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Zoom Airlines shuts down

BRENT JANG AND KATHERINE O'NEILL

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 12:58 PM EST 28/08/08

Hundreds of passengers left stranded; Ottawa-based carrier grounded by sky-high fuel prices ...Read the full article

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  1. Crimson The-Red from Canada writes: They might plan to keep running their routes, but the consumers might plan to use a different airline to ensure they actually get a flight when the day to ship off arrives.
  2. Mac- GLG from Canada writes: Welcome to the world of discount carriers.

    In general you get what you pay for.
  3. David G from Canada writes: As an airline with a completely leased fleet, no real estate or other obvious owned assets, the question becomes who will give them debtor-in-possession credit to continue operations. Creditor protection may shelter them from past debts, but they still need cash and healthy cash flow to pay bills going forward - fuel for one, and landing fees. Canada 3000 had a similar asset profile when it filed for protection and it didn't last 24 hours after that. Who's going to book Zoom now.
  4. Brian Mercer from Toronto, Canada writes: Crimson makes a good point.

    It would be a pity to lose a competitor to Air Canada, whose overseas service, once the best in the world, is really quite awful now.

    I travelled to Britain on Air canada in july and it was awful.

    I can only assume the only people Air Canada treats worse than its employees are its customers.
  5. Ace Frehley from Vancouver, Canada writes: That headline means advance bookings will now go to NIL. That's certain death for an airline. Without confidence that booked tickets will be honoured, nobody books, nobody flies and then nobody in their right minds hands over anymore jet fuel without receiving cash in hand.

    Goodbye Zoom. Nice knowin' ya.
  6. Danny Manning from Canada writes: It's too bad; this airline was really, really good; I flew it several times and will continue to fly it if it survives. It was a solid option to Air Canada on overseas flights.
  7. George Levecque from Fergus, Ontario, Canada writes: I saw this coming several months ago, I have spoken to some people who where using Zoom recently, they said they weren't worried, bet they now are?
  8. Stewart Macfarlane from Glasgow, United Kingdom writes: I suggested to a friend and his family to try Zoom this summer. They flew out Air Transat and back with Zoom. They had a dreadful flight with Zoom. Their experience with Air Transat was better than ours was a few years ago. The advantage for them was direct flights to/from Glasgow.

    MY wife and I fly to North America in a few weeks time and given our previous good experiences we are flying back with Air Canada. The downside is having to use Heathrow.
  9. Larry P. from Canada writes: Justin Case, they'll fly Zoom..(or at least did) because Porter doesn't fly Zoom's routes.
  10. Jonathan T from Canada writes: i wonder if boyle took some advice from leblanc on this one.. who wants to own an airline? Apparently anyone can - make alot of money at first and then file for bankruptcy 3 or 4 years later. some regulation in the industry would be beneficial for the quality of air travel. For one the owners of an airline should have a certain amount of cash in a trust. This amount would be equal to the amount of cash received from customers on booked flights. But wait.. if we did that then going bankrupt wouldn't be so profitable.. pity.
  11. Ralph Shiell from Canada writes: What normally happens to those people (and their money) who have already bought tickets if: a) the airline gets the protection they are asking for, or b) if they don't?
  12. Adrian Parsons from White Rock, Canada writes: This is really bad news - I flew it to Paris last year and it was great. I hope they can find their way out of their problems. You need competition and they provided it. Air Canada and British Airways are Ok but priced about 60% more.
  13. Ace Frehley from Vancouver, Canada writes: Justin Kase from Victoria, Canada writes: I flew Porter from Toronto Island to Ottawa. Why would anyone fly the ZOomers of the world...

    ________________________________________

    Umm, maybe cuz the 767 has a somewhat better range than the Q400? Just a thought.

