[SpongeG]

:( damn theres goes another one

Zoom Airlines suspends operations

RICHMOND (NEWS1130) - Another Canadian airline has been grounded. Ottawa-based Zoom Airlines has suspended all operations, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in Canada and Britain.

Don Ehrenholz with airport operations at Vancouver International says 3 local flights are affected. "Zoom Airlines had 3 flights to Vancouver from Europe arriving in the early afternoon. They would have been turning around into 3 outbound flights later in the afternoon. We understand the planes are being held at various other airports and they will not be arriving in Vancouver."

Ehrenholz says YVR staff will be on hand to help Zoom passengers in any way they can. The discount carrier says the economic downturn and the unprecedented rise in aviation fuel costs have made it impossible to continue operations.

More information for Zoom Airlines passengers is available on their website (http://www.flyzoom.com/).

http://www.news1130.com/news/topstory/article.jsp?content=20080828_144210_34164

[KrisYYC]

Yep, the first sign was when one of their 767's was repo'd last night in YYC.

[harls]

I was stranded by Jetsgo when it folded a couple of years ago... I feel for these passengers.

[SpongeG]

i heard on the news they owe $400,000 to Calgary's airport

passengers were told they need to find their own way home or to now - thats gotta suck

[circle33]

A discount airline going titters....I think I've heard this story before.

[Bigtime]

Just the first of many around the world that will probably suffer the same fate.

Sucks for those people stranded, but it is also part of the risk of utlizing operators like Zoom in times like this. Some of us that are privy to more insider information probably wouldn't have been booking with Zoom for the last few months with all the whispers of trouble facing them.

[Rathgrith]

I was stranded by Jetsgo when it folded a couple of years ago... I feel for these passengers.

Did you get you money back? Or how did that work out?

[DAVEinEDMONTON]

Did you get you money back? Or how did that work out?

I think residents of Quebec pay into a fund that covers exactly these circumstances and anyone who is from Quebec should get their money back. As for anyone else, I think you would need to rely on your credit card to see if they will give a refund as the services have not been provided and some credit cards will give a refund according to their credit card policies.

However, that is all a small consolation if you are stranded and have to pay a higher airfare to get back home plus all the other costs such as extra nights stay at hotels, lost days from work etc...

[harls]

Did you get you money back? Or how did that work out?

I got a full refund from Visa.. I had to send them a letter explaining that I contacted the company and did not receive the service I paid for. Dave in Edmonton is right, Quebec residents would have been covered if Visa refused to reimburse me. Luckily it didn't come to that.

[Kevin_foster]

If you use a discount airline, or hell, any airline, try to use your credit card...

[Calgarian]

Why do people keep trying to start these discount carriers? they always go belly up after a year or two.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Hey, Zoom Airlines was a great airline for as long as it lasted. I flew it about 4 years ago and the price and service were great. As far as why people start new airlines, isn't it obvious why? There is a lot of demand for air travel, especially between Canada and European destinations. They were in business for over 6 years. Westjet started as a discount airline and they have carved out quite a significant niche in the market, so don't blame people who try to start businesses.

[Greco Roman]

Yep, the first sign was when one of their 767's was repo'd last night in YYC.

I saw that plane at the Calgary Airport on Wednesday evening, just sitting there. I wondered what was going on with that.

[Dmajackson]

It left 213 passengers standed at HSIA. It also owed our airport $100'000. The airport is already in the process of getting the money back.

Apparently one of their airplanes was broken down the other night requiring passengers to pay for a cab to a nearby hotel (which the cab drivers denied many people rides). So they were stuck on the plane for 7 hours then had to pay for a cab and hotel room then the next day the were left without a flight...

[Distill3d]

just to reflect:


