Majority of Zoom passengers ‘protected’
Eighty per cent of passengers booked on failed transatlantic carrier Zoom Airlines did so through tour operators or paid by credit card.
Both methods carry “a high degree of protectionâ€, the airline said today.
The “vast majority†of passengers affected by the suspension of flights should be able to secure alternative services and will be entitled to refunds, according to Zoom.
The airline said an estimated 40,000 passengers have made bookings over the next year, the majority of which are for 2009 departures.
Zoom said that 4,500 UK based customers had made reservations to travel within the next week. An estimated 650 of these passengers were due to travel from a variety of Canadian and US destinations within the next 36 hours.
The airline calculated that 10,400 UK based people have made return bookings with Zoom over the next 12 months.
Approximately 20,000 non-UK bookings have been taken by Zoom over the next 12 months.
An additional 10,000 seats have been allocated to travel operators.
Zoom chairman Hugh Boyle said: “We are trying to make as many passengers as possible aware of their options in terms of alternative flights and the possibility of securing refunds for the flights they booked with Zoom.
“As things stand, there is good availability of alternative flights as we have passed the main holiday period. We believe the majority of passengers who booked with us should be able to secure an alternative flight.
“We have been in contact with other airlines including BA, Virgin and FlyGlobespan in particular, and they have made clear the availability of alternative flights. We have also listed on the www.flyzoom.com website a list of other airlines which offer alternative services on routes where Zoom operated.
“As regards refunds we would like to repeat the advice we issued to passengers yesterday and this has been underlined by the Civil Aviation Authority in advice to passengers today in that they should contact their credit or debit card companies, their travel operator or the ATOL website: www.atol.org.uk
“We would like to reassure people that yesterday every possible effort was made to save the airline and safeguard flights and it was only very late in the day when the actions of suppliers and creditors made it impossible to continue.â€
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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