    Don't get me wrong, I loved Porter for being able to leave YOW at 7:00 for a 9:00 downtown meeting (with time to spare). But not the right comparison here...
  14. Ace Frehley from Vancouver, Canada writes: Adrian Parsons from White Rock, Canada writes: Air Canada and British Airways are Ok but priced about 60% more.
    _____________________________________________

    True. They're also solvent.
  15. ah sails from Canada writes: I flew Zoom to Paris last summer, very good experience, much more pleasant than AC, anything short of torture is that..too bad to see them go..would much prefer to AC bite the dust forever, bring in the the free market and open our skies to all !
  16. michael moore from toronto, Canada writes: It's not that the promoters make a lot of money at the start. They have a certain start-up capital -- perhaps theirs, more likely borrowed from someone else -- and they give great deals when the market is expansionist, then burn through all their cash the first time the market gets tight. Each of these cost crunches weeds out some of the players at the bottom of the ladder, and Zoom is the latest.
  17. Jim Stam from Montreal, Canada writes: Jetsgo..
    Canada 3000..
    Zoom ?

    At least they're not collecting $ the night before they stop all flights and strand their passengers like Jetsgo.

    Book cheap flights at your peril.. make sure you use your credit card!
  18. George Levecque from Fergus, Ontario, Canada writes: CBC just announced that Zoom has cancelled all there flights! leavig people stranded all over the place!
  19. Martin Mc Scotty from Kelowna, BC, Canada writes: I'm sorry to hear Zoom is having problems, we have flown with a number of airlines and the two with the best experiences ( and leg room ) to date have been Zoom on international flights and Westjet on domestic flights. I have found in recent years Air Canada to be a poor experience and their service is almost non existant. I wonder what the answer is for these struggling airlines? Better management? slightly higher fares? I don't know but something needs to change across the whole industry I think.
  20. jethro bear from Canada writes: A shame. Even an airline that creams i.e. takes only profitable easy routes, can't make a go of it. All Open Skies would do is allow US carriers to take the best routes and strand the rest of the country with no or little service.
  21. Paid Too Much from Tar On Toe, Canada writes: Planes are being grounded because the refuelers are probably demanding cash....another 2 bit airline goes down....until another one starts up. Get use to it folks.
  22. Paul Lees from Canada writes: Some of you obviously can't figure it out. Sure Zoom had good service and great prices. One slight problem, it couldn't pay it's bills with the money it was receiving from it's passengers. Zoom is done. Once airplanes start getting seized no one will offer to bail them out. No airplanes no revenue. The End.

    BTW, enjoy Porter while it lasts, believe it's profitable at your own peril. Zoom was telling everyone it was doing great too.
  23. I_Hate_David Miller from Toronto, Canada writes: Paul Lees...at a guess you work for Air Crap-ada. I'm going to Europe in October and was forced to use AC as I had an outstanding credit...it actually pains me to fly AC when any other airline (or even the back of a military cargo plane) offers much higher levels of service. It's just too bad that as Canadians we don't have a great alternative for direct flights to international locations.
  24. Cosmo Spacely from Canada writes: Air Canada knocks off another competitor!!! Good thing they are around to pick up Zoom's pieces....
  25. David C from a constant traveler from, Canada writes: My In-laws flew from Glasgow to Halifax and back a few weeks back with Zoom. They mentioned at the time that the plane was not full either trip. I was surprised since August is the high point in travel.

    Also, they booked a week before and still paid less than 450 GBP return. That was 350 GBP cheaper than AC from London to Halifax.

    So the writing was on the wall then, but we did not bother to read it.
  26. F Johnson from Burlington, Canada writes: Isn't there a connection between Go Direct Travel of Montreal and Zoom Airlines. I seem to recall that Go Direct Travel either had ownership of Zoom or a connection of some sort regarding the flight portion of their southern vacation packages. How will this effect people who have already booked a winter vacation with Go Direct Travel?
  27. Kevin McDougald from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Martin Mc Scotty writes: 'I wonder what the answer is for these struggling airlines? Better management? slightly higher fares? I don't know but something needs to change across the whole industry I think.'

    We're already seeing the answer in the form of investors no longer willing to invest in start-ups after seeing what happened to the likes of Jetsgo, Canada 3000, Greyhound Air, VistaJet, Roots Air and many others.

    One site, called Planemart, has all kinds of newer aircraft for sale or for lease. Anyone with the financing, management team and guts for the industry can get their hands on a five year old Airbus A320 or an eight year old Boeing 757 that someone's trying to get off their hands, and get started in the industry.

