Zoom Airlines

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Zoom Airlines

IATA Z4	ICAO OOM	Callsign Zoom
Founded		May 2002
Hubs		Toronto Pearson International Airport Vancouver International Airport Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Member lounge		Executive Lounge operated by Penauille Servisair
Fleet size		4^[1]
Destinations		14
Headquarters		Ottawa, Ontario
Key people		Hugh Boyle Chairman, Kris Dolinki President and CEO
Website: http://www.flyzoom.com

Zoom Airlines Boeing 767 Model 306 ER, registration number C-GZNA, standing at the International Pier, Toronto International Airport, June 2006.

Zoom Airlines Boeing 767 version 328ER, registration number C-GZUM, positioned at the International departure gate, Glasgow International Airport. July 2006.

Zoom Airlines is a Canadian, low-cost, scheduled transatlantic, airline based in Ottawa, Ontario. Zoom operates from several Canadian airports, principally to destinations in Europe and in particular the United Kingdom.

1 History
2 Growth
3 Destinations
4 Fleet
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

Zoom Airlines was founded in May 2002 as a low-fare transatlantic airline. The carrier, based in Canada's capital city, Ottawa, was conceived by two Scots, brothers John and Hugh Boyle, to fill an emerging opportunity in the Canadian leisure travel market.

The two brothers entered the holiday business in the 1980s with their start up company Falcon Holidays in their native Scotland, which was later sold for a large profit to a major UK tour operator. Their next venture, Direct Holidays, started in 1991, gained strength and market share in Scotland, becoming a household name and the largest 'direct sell' travel company in the United Kingdom. After the sale of Direct Holidays in 1998 to MyTravel Group PLC for £84m (C$200 million), Hugh relocated to Canada. Having identified a gap in the Canadian leisure market, Boyle started GO Travel Direct Vacations, introducing the 'direct sell' method. This business model eliminates the role of travel agents, passing the savings made back to the holiday maker. In taking this business model one step further, Boyle launched Zoom Airlines, removing the remaining third parties (the airlines) from the booking process.

Zoom operates year-round scheduled services to the United Kingdom and France, as well as a combination of scheduled and charter services to the Caribbean and Southern US with select Canadian tour operators.

Zoom is one of the main sponsors of Motherwell F.C., a Scottish Premier League football club.

[edit] Growth

In August 2006, Bank of Scotland Growth Equity acquired a minority stake in the airline as part of a £5.7m investment package. The Bank of Scotland Growth Equity’s investment will provide additional funds for the start up of a UK-based airline for the Canadian carrier, as well as assisting with a rolling fuel hedging package. The company's UK sister company, Zoom UK will be a UK registered airline focusing on bringing Zoom Canada's successful formula to the UK Long Haul Market. Zoom UK's first route will be from London Gatwick to New York's JFK Airport scheduled to start in May 2007 using a Boeing 767-300. Other rumoured routes have included Orlando, San Francisco as well as routes to the Middle East and Asia.

In November 2006, Zoom Airlines and FlyGlobespan.com will embark on a new code share agreement. Zoom Airlines will operate two of three weekly Manchester to Toronto FlyGlobespan.com flights. Zoom flights from Toronto to Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester are already available for booking on the FlyGlobespan website, as well as Ottawa to London Gatwick. This deal is only for winter 2006/07 as Flyglobespan will commence their own Canadian program.

A Boeing 757 is currently in the process of being added to their fleet of aircraft.