Zoom Airlines, a Canadian carrier established in 2002, has set Thursday 21 June for the introduction of low cost daily flights between Gatwick and New York JFK.
However, the airline, which has successfully operated between the UK and Canada since 2004, has yet to acquire the necessary Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The application has been made as Zoom UK which was established last year when Bank of Scotland Growth Equity acquired a 7.5% stake in the airline as part of a ”5.7m investment.
Gaining a British AOC is never easy and requires both technical and financial fitness, while the new bilateral also needs the company to be owned and controlled by European investors. Any Canadian aircraft used will have to be modified to meet British JAA requirements.
Zoom plans to operate Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the route which will compete with Delta Airlines twice-daily full service operation. Zoom says it will offer an 'easyJet-style' booking service with flexible one-way fares and both economy and premium economy cabins with designated seating, meals service and what it calls 'plenty of frills'. Presently the airline flies from Gatwick to eight Canadian destinations and out of a further four UK points.
Zoom is also to increase services from the UK to Canada for next winter. The airline says it is experiencing an unprecedented level of demand for its low cost scheduled flights. Zoom's full winter 2007/8 schedule will operate from the start of October until the end of April 2008 with Gatwick as the airline”s major operation.
Toronto and Vancouver will now be served three times and Montreal twice-weekly. A new weekly scheduled flight will operate from Belfast to Vancouver departing on Thursdays, allowing Zoom to tap into the localised and thriving snow sports market in Northern Ireland. Toronto also goes twice-weekly from Glasgow and Manchester.
Jonathan Hinkles, Zoom Airlines UK managing director, said: "We are delighted to be expanding our Canadian winter flight schedule on the back of a very successful season. The additional flights to Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto from national and regional airports will strengthen our position as the leading leisure airline in the UK ” Canada market for city breaks, winter sports tour operators and individual snow-sport enthusiasts.”
Zoom provides a full onboard service including in-flight entertainment, meal and free soft drinks. Passengers pay for headsets. A 20kg baggage allowance is on offer on all flights with no additional carriage charge for ski or sporting equipment. Premium class seats are also available from an additional ”79 each way, with additional legroom, superior in-flight meals, and complimentary drinks plus check-in and luggage benefits. The New York route, when approved, is expected to offer similar services.
At present Zoom operates from its five UK hubs (Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast, Cardiff) and Paris to eight Canadian destinations including Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Montreal.