    Ten years ago, such aircraft with so many years of service life remaining would have been snapped up. Not anymore. Investors' unwillingness to waste their money is bringing some sense of discipline back to the industry.
  28. David G from Toronto, Canada writes: Flew Air Canada overseas twice this year in new 777-300s, and once to Newfoundland in a nearly new Embraer, and enjoyed all the flights. Unlike Jethro Bear's assinine comment about hoping AC would go under, I think we need it and WS and all properly managed and well-funded operations we can get. Fully open skies is a wildly overrated panacea for most of the country because foreign airlines wouldn't be interested in serving most Canadian routes, only in a handful of the most heavily travelled. And they depress prices on those routes, it will inevitably cause fares to rise on most of the rest of the system.

    A government simple rule could help consumers avoid these charter and discount carrier shutdowns. Mostly, these are privately held companies going bankrupt, and they should be required to publish some basic financial numbers, particularly assets and liabilities, on a quarterly basis so the public has better information as to who is solvent and who is increasingly not. That, in turn, would force more discipline on these operators, who constantly borrow against their futures, letting bills pile up until a creditor demands up-front payment. With publicly traded airlines like Air Canada and Westjet, their financial health is clear for people to see on a quarterly basis.
  29. Alistair McLaughlin from Canada writes: I'm thinking if they can't afford to run a website, they can't afford to keep their planes in the air.
  30. John Smith from Support ONT Bill 93, Canada writes: A failed airline. C'mom all you LPT supporters tell us why it's Harper fault...lol...
  31. H M from Canada writes: I am suddenly incredibly grateful I booked WestJet yesterday.

    I feel bad for all those people stuck everywhere.
  32. j wilson from vancouver, Canada writes: David C, I tried to book a Zoom flight through Flightcentre.ca (by phone) and was told they stopped selling Zoom tickets months ago.

    Seems the travel agents were well aware. It may be why there were fewer people than expected on their flights this summer.
  33. Paul Lees from Canada writes: How so? If people here are correct and AC and BA charged 60% more how did AC kill Zoom?
  34. Beth T from Canada writes: I flew to Paris with Zoom last summer and I have recommended it to everyone. You may not get the personal TV but that was fine by me. And you evern got food, snacks and drinks for free. I was just looking at their website this morning to see how much flights are to Paris for the christmas holiday. Good thing I didn't book anything today!
  35. Wild One from Canada writes: I flew Thomas Cook Airlines from Toronto to the UK in July and found the experience not unlike travelling inside a very slim cigar tube. Not for the claustrophobic. Had to pay for seat selection, plastic headset and glass of water, though a visit to the lavatory was free. However, managed to avoid both British Airways (World's Worst Airline - don't worry, Air Canada, you still have some way to descend to reach BA's level of service) and London Heathrow (World's Worst Terminal). Have been bumped off grossly overbooked AC flights and have turned up at the airport having checked in online for non-existent BA flights that never set out from the UK. What's to choose? At least AC gives you the chance to fly. Some days. Bad news about Zoom. They will be sadly missed. I am now saving up for an executive jet.
  36. vince T from toronto, Canada writes: I agree with Mr. Lees...Too many of you just don't get it. You all want cheap flights but then the no-frills airlines are all going under. Air Canada might not be what it used to be but no airline can afford to be what they used to be ! Get ready for a bumpy ride with the airfares and the service or don't fly ! I fly AC all the time... Flights are generally on time... Few delays like any other airline... Seats Are comfy... New personal TVs... Meal are no better no worst than any other airline... What else is expected from airlines nowadays ???
  37. dominic costanzo from Canada writes: Another victim of de-regulation.You cannot make 5 cents on the dollar and try to operate an airline.Remember Wardair.The best charter airline in the world.When they decided to operate a sked service and make 5 cents on the dollar they went belly up.
  38. David G from Toronto, Canada writes: There are rumors on Bay Street that another privately owned Canadian airline, a jet operator, is in the same dire straits as Zoom.
  39. jack sprat from Canada writes: Its funny beacuse our political leadership says the economy is great.

