Zoom Gatwick passengers hit by plane problem over cash concerns
28.08.08
The holiday plans of dozens of passengers were dashed yesterday after a flight bound for Gatwick was grounded at the Calgary airport after the company that owns the aircraft terminated its lease with Zoom Airlines, Canada.com report. Zoom's fuel supplier also told the airline it would not refuel the aircraft because of outstanding debt.
The 69 passengers expecting to fly on the Boeing 767 to Glasgow and then on to Gatwick last night were left short of information at the Zoom check-in desk; they were told simply the aircraft was ‘no longer available.’
Calgary Airport Authority spokesman Bryce Paton told the news service the flight landed in Calgary from Paris Wednesday afternoon and was expected to continue on to Vancouver when it was grounded. He said: ‘It's an aircraft that Zoom had leased and the company that owns the aircraft has terminated their lease agreement with Zoom.'
Mr Paton said that it appears a number of accounts with Zoom are in arrears, including one with the Calgary Airport in excess of $400,000, reported to be a month or more's worth of charges. He added: ‘Clearly, the service suppliers are out there saying; "Look, we don't have the confidence going forward that you'll be able to pay your past debts." The lead domino in this is really the fuel companies. We're seeing the front end of a Canadian carrier seeing some difficulties.’
Zoom officials could not be reached for comment.
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