Flying transatlantic with Zoom

[GnG 0]

Hello Brits,

Zoom, a transatlantic no-frills airline, has just launched flights between Gatwick and New York - yay!

I want to fly NY-GTW-NY. Now, the US FAA has decided that people in the US are not allowed to buy tickets for Zoom. But I can buy tickets as if I were in the UK, so I can buy a GTW-NY-GTW return and a GTW-NY single - I just wouldn't use the first leg of the return - and it would still be cheaper than most transatlantic flights.

But have I missed anything? Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

Thanks!

GnG

Edited April 24, 2007 by GnG

[homesick_american 1]

Hello Brits,

Zoom, a transatlantic no-frills airline, has just launched flights between Gatwick and New York - yay!

I want to fly NY-GTW-NY. Now, the US FAA has decided that people in the US are not allowed to buy tickets for Zoom. But I can buy tickets as if I were in the UK, so I can buy a GTW-NY-GTW return and a GTW-NY single - I just wouldn't use the first leg of the return - and it would still be cheaper than most transatlantic flights.

But have I missed anything? Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

Thanks!

GnG

It's not the FAA that is restricting Zoom, it's the Department of Transportation. They're not allowing Zoom to sell tickets to US residents and though you may be able to trick the website, I would check with the airline to ensure that the tickets you buy will actually be honored. Airlines usually take every step possible to ensure that they're not violating US regulations since the US market is so lucrative, and the penalties for violations are severe...so I would be surprised if they would knowingly sell a ticket to a US resident.

I would talk to the airline if I were you to see if they will honor a ticket purchased that way. If you don't get any joy there, you might want to consider traveling to Canada, THEN taking a Zoom flight to London if that works out cheaper for you.

Edited April 24, 2007 by homesick_american

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I don't think buying a return from Gatwick and a single would necessarily work, for one simple reason. I seem to recall that if you do not show up for the outgoing leg of your return journey, most airlines will deem you as having cancelled your booking. If you show up for the JFK end of it, you may be told that your reservation has been cancelled, and hey presto, you're stuck at JFK without a ticket to fly on. Why not give Zoom a ring and ask their policy on this? Better safe than sorry!

I've managed to get on the return leg of a Newquay-Stansted flight, but then of course I had bought two singles!

[homesick_american 1]

I don't think buying a return from Gatwick and a single would necessarily work, for one simple reason. I seem to recall that if you do not show up for the outgoing leg of your return journey, most airlines will deem you as having cancelled your booking. If you show up for the JFK end of it, you may be told that your reservation has been cancelled, and hey presto, you're stuck at JFK without a ticket to fly on. Why not give Zoom a ring and ask their policy on this? Better safe than sorry!

Good point.

[rebeccajo 14]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

[Fandango 1,439]

Confirming what ECM said cos I actually had called to check in on that. I called Virgin cos when I was heading home, tickets TO the UK were wayyy cheaper than from. They told me that when you don't show up for your outbound, the inbound is cancelled because they consider the flight abandoned.

[homesick_american 1]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

LOL...you probably would not be surprised to learn that some airlines (not always the low-cost ones) have actually investigated the logistics of having passengers stand up during the flights (they would have backboards for you to lean on for support and safety) or stacking passengers in bays like on a submarine. Airliner manufacturers have looked into this too; I know a guy at Boeing, and I've got family high-up in a US airline. You think it's bad NOW? It could get a lot worse in the future. It probably won't, but it COULD.

[payxibka 10,045]

Confirming what ECM said cos I actually had called to check in on that. I called Virgin cos when I was heading home, tickets TO the UK were wayyy cheaper than from. They told me that when you don't show up for your outbound, the inbound is cancelled because they consider the flight abandoned.

Cancelling an entire itinerary when you do not use the first leg of your journey has been airline policy now for many years.

[Lansbury 19]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

Having worked at a major airport, in the industry it is recognised that as little as a £5 price difference on an economy ticket can effect the purchasing choice of the consumer.

If air travel today is ####### it is because of the vast majority of passengers who go with the cheapest price. To be cheap the airlines have cut service in economy to the point of being almost non existent. In this case the consumer is getting what they deserve by only buying on price.

How many posts do you see in these forums asking where the cheapest tickets can be purchased, not who provides the best service or most comfortable seats?