    maybe this tells us why the Pm is willing to break his own fixed-date election law.
  40. Adam Cooper from Toronto, Canada writes: They have ceased operations now ... It's amazing how quickly this happens.
  41. P T from Waterloo, ON, Canada writes: I bought tickets to fly to Rome this Saturday for a nice vacation in Italy. Now I'm hearing that Zoom has suspended all operations, so I guess I'm stranded? I haven't received any e-mail from them and their support line is constantly busy. I'm so upset right now. I guess I'd better hurry and start booking other flights... and I don't suppose I'll be getting a refund any time soon.
  42. Rafael N. from Toronto - ON, Canada writes: Unfortunately the company has shut down its activities today. Official announcement has been just released at Zoom Flight website (http://www.flyzoom.com/).
  43. David G from Toronto, Canada writes: Anyone who used a credit card to book a Zoom flight will get a refund eventually. Also, in some provinces IIRC, the provincial compensation fund will cover refunds for travel agent bookings.
  44. tony blazis from Canada writes: Their website, www.flyzoom.ca, states ' ceased operations with effect from18:00 UTC...', '...will be filing for insolvency proceedings...'

    not good news
  45. Kothar Rumbleg from Canada writes: This is just another saga in the shake out going on with world airlines. Was it 24 airlines went under this year to high fuel prices? The US legacy carriers bleeding cash, pleaded with people to stop the speculators. Even former head of Qantas says that airlines are going to merge into much larger entities in a bid to survive in coming years. The weak will collapse and the strong will last somewhat longer.
  46. travel bug from Canada writes: It's a sad day indeed. Any competition to AC is desparately needed especially in the West. RIP FlyZOOM you will be missed.
  47. Ob Server from Canada writes: Justin Kase....amen to that. And yet, the socialists in power here at City Hall want to get rid of it and still claim we have a world class city. They truly are devoid of any intellect. Anyway on the subject of Zoom...we fly alot of the discounters in Europe to get around cheap....EasyJet, Ryanair, Flybe etc. These companies have great jets and their system works well....pay as you go basically and first come, first serve. The problem is: FUEL!! We've seen the end of cheap anything until oil comes down to 75$.
  48. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: So much for zoom zoom zoom. I agree.....it is a buyer beware market. If you want less cost, you will get less service or even no service.
  49. M. O. from Canada writes: What a shame. We have flown Zoom to Europe on a number of occasions, and have always found the airline to be accomodating and reliable.

    A big plus was the fact that they were willing to carry our bikes free of charge; we even received a personal note to that effect from one of their employees, in case we were to encounter difficulties on the return leg out of Gatwick.

    At this point, it's almost a gamble to travel abroad with just about any air carrier, lest one be left stranded. At least there are other transportation alternatives if holidays are limited to North America. Pity.
  50. Gordon Murray from Canada writes: Perhaps for the future, this will be a lesson in 'short term disruption mitigation'.
    How many times does such as a 'Zoom' go under?
    Perhaps such orders as resulted in this might be in future be better interpreted or facilitated.

    Sounds like another 'Class Action Settlement Website' in the making.
    www.gm5.ca/#class action settlement website

    Maybe there can be spun off what spins off from this:
    http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?language=en&searchTitle=Ontario&path=/en/on/onsc/doc/2008/2008canlii39788/2008canlii39788.html
  51. A A from Canada writes: How is it airlines like Lufthansa. Emirates and Singapore Airlines are able to make good money?

    Was Zoom able to fill their planes? If so why were they having a kids fly free promo?

    To me I think there is more to it than just rising costs.
  52. Anti Elvis from Calgary, AB, Canada writes: Discount airlines run on low margins & they are the first to take a dive when times are tough. The higher margin flights on AC or larger airlines make more money so there is a bigger cushion if times get tight.

    I'm interested to see the future of West Jet & how it's going to survive.
  53. Josh S from Vancouver, Canada writes: Too bad that we can't Zoom off any more.

    So we are left with growing upscale Westjet and basic Air Transat; if we don't want to fly Air Canada with one small included bag and carrying our lunch from Tims.

