go on a cruise to Alaska and supposed to go to the Rocky Mountains by train."
He added he was hopeful that, because his flight was part of a package holiday, he may be covered by the CAA's Air Travel Organiser's Licence (Atol) scheme.

Cutting back
A number of other budget long-haul carriers have gone into administration in recent months, including Hong Kong-to-London carrier Oasis and business class transatlantic firms Eos, Maxjet and Silverjet.

They had based their business model on oil prices of about $70 or $80. When it topped $140, Zoom simply could not cope


Simon Calder
Travel editor, The Independent

The rising cost of oil - which topped $147 a barrel in July - has led to aviation fuel bills soaring.
"They had based their business model on oil prices of about $70 or $80," said Simon Calder, travel editor of The Independent.
"Once it topped $140 they simply could not cope."
He added that "tens of thousands" of passengers were likely to suffer. Airline analysts say that with consumers being more cost-conscious, many were cutting back on luxury spending such as travel

[stevemac]

Originally Posted by tourerfogey

Zoom Airlines?? Never heard of them! Sympathies for anyone who has booked tickets but I think I would be very wary of an airline with a gimmicky name like that in the first place...

You mean like EasyJet

[uk_dave&gill]

Spare a thought for my mum, nephew and ex-sister in law....

They flew out to Vancouver with Zoom on the 19th (I took them to Gatwick as per another post somewhere, the number plate one I think). They were due to fly back with Zoom on the 8th September, but obviously won't be doing now...

Hoping that they paid by credit card, as they are not on a package, they are staying with relatives. On a positive note they've got a week to sort it out, none of them has to get back by a specific time for anything vital (mum retired, nephew at school and ex-SIL works for her dad) and as they are staying with relatives, they won't be thrown out of accommodation!

Still worrying though.....