Your Argus
TEXT your pictures, videos and messages to 80360. Start your message with SUPIC or email your tip-offs »
Zoom travellers seeking way home
6:52am Friday 29th August 2008
Hundreds of travellers left stranded following the collapse of low-fare airline Zoom are facing up to the fact they will have to make their own way home.
The UK and Canada-based firm grounded all flights on Thursday night as it prepared to go into administration.
Zoom, which operated from five UK airports, blamed its financial difficulties on a massive jump in fuel bills as a result of the high cost of oil.
Passengers on both sides of the Atlantic face spending hundreds of pounds on alternative flights to return home.
Zoom's cash crisis became apparent on Wednesday follow the grounding of a Zoom flight from Paris at Calgary airport in Canada.
Glasgow airport was instructed on Thursday by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority to detain a Halifax-bound flight over the non-payment of charges.
Passengers also began queueing for a later flight to Vancouver which never left the ground. Travellers were told of the company's collapse as they continued to wait into the evening.
Zoom, founded by Scottish brothers John and Hugh Boyle, said it had attempted to secure a re-financing package that would have kept its aircraft flying.
But the owners issued an apology to both travellers and its more than 600 staff after failing to strike a deal.
The airline is based at Gatwick and employs about 450 staff in Canada and 260 in the UK.
Editor's Choice
Eco-dilemmas solved
All the top tip columns make being green sound so easy: just change your light bulbs, walk to the shops and do your recycling, but it never really works out like that. SARAH LEWIS turns agony aunt and answers some of your pressing eco-questions.
Comment: Sign up to an NHS dentist to beat decay
When the new NHS dental contract was introduced, large numbers of dentists left the NHS and focused on private patients.
Woe of Woolies
Woolworths, one of the best-known names on the British high street, has been put into administration with £385 million of debt. As company bosses and administrators Deloitte wrestle with the task of rescuing the business, RICHARD GURNER takes a look back at the company’s history in Sussex and asks business leaders what needs to be done to revive its fortunes.
This week's walk: Horsted Keynes and Furner's Green
From the village of Horsted Keynes, this walk heads eastwards to encircle the nearby settlement of Danehill, crossing and recrossing two well-wooded valleys before returning along part of the Sussex Border Path, a longdistance walking route which sticks fairly closely to the boundary between East and West Sussex.
Passengers at Gatwick plan alternative arrangements
Passengers wait to make alternative arrangements after airline suspends flights
Zoom airlines has grounded all flights amid financial problems
In this section
Sponsored Links
Local Services
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