    Perhaps we should just stay at home and save our limited oil.
  54. Sask Langer from Canada writes: This is why I tell my friends to only ever use a charter when the price is a huge savings. Buddy wanted to come to Europe and it looked like Zoom was going to be a great deal, until we checked one morning and AC was half the price it was the week before, and suddenly far cheaper than Zoom. And he got to where he was going, without having to worry that his flights were in danger of being cancelled. Only if it's a huge savings...
  55. Two Cents from Canada writes: Oh, that really is too bad. I flew Zoom Airlines to Paris last year and the service wasn't bad and the price was definitely great. I told myself I'd take Zoom again but maybe now I won't because they could completely shut down anytime with my money.
  56. El Gran Chico from Etobicoke, Canada writes: You know how to become a millionaire in the airline industry? Start as a billionaire.

    This is probably an urban myth but there's a story about a venture capitalist going to Kitty Hawk, NC to shoot down Orville and Wilbur Wright's plane.
  57. Paul Lees from Canada writes: Emirates and Singapore do not have to worry about domestic networks. International flying only and both use the hub and spoke system to funnel enough passengers onto each flight to make it profitable. The actual number of passengers that end their journey in the Emirates or Singapore is small compared to the number that fly through those hubs. Lufthansa operates similarly for international (North America-Frankfurt-Africa/Asia) and is central in Europe (roughly the size of Eastern Canada but with a population of approx 728 million).
    If Canada had that population there would be a lot more healthy competition.
  58. Craig W from Canada writes: betcha Air Canada's already raised their rates... With Zoom gone, there's no need to offer reduced fares to fly to Europe now...
  59. Hugo Hall from Calgary, Canada writes: Stick to Westjet, AC and the major foreign carriers, folks.
  60. Million Dollar Man - O'Yeah from Hogtown, Canada writes: This is so sad!!! Just another scary sign refecting the dire straits of today's global economy.
  61. S Van GOOGLE from Wallis And Futuna Islands writes: SUNWING had $50 flights Van - TOR advertised through Travelzoo newsletter that i receive.. so it was $355 return to Toronto.. sounded too cheap for me. Now I know why..

    ALA - JetsGO..

    Those who booked on Credit Card are fine. Phone your CC company. We got our money back from when JetsGo went down.
  62. Robert MacDonald from Canada writes: Crapitalism at its finest.
  63. Mitch Sprague from Ottawa, Canada writes: We had a comfortable and pleasant flight, both ways, from Ottawa to Frankfurt return this summer on AC (and we weren't up front in a pod). I've had bad experiences with AC in the past though but having been bit by both Canada 3000 and Jetsgo I would never book through a discount carrier ever again. As mentioned earlier, you get what you pay for.
  64. David G from Toronto, Canada writes: Craig W writes: Betcha Air Canada's already raised their fares.

    Doubt it. First of all, AC is not the only international option - there are lots of European carriers, plus Air Transat. Secondly, most airlines have higher rates already. Zoom was cheap because it was trying to generate cash to pay its bills, which is always a losing strategy. The rates of most airlines are significantly higher. What is true is that without Zoom and allowing for other bankruptcies to come among charter operators, seats allocated to the lowest fares will sell out faster on AC, AF, KL, BA, etc. People will have to commit further ahead to get the least expensive fares.
  65. Peter Cromerovich from Erehwon, Canada writes: Doom for Zoom, Jetsgo Jetsgone....... who is next? One thing that would lower costs for airlines everywhere are the usurious airport fees, landing fees, departure fees, airport access fees, access airport fees etc. etc.
    I also object to hefty 'airport improvement' taxes. Improvement for whom? Improvement to build overpriced in-your-face jangle-bangle junk shops with $10 sandwiches and expensive water?
  66. RED STAR from Canada writes: The only people in the airlines busninesses that are truly making money are the businesses that paint the planes as they switch from owner to owner. I wonder what the record is for paint jobs on a plane?
  67. J D from Calgary, Canada writes: Having been stranded in Hawaii when Canada 3000 went down a few years ago, I would have thought that there would be some protection in place by now for consumers who are stranded by these unethical discount 'fly by night' airlines.

    It's ridiculous that this is allowed to go on. Should there not be some requirements to fulfill ticket obligations at least and to not leave people stranded, especially for their return flight.

    Perhaps it's equally ridiculous that consumers continue to support these companies.

