Zoom Airlines

Infobox Airline
airline = Zoom Airlines Inc.

logo_size = 150
fleet_size = 5 [http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/activepages/ccarcs/en/Current_E.asp?x_lang=E Transport Canada listing of aircraft owned by "Zoom Airlines"] (enter Zoom Airlines in the box titled "Owner Name")]
destinations = 15 [ [http://www.flyzoom.com Zoom Airlines] ]
IATA = Z4
ICAO = OOM
callsign = ZOOM
parent =
company_slogan =
founded = May 2002
ceased = August 28, 2008
headquarters = Ottawa, Ontario
key_people = Hugh Boyle - Chairman,
Kris Dolinki - President and CEO
hubs = Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge = Executive Lounge operated by Servisair [ [https://www.executivelounges.ca/index.asp?ID=zoom Executive Lounge] ]
alliance =
website = http://www.flyzoom.com

Zoom Airlines Inc. was a Canadian low-fare scheduled transatlantic airline based in Ottawa, Ontario. Zoom operated year-round scheduled services to Europe, as well as charter services to South America, Caribbean, and Southern United States destinations with Canadian tour operators.

Zoom officially ceased all operations and filed for bankruptcy protection on August 28, 2008, due to its deteriorating financial position. [http://www.flyzoom.com]

History

Zoom Airlines Inc. was founded in May 2002 as a low-fare transatlantic airline. The carrier, based in Canada's capital city, Ottawa, was conceived by two Scottish brothers, John and Hugh Boyle, to fill an opportunity in the Canadian leisure travel market.

The two brothers entered the holiday business in the 1980 with their startup company "Falcon Holidays" in their native Scotland, which was later sold for a large profit to a major United Kingdom tour operator.

Their next venture, Direct Holidays, was started in 1991 and gained strength and market share in Scotland, becoming a household name and the largest 'direct sell' travel company in the UK.

After the sale of Direct Holidays in 1998 to MyTravel Group for £84m (C$200 million), Hugh relocated to Canada. Boyle started GO Travel Direct Vacations, introducing the 'direct sell' method. This business model eliminates the role of travel agents, passing the savings back to the holiday maker. In taking this business model one step further, Boyle launched Zoom Airlines, removing the remaining third parties from the booking process.

In November 2006, Zoom Airlines and Flyglobespan.com embarked on a codeshare agreement. Zoom Airlines operated two of three weekly Manchester to Toronto Flyglobespan flights. Zoom flights from Toronto to Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester were available for booking on the Flyglobespan website, as well as Ottawa to London Gatwick. This agreement was only for the 2006/2007 winter season, as Flyglobespan subsequently commenced their own Canadian program.

In the summer of 2006, John Boyle founded a sister company in the UK known as Zoom Airlines Limited. It operated until 28 August 2008, when it ceased trading along with the original Canadian company.

In January 2008, Zoom Airlines Inc received approval from the Canadian Minister of Transport, Lawrence Cannon, to operate flights between Canada and Italy.

2008 financial difficulties

On August 27 2008, an aircraft leased to Zoom was grounded at Calgary International Airport when the owner cancelled the lease agreement. The fuel supplier would not refuel the aircraft due to outstanding debts. [ [http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=f5cae05d-17ab-40fc-9f6c-1e08ccc6d58f Plane-owner grounds Zoom flight, leaves scores stranded in Calgary] ] Subsequently Zoom announced it had requested creditor protection. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7586083.stm Airline admits financial problems] ]

Administration

On 28 August 2008, a Boeing 757 aircraft was held at Glasgow International Airport because of the airline's financial difficulties. It is reported that the aircraft was impounded after the airline failed to pay its air traffic control charges. Shortly afterwards, the airline announced that it has filed for administration [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7586654.stm "Zoom Airlines suspends all flights."] ] under the Canadian Companies Creditors Arrangement Act and that it was ceasing operations. The company's sister airline filed for bankruptcy under the British legal system in August 2008. Zoom Airlines is reported to have blamed the "horrendous" price of aviation fuel and the wider economic slowdown. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7586654.stm]

Destinations

Europe

*United Kingdom
**England
***London (London Gatwick Airport)
***Manchester (Manchester Airport)
**Northern Ireland
***Belfast (Belfast International Airport)
**Scotland
***Glasgow (Glasgow International Airport)
**Wales
***Cardiff (Cardiff International Airport)
*France
**Paris (Charles de Gaulle International Airport)
*Italy
**Rome (Leonardo da Vinci Airport) "seasonal"

North America

*Canada
**Alberta
***Calgary (Calgary International Airport)
**British Columbia
***Vancouver (Vancouver International Airport)
**Manitoba
***Winnipeg (Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport)
**Nova Scotia
***Halifax (Halifax Stanfield International Airport)
**Ontario
***Ottawa (Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport)
***Toronto (Toronto Pearson International Airport)
**Quebec
***Montreal (Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport)
*United Statesref|reference_name_A|*
**Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport) "Seasonal"
**New York City (John F. Kennedy International Airport) "Service originally scheduled to end October 31, 2008"
**San Diego (San Diego International Airport)

Caribbean

**Bermuda (L.F. Wade International Airport)
**Trinidad (Piarco International Airport)

outh America

**Guyana (Cheddi Jagan International Airport)

Fleet

As of September 2008 the fleet consisted of:

^{*W Premium Economy offered only on select flights.}
*As of August 2008, the average age of the Zoom Airlines fleet was 15.9 years. [ [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=Zoom%20Airlines Zoom Airlines Fleet Age at www.airfleets.net] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.zoomairlines.com Zoom Airlines]
* [http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Zoom%20Airlines.htm Zoom Airlines Canada Fleet Age]