Air Alliance (1988 - 1999, to Air Nova)
Air Atlantic (1980s-1998)
Air Baffin (1990-?) (now Air Nunavut)
Air BC (1980 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)
Air Canada Tango (2001 - 2003; name retained as a type of fare on its regular Air Canada services)
Air Club International (1993 - 1996) - Chartered airlines with flights to Europe
Air Dawson (-1997?)
Air Nova (1986 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)
Air Ontario (1987 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)
AllCanada Express (1989 - 2005)
Austin Airways (1934 - 1987, to Air Ontario)
Baxter Aviation (1985-2007; sold to West Coast Air)
Canada 3000 (1988 - 2001, formerly Canada 2000)
Canada West Air (1986 - 1990)
Canada West Airlines (2002 - 2004)
Canadian Airlines (1987 - 2001, to Air Canada)
Canadian Airways (1930 - 1941)
Canadian Colonial Airways (1929 - 1942)
Canadian Pacific Airlines (also known as CP Air) (1942 - 1987, to Canadian Airlines International)
Canadian Regional Airlines (1991 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)
City Express (ceased operations 1991)
Colonial Airlines (1942 - 1956; sold to Eastern Air Lines)
Eastern Provincial Airways (1949 - 1987, to Canadian Airlines International)
Fortunair
Globemaster Air Cargo (2003 - 2004)
Great Lakes Airlines (to Air Ontario)
Greyhound Air (1996 - 1997)
Harmony Airways (2002 - 2007)
Ilford-Riverton Airways (1960 - 1986)
Inter-Canadien (1987-1998; to Canadian Airlines International)
Jetsgo (2002 - 2005)
Knighthawk Air Express (1993 - 2004)
Lamb Air (1934 - 1981)
Maestro (2006 - 2007)
Maritime Central Airways (1941 - 1980s)
Millardair (1962 - 1990)
NAC Air (North American Charters) (2000 - 2008)
Nationair (1984 - 1993)
Newfoundland Airways (1948 - 1983, to Air Labrador)
Norcanair (1947 - 1987)
Nordair (1951 - 1987)
NorOntair (1971 - 1996)
North Canada Air (1930 to 1965; see also Time Air)
NWT Air (1960 - 1998, to First Air
Odyssey International (1988 - 1990)
Ontario Express (1980s - 1993; to Canadian Airlines International)
Pacific Western Airlines (1946 - 1987, to Canadian Airlines International)
Peace Air (1962 - 2007)
Pemair (1970 - 2002)
Quebecair (1946 - 1987)
Quebecair Express
Queen Charlotte Airlines
QuikAir (2001 - 2006)
Regal Air (was ATAC.ca member)
Roots Air (2000 - 2001)
Royal Aviation (1991 - 2001)
Sonicblue Airways (ceased operations 2006)
Southern Frontier Airlines (to Time Air)
Time Air (1966 - 1991, to Canadian Airlines International)
Torontair (1961 - 1999)
Transair ( 1947 - 1979; started as Central Northern Airways, renamed Transair 1956; sold to Pacific Western Airlines in 1979)
Trans-Canada Air Lines (now Air Canada)
Trans-Provincial Airlines (sold to Harbour Air)
Triton Airlines (1993 - 1994)
Val Air (2003 - 2004)
Vision Airways Corporation (? - 1994)
Vistajet (1997 - 1997)
Wardair (1946-1990), to Canadian Airlines International)
Western Canada Airways (1926 - 1930)
Winnport (1998-1998) - Winnipeg-based air cargo company flying to China
Worldways Canada (1974 - 1991)
World-Wide Airways (1947 - 1966)
Zip (2002 - 2004)
Zoom Airlines (2002 - 2008)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_airlines_of_Canada


it seriously does not pay to be an airline in this country, only Clive Beddoe has figured out how to run a successful and profitable airline.

[SpongeG]

Just the first of many around the world that will probably suffer the same fate.

Sucks for those people stranded, but it is also part of the risk of utlizing operators like Zoom in times like this. Some of us that are privy to more insider information probably wouldn't have been booking with Zoom for the last few months with all the whispers of trouble facing them.

on the news a travel agent said something about zoom not able to get some kind of insurance related to bankruptcy and that was a red flag a few months ago

plus offering $99 fares to england wasn't a wise move on their part

[Rathgrith]

Considering this is Jetsgo: Redux. Has there ever been a airline that says it will some flying on this date. And then let customers fly until the perido that they said they will shut down. Inside of a sudden stop in service that leaves passengers royally phoqued.

[jeremy_haak]

^ I think Harmony Airways gave roughly two weeks notice of shutting down.

[BlondieK]

I flew Zoom to Paris in July for a wedding.

While our flight back to Toronto was full, the flight there was 50% full, maybe 60%. Clearly as a budget airline your break-even point would be much closer to the 80-90% (I would guess) mark and I thought it strange.

As a fellow travel and tourism industry worker I feel for those employed by Zoom. The service was very good, especially when compared to experiences I've had on Air Canada. Here's hoping these fine men and women get picked-up by Air Canada or Westjet in replacement for some of their less-so inclined employees.

[BlondieK]

Check out the link below.... think Norman Rogers Airport is the next Pearson?

http://business.kingstoncanada.com/en/common/KEDCO-Kingston-BasedGlobespanCapitalAcquiresZoomAirlinesInc--20090114.pdf

[vid]

No, I don't.

[SpongeG]

so zoom is back in service?

[waterloowarrior]

Check out the link below.... think Norman Rogers Airport is the next Pearson?

http://business.kingstoncanada.com/en/common/KEDCO-Kingston-BasedGlobespanCapitalAcquiresZoomAirlinesInc--20090114.pdf

Globe Span Capital Corporation announced today the acquisition of Canadianbased
Zoom Airlines Inc. Globe Span Capital is a financial services company focused on
corporate solutions including specialized asset-based financing to corporate, government and
institutional markets for capital equipment acquisitions and infrastructure development.
With head offices in Kingston, Ontario, Globe Span Capital Corporation plans to relocate Zoom
Airlines finance, human resources and call-centre divisions to Kingston. The operation centre of
the airline will remain in Toronto. This acquisition will bring approximately 25 jobs to Kingston in
the immediate future with the potential for significant expansion over the next 12 months.




there is a UK charter company called "Flyglobespan" that flys to Hamilton, run by the Globespan Group, but I guess they are unrelated to Globe Span in Kingston

http://www.flyglobespan.ca/

When Flyglobespan started out in Canada, they flew out of Toronto codesharing with Zoom Airlines, so if you booked with flyglobespan, like I did from YYZ to Gatwick, you were on a Zoom Airlines Flight. sort of a funny coincidence

[MolsonExport]

first Canada3000.
Then, Jetsgo.
Then Zoom.

They fly ya, they strand ya. Assholismanship.