    We learned out lesson...
  68. vince T from toronto, Canada writes: To all of you wondering how come other major airlines are making money ? We, in Canada are notorious for wanting cut throat airfares. On the other hand, Germans and people from the middle east (to name a few) are willing to pay good money for their flights... The cheaper you want, folks, the cheaper you will get ! Don't be surprised to see more canadians stuck somewhere. (Nationair, Quebecair, Intair, Jetsgo, Greyhoundair, Harmony, Canada 3000) were your best friends ??? They stranded thousands of passengers around the world ! We don't learn fast do we ???
  69. J D from Calgary, Canada writes: Rusty Waters, I think you are posting in the wrong space. You should find a climate change or oil prices article and post there. This is about unethical business practices, not oil companies or climate change...
  70. A G Peterson from Vancouver, Canada writes: So I have to wonder what business executives think that starting up aviation companies when predecessors and existing carriers have such a struggle. Westjet's founders are establishing a new carrier. Being the US carriers fly thru bankruptcy and see our record ( rootsair, Canada3000, CDN Airlines, doesn't really justify establishing a new one in such an incredibly tight and cost sensitive structure. Do they believe they can do better that their business counterparts, then leaving the traveller at ransom and abandonment?
  71. Stewart Pid from Canada writes: Rusty Waters ... what are you smoking?
    You should buy some oil stock ... come over to the dark side ... your blood pressure would go way down.
    Cocaine & oil .... clutching at straws are we?
  72. A C from Maritimes, Canada writes: Not sure if anyone is aware - there is a new airline startup for Canada this coming November, current named 'NewAir' but registered the word 'Canadiana'. It will be a tough environment for them with extra cautious bookers.
  73. M S from Toronto, Canada writes: Given rising fuel costs, post-9/11 security measures (increasing carry-on bans and multi-hour lineups), airports designed like mazes, aiport/airline cutbacks resulting in overworked and thus unresponsive staff, teleconferencing or videoconferencing technology for multisite business meetings...passenger air travel is doomed. More and more around the world, people are flying only when absolutely necessary for business or family occasions, foregoing holiday destinations that can't be reached by other less expensive and means of transport.

    It's only a matter of time before airplanes are used only for shipping and warfare, just like in the old days.
  74. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: I plan to fly AC or WestJet in the future...

    Those folks sponsor community events in Halifax, at least.

    I would have very little trust in anything that was Ottawa-based....

    Cheers
  75. slapdash dapoint from trawna, Canada writes: J D from Calgary, Canada writes: It's ridiculous that this is allowed to go on. Should there not be some requirements to fulfill ticket obligations at least and to not leave people stranded, especially for their return flight.

    ---

    i was thinking along the same lines... pathetic that airlines feel no obligation to fulfil existing comitments. what happens to planes mid-flight? do they simply land at the closest airport or do the pilots just turn off the engines, strap on parachutes and head for the nearest lounge?

    :|
  76. SL S from Sask, Canada writes: This happened to the wife and I with Jetsgo. We eventually got all our money back but after alot of stress and panic. This should be illegal and these carriers that do this should be fined hugely. If they can't pay it then jail time would be fine.
  77. Joe Ng from writes: Phew, I was on vacation flying Zoom to Rome just last week. Close call. In general, Zoom wasn't very good - their airplanes are old. The dining trays are dirty and usually broken. I'm not surprised.
  78. vince T from toronto, Canada writes: pathetic that airlines feel no obligation to fulfil existing comitments....Dead cows don't produce milk ! If your store goes belly up before they deliver the merchandise, do you still get the merchandise ?? Very unlikely ! Be wiser next time you buy an airline ticket folks !
  79. Paul Sheridan from Hawkestone, ON, Canada writes: I flew with Zoom twice. Awesome service.
  80. joseph Cheng from Toronto, Canada writes: If you fly to Asia, go with Singapore Airline. No airline gives you your money's worth as Singapore Airline. For some unknown reasons, travel search sites such as Expedia often ignore Singapore Airline. One can book directly at the Singapore Airline site. Their rates are very competitive with other airlines to Asia. Singapore Air also a member of Star Alliance. I don't work for Singapore Airline. I am a very frequent traveler to Asia.
  81. Roop Misir from Toronto, Canada writes: Never heard of Zoom! What went wrong?
  82. Chris Edwards from Canada writes: I think all airlines should be forced to pay an insurance premium - similar to travel insurance, something that kicks in instantly - so that if (when?) they become insolvent, at very least the people from whom they have taken the money (their passengers who can't afford the hit), and not their largest creditors (companies that very likely can), have their money returned to them or else can simply book another flight and continue on their way.

