Looks like Zoom has gone bankrupt, their website shows all flights cancelled:
http://www.flyzoom.com/.
Zoom Airlines files for creditor protection
Liam Casey and Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, August 28, 2008
OTTAWA - Zoom Airlines said Thursday it is seeking creditor protection because of "acutely difficult" trading conditions in the airline industry.
"Our trading position is a direct consequence of the horrendous increase in the price of aviation fuel and the economic climate," said Hugh Boyle, the airline's founder and executive chairman. He said that fuel price increases had resulted in a $50-million increase in operating costs in the past year alone.
Just last month, the airline announced they were expanding their flights to Europe in 2009.
In Ottawa, Zoom Airlines employees were seen leaving the company's Ottawa headquarters Thursday visibly distraught and in tears, as one worker said the budget airline has enacted massive layoffs. One employee was overheard saying no planes would be in the air Thursday. Other workers who arrived for their shifts were locked out of the building because their keycards were not working. They were told not to speak to media.
These problems may be associated with financial issues the budget airline is reportedly facing with its contractors. A Calgary International airport spokesman said late Wednesday a number of accounts with Zoom are in arrears, including one with the Calgary airport in excess of $400,000. The company's fuel supplier refused to refuel a Zoom plane when it landed in Calgary late Wednesday.
The BBC reported Thursday the airline had sought protection from its creditors. Phone messages left early Thursday for a spokesperson with Zoom Airlines were unreturned.
Meanwhile, on the Zoom Airlines official website - which was offline by early Thursday afternoon - eight flights set to arrive at Canadian airports Thursday have been delayed due to "technical difficulties."
The flights were scheduled to arrive in Canada from Kingston, Jamaica as well as Glasgow, Rome, and London, and domestic flights between Canadian cities, including Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.There was no announcement on the website about the possibility of all flights being cancelled.
Also at the Ottawa International Airport Thursday, passengers stranded late Wednesday night returned to an empty check-in counter at the Ottawa International Airport at 9 a.m. with no answers as to why their flight to England was cancelled.
"We were told to be here at 9 a.m. sharp to check in, but no one's here," said passenger Eileen Moss.
Zoom staffers arrived around 9:30 a.m. to a maelstrom of unhappy passengers, but quickly left the counter for a "company briefing."
"We have no idea what's going on. They told us the plane had mechanical troubles in Halifax and by the time it was repaired, the crew had exceeded their allowable shift time," said Eileen Smith.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday but was delayed several times before it was finally cancelled at 9 p.m. It has since been delayed from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Passengers have been dealing with problems with Zoom since Wednesday when dozens of people were left stranded at the Calgary International Airport after their charter flight bound for the United Kingdom was grounded due to financial problems Zoom Airlines was facing with the company from which it leases its aircraft.
The 69 passengers expecting to fly on the Boeing 767 to Glasgow and then on to London's Gatwick Airport Wednesday night were left clamouring for information at the Zoom check-in desk, but were told simply the aircraft was "no longer available."
The particular airplane involved had landed in Calgary from Paris Wednesday afternoon. But the company that leases the plane to Zoom terminated its contract when the passengers arrived. The registration documents were to be surrendered to Transport Canada.
© Vancouver Sun 2008
Prev
Linear Mode
