Zoom letting customers down

[Wee Willy Winky]

It would seem that Zoom are cancelling / re-scheduelling flights frequently, apparently without regard for the disruption it causes to travellers and their travel plans.

I have just learned, by luck, that their Vancouver - Gatwick flight on Thursday 12th has been chopped, with barely 4 day's notice.

Highly inconvenient for those who needed to be back in Blighty at the scheduled 1000 Friday 13th. Unfortunately, their Customer Service team in Canada have a 'tough ****' attitude, 'go on a later date or get your money back'. Just not very helpful for the connecting flights, extra accommodation costs, extra travel costs, extra parking costs, not least of which I cannot make my flight duty for my own airline on Saturday 14th now.

But Zoom just don't seem to care a damn. Are they struggling financially? Things must be bad when their very own flight crew confess to me that they are letting their customers down badly, and the present habit of cancelling flights with minimal notice is pi$$ing off their loyal, regular customers big style. If they carry on like this, they'll very rapidly lose their loyal customer core and go bust. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

Nul points - or as Sir Alan Sugar would say - "YOU'RE FIRED"

WWW
flocci non faccio

[EI-CFC]

They bill themselves as a "low-cost" airline, so you have to expect that their Customer Service will probably not be up to much, especially in cases like this.

[Wee Willy Winky]

True, but they are still bound by EU regulation 261/2004.

Simply trying to claim that a cancelled flight has 'been delayed' in an attempt to avoid responsibility and compensation is plain dirty.

Other than the well publicised precedent set by Harbord v Thomas Cook, does anyone have experience of extracting their due compensation from these rogue airlines who shirk their responsibilities to their customers?

Their refusal to offer any assistance for the problems caused by the cancelled flight is completely illegal as it flies in the face of 261/2004 - about the only thing that IS flying in Zoom!

I think that their myopia on this matter will cost them dear when everyone realises their right to compensation.

WWW
Zoom - Tum podem extulit horridulum

[Wee Willy Winky]

From Zoom's own website - Terms and Conditions:
SCHEDULES AND FLIGHT DELAYS

Times displayed on website, brochure or elsewhere are not guaranteed and are not a part of the contractual obligation. Zoom Airlines reserves the right to substitute alternate carriers, aircraft types, and may add or exclude en route stops at our discretion without notice. Schedules are subject to change without notice. Zoom Airlines is not responsible for passengers making connections Passengers are responsible for verifying their flight departure times 24 hours prior. Zoom Airlines does not offer compensation for inconvenience or loss of personal/business time caused by schedule changes or flight delays. Similarly, it is not possible to obtain refunds for any unused accommodation or facilities in the event of an extended delay.

No mention of EU regulation 261/2004 - and wording that tramples right over its provision. This seems to be completely illegal and is certainly no help when trying to negotiate with the intransigent and thoroughly unhelpful Customer 'Service' team when trying to return to the UK when Zoom stand passengers by cancelling a flight. All they keep repeating is "you did read the Terms and Conditions, didn't you?"

It stinks, and this sort of 'flying above the law' could very well be their un-doing in these harsh economic times. Certainly, their outbound flight had barely 72% load factor, so was very unlikely to be returning a profit. There's only so long an airline can survive with unprofitable load factors (witness Silverjet), cancelling flights, and pi$$ing off their loyal passengers.

Please can someone shed any light on previous such cancellations, or their experiences in claiming their due compensation under EU 261/2004.

WWW
caveat emptor

[WHBM]

Notwithstanding its Candian roots Zoom has a UK AOC No 2316. If they are refusing to comply wth EU regulation 261/2004 then that seems a good reason to write to te CAA and ask that their AOC be cancelled as they refuse to comply with relevant national law.

Write to :

Air Transport Uses Council (part of the CAA)
www.auc.org.uk (http://www.auc.org.uk)

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=125&pagetype=90&pageid=6480

"Regulation (EC) 261/2004 sets out passenger rights against airlines when flights are delayed, cancelled or overbooked. It also requires, under Article 16, that each EC Member State shall designate a body responsible for the enforcement of the Regulation and a competent body that airline customers can contact concerning alleged infringements. The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for enforcement; the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) provides advice to the public on alleged infringements, and provides information to the Civil Aviation Authority if, in its opinion, a particular airline is consistently breaking the rules"

[hippotamus]

On the flip side , myself and hubby are bboked on a zoom flight at the end of the month to attend a wedding in Belfast. I really don't want to go and am praying that we will fall foul of the last minute cancellations!;)

[Wee Willy Winky]

Thank you, WHBM for your kind, prompt and informative response.

It will be most helpful as I seek rightful compensation.

WWW
ipsa scientia potestas est

[FairlieFlyer]

If they are in financial difficulty (& cancelling half empty flights is a good way to save money) , I wouldnt bet on EU laws to help you should they be taken into receivership or get you a return flight if you end up stranded ( a la Oasis and all the aircrew + passengers stranded in London, Vancouver & Hong Kong).

Might pay to rebook on another airline

[san diego]

There have been rumours about the state of the airline for at least three months in the UK, witness endless sales of seats, reduced fares and free car hire as incentives to book. The largest insurer against airline failure has refused to offer any further cover, the second largest is considering it's position at the moment. The largest buyer of this insurance is the travel industry itself, if they consider that they have to carry the risk of failure, they tend to simply stop making bookings, most travel agents had stopped selling Silverjet long before its failure.

As regards the EU Regulations, Zoom will no doubt say it is based in Canada and as such it only has to comply with the Regulations when departing from the EU, they have no liability ex-Canada.

I hope they do survive but in the travel industry, rumour alone can push businesses over the edge

[Wee Willy Winky]

I have been assisted by a senior and helpful person in Zoom, to arrange alternative travel arrangements close to the times of our cancelled flight.

Assistance was given with the increased costs of the connecting flight, and the cost of travel with the alternate carrier was also covered, despite this being beyond the apparent scope of the Terms and Conditions. No compensation was offered, in line with the Terms and Conditions.

They pointed out that bookings made between the UK and Canada are taken by Zoom Inc (Canada) and not Zoom Ltd (UK), and as such are not bound by EU regulations. I apologise for my incorrect interpretation of this in an earlier post.

I shall make no further comment on this in this forum.

WWW
ex curia

[WHBM]

They pointed out that bookings made between the UK and Canada are taken by Zoom Inc (Canada) and not Zoom Ltd (UK), and as such are not bound by EU regulations.
Then back to training school for them. All airline operators departing the UK regardless of origin are obliged by law to meet the conditions of 261/2004, whether they may be British Airways, Air New Zealand, or Air Dogga Nogga. And all are overseen for compliance in this respect for UK consumers by the CAA. But regardless of who processes the booking the physical operation at Zoom is done on G- registered aircraft by an operator with a UK AOC.

[Notso Fantastic]

WWW- you are using this board as a one man crusade against Zoom! It is becoming boring! That's 2 forums you have used (or have I missed more elsewhere?) to get your revenge! Why? You did it to damage the company because they crossed you. That damage could harm the work prospects of a lot of people in the industry.