    I feel very badly for anyone whose long anticipated and probably badly needed vacation was ruined by the intransigence of this company.

    You won't convince me they didn't know, or even thought they could pull a hail Mary out of their hats, right up until the eleventh hour while they were still taking bookings.

    Desperately sorry indeed - for themselves. Spare the people you stranded your crocodile tears.
  83. Rabid Senses from Good gawd, a latte-swilling Westerner, Canada writes:

    I suppose Air Canada will be along soon enough to feast on this tasty carcass.
  84. R Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: Bring on RyanAir !
  85. Mr Malcontent from Canada writes: Do not quite get it
    All these airlines keep going down, yet there never is a problem getting a ticket to anywhere on this planet or anywhere else in the universe.

    Do they just repaint the planes , hire new pilots that are a dime a dozen coming out US airforce, or what.

    The airports are full, airplanes everywhere. What is there to worry about
  86. Menolike Pooairlines from Smalltown, Canada writes: One time, I fly on Zoom Airlines. Nice airplane. Nice People. Nice Food.

    Tomorrow, I supposed to fly home on Zoom Airlines. I stuck in Europe, with no Air flight, and no money for new air-flight. Also, I have job interview I can not go to. I so angry at rich (but now poor) people that fly the Zoom planes. They make me pay for more hotel bills, and maybe not get my new job. I now sit, and cry. This is Zoom's fault.
  87. Ace Frehley from Vancouver, Canada writes: SL S from Sask, Canada writes: This should be illegal and these carriers that do this should be fined hugely. If they can't pay it then jail time would be fine.

    __________________________________

    Yeah, that's not reactionary at all. Do you really think anyone would ever take commercial risks if failure meant jail time?

    It's called bankruptcy. It happens. Take a deep breath and pull yer head out from behind ya.

    If you want to be assured this won't happen, then make the airlines hold the cash in trust until they fill the tanks with fuel. But then of course the administrative costs would be astonishing, and that would force fares up.
  88. Toxic Planet from dead zone USA, Canada writes:
    Too many airplanes in the sky everywhere, shut them all down and save the planet. Stay home, telecommute.
  89. Yo! Adrian from Canada writes:
    As long as our hard earned tax dollars are bailing out financially crippled Air Canada and not shutting them down as they should have long ago, the private carriers will struggle. Let's face it, we have nobody else to blame but ourselves as voting citizens of this country. Air Canada's financial track record is less than stellar, if they were a private enterprise they would have gone a long time ago. Do we need a heavily subsidized airline..? I don't think so, I'd rather see the market stabilize itself within the private sector. Unfortunately, Zoom is another victim and passengers are paying the price. If the Fed's can bail out Air Canada they should ensure safeguards and assurances are in place to protect us (the Canadian public) from this type of thing. Why should the Fed's be allowed to subsidize Air Canada and not be held responsible for the failure of a private carrier when Air Canada was allowed to compete unfairly and wouldn't have existed if they'd been shut down long ago?
  90. Rt. Revd. Malachy Egan from Halifax, Canada writes: Zoom never, ever worked for me.

    I would welcome O'Leary and Ryan Air. Cheap yes, uncomfortable yes, but they get you from A to B on time. O'Leary knows how to make cheap work. Zoom, boom and RIP.
  91. Simon O'Riordan from United Kingdom writes: What was the story with 'Royal'? Nobody has mentioned them.
  92. * * from Montreal, Canada writes: Just booked a flight with Zoom (Montreal-Paris return) on Tuesday, and Thursday they are out of business. Why on earth would they continue to sell tickets when they must have known this was coming?

    Here's hoping Visa is more helpful!
  93. City Wok from Canada writes: Tee hee, market failures make me happy!

    As long as we waste fuel on personal cars, flight will continue to become again only for the rich.
  94. H P from Toronto, Canada writes: Be careful...stay away from Sunwing for domestic flying...that one has bad news written all over it.
    WestJet & AC are quietly trimming domestic capacity now. Some WestJet domestic flights are already removed for the winter schedule which is most likely to keep their capacity in line with demand.
    If WestJet and AC are losing passengers domestically, I don't understand how Sunwing can capture extra traffic on domestic markets.
    No way to tell how Sunwing is performing financially either.
    It's the perfect storm right now. People are tightening their purse strings as fuel is soaring.
    Sorry for Zoom's employees but flying over the Atlantic for $129 each way is not sustainable. Hopefully, this will allow competition on this market to get their pricing back in line so as to effectively cover cost.
  95. Mr Malcontent from Canada writes: Menolike
    If you have a job interview tommorow, why are you still in Europe.
    Let me hire a private jet to get you here in time for your job interview
  96. City Wok from Canada writes: Hard earned tax dollars? Oh here we go with the entitlement crap again.
  97. Montgomery C. Burns from Springfield, Canada writes: How do you become a millionaire in Canada?

    Take $1 billion and start an airline.
  98. City Wok from Canada writes: Sunwing still does wonderful on charters however, they are huge numbers still going south each day.
  99. Quellcrist Falconer from Canada writes: That's too bad. I flew with Zoom many times and it was always great.
  100. Dr. Bundolo from Czar, Canada writes: What a tired bunch of AC haters who come out of the woodwork every time there is a Canadian airline story. I travel with AC all the time, as well with other carriers going on to other parts of the world and AC is just great as far as I have experienced. The whiners who complain about going with AC to London, the torture they profess to endure, yaddah, yaddah. What a bunch of spoiled brats. Nothing but first class seating will satisfy them and even at that they would find something to complain about in the service. The fact that the AC haters are convinced the government of Canada still owns them shows the sharpness of their intellect.
  101. Yo! Adrian from Canada writes: Maybe you have a cushy job but most of us work hard for that money and I don't like seeing wasted on the likes of Air Canada. Not only is there financial track record abysmal but the service is less than stellar.
  102. Angry West Coast Canuck from Canada writes: I've flown Zoom several times to and from Europe and have no complaints at all. Pity they couldn't make a go of it. Oh well, looks like I'll be going to Europe a lot less now. Time to take vacations closer to home.
  103. GC Ford from Toronto, Canada writes: Airlines are money pits to begin with, much less airlines that discount well below their competitors.
  104. Adrian C from Kitchener, Canada writes: vince T from toronto, Canada writes: To all of you wondering how come other major airlines are making money ? We, in Canada are notorious for wanting cut throat airfares. On the other hand, Germans and people from the middle east (to name a few) are willing to pay good money for their flights...

    ===============================================
    Vince, have a look at the number of people RyanAir moves in Europe, check out their airfares, it doesn't get any cheaper in Europe. And yes, they move plenty of Germans too. From what I've seen the age group is much younger, I felt like being on a school bus when I used RyanAir last year, on flight from Frankfurt to Barcelona (well Girona actually but that's a different story).
  105. Rt. Revd. Malachy Egan from Halifax, Canada writes: Zoom desperation spreads to Scair Canada, this from CNN:

    TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- An official with Air Canada's regional carrier Jazz says the airline is removing life vests from all its planes to save weight and fuel.

    Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stuart said Thursday that Transport Canada regulations allow airlines to use flotation devices instead of life vests, provided the planes remain within 50 miles of shore.

    Safety cards in the seat pockets of Jazz aircraft now direct passengers to use the seat cushions as flotation devices.

    Stuart says Jazz is a transcontinental carrier that doesn't fly over the ocean.

    Jazz planes do fly over the Great Lakes and along the Eastern seaboard from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Boston, Massachusetts, to New York.

    Stuart says all of Jazz's flights operate within 50 miles from shore. She says the airline operates 880 flights daily to 85 destinations in North America and says the number of flights that operate over water are minimal.

    A commercial-style life vest weighs roughly a pound (half a kilogram), meaning about 50 pounds (25 kilograms) would be saved by removing them from a Dash-8 aircraft with 50 seats.
  106. Paul Lees from Canada writes: Yo Adrian, pull your head out of your behind for a sec. The gov't hasn't given AC a dime in a long time. If you have proof otherwise post it.
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