[Widge 0]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

You have obviously never flown Ryan Air !!!!!!!! No frills means no seat allocation (first boarded first grabbed) no meals, snacks nada nada ! Personally it always amazes the level of service on planes ......... all I want is a seat and to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. It amuses me that with train travel one accepts no personal service and standing for hours but somehow in a plane we want all the things put right Rebecca lists above - not I cheap cheap cheap please more money for duty free

[Fandango 1,439]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

You have obviously never flown Ryan Air !!!!!!!! No frills means no seat allocation (first boarded first grabbed) no meals, snacks nada nada ! Personally it always amazes the level of service on planes ......... all I want is a seat and to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. It amuses me that with train travel one accepts no personal service and standing for hours but somehow in a plane we want all the things put right Rebecca lists above - not I cheap cheap cheap please more money for duty free

I think watching the people running to the plane is hilarious. So it's not without entertainment.

I actually love Ryanair. We've flown them A LOT and it's always been a pleasant experience...well, as pleasant as flying can be for me cos I LOATHE it. The one thing I detest about RA is the locations of the airports are in BFE in relation to the cities. Dublin's not too bad but don't EVER go to Frankfurt Hahn if you're looking to get to Frankfurt

[Fandango 1,439]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

Having worked at a major airport, in the industry it is recognised that as little as a £5 price difference on an economy ticket can effect the purchasing choice of the consumer.

If air travel today is ####### it is because of the vast majority of passengers who go with the cheapest price. To be cheap the airlines have cut service in economy to the point of being almost non existent. In this case the consumer is getting what they deserve by only buying on price.

How many posts do you see in these forums asking where the cheapest tickets can be purchased, not who provides the best service or most comfortable seats?

I would prolly go up to $150 in price if it meant getting Virgin over BA, but I couldn't justify any more than that. Virgin's staff are class. The food wasn't bad either.

BA...well if it's cheap enough, I'll fly them, but I'll have to remind myself continually thru the flight that I got a great deal

[Mags 112]

I'd pay up to $100 more for BA or Virgin. I've always had a class A service on BA and would pay that little bit more for it. Same goes for Virgin.

I'd hate to be stuck on some cheap airline, legs squashed under me, appalling food and bad service...all because I'd saved myself $50. Not worth it. I'd rather travel in relative comfort for a little extra everytime.

[featherB 1]

The one thing I detest about RA is the locations of the airports are in BFE in relation to the cities. Dublin's not too bad but don't EVER go to Frankfurt Hahn if you're looking to get to Frankfurt

Yeah, at least Dublin flies to THE airport... the worst one I had was when I flew to a place claiming to be Verona with Ryanair. The airport turned out to be in the middle of nowhere, even by Ryanair standards. One two and a half hour bus ride later (with no traffic at all, so I can't even blame traffic for making the journey so long - it was the very large DISTANCE that made the journey so long!) I arrived in Verona. Ryanair always seems a great idea for a weekend away somewhere, until you realise you have to spend most of that weekend getting to and from the airport!

But I love Ryanair too, incidentally. If I can fly somewhere for a penny each way, I'm not complaining. And I'll take my own lunch, rather than pay £6 (or whatever it is) for a KitKat Chunky and a cheese roll. Cold pizza, last time - yum. (Oh, handy Ryanair hint.... two singles is quite often cheaper than a return to a lot of their destinations, because you'll often end up paying less tax if you do it that way... has worked for me lots of times!)

[Widge 0]

How could air travel get any more 'no frills' than it already is?

Tight uncomfy seats, lumpy pillows, microscopic bags of snacks, atrocious meals - all while being herded like cattle by abrupt and unfriendly personnel.

I guess maybe someone decided to charge us less for being treated like #######?

You have obviously never flown Ryan Air !!!!!!!! No frills means no seat allocation (first boarded first grabbed) no meals, snacks nada nada ! Personally it always amazes the level of service on planes ......... all I want is a seat and to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. It amuses me that with train travel one accepts no personal service and standing for hours but somehow in a plane we want all the things put right Rebecca lists above - not I cheap cheap cheap please more money for duty free

I think watching the people running to the plane is hilarious. So it's not without entertainment.

I actually love Ryanair. We've flown them A LOT and it's always been a pleasant experience...well, as pleasant as flying can be for me cos I LOATHE it. The one thing I detest about RA is the locations of the airports are in BFE in relation to the cities. Dublin's not too bad but don't EVER go to Frankfurt Hahn if you're looking to get to Frankfurt

Your def right it is travel in a whole new light. Hubby couldn't believe that we could both fly London Stansted to Milan (return) for less than the cost of a carton of cigarettes> as fsaar as location goes sometimes its actually better Staqnsted was far easier for me than getting to LGW or LHR did the Turin or Milan trip many times as sister lives North Italy. I just pray that a no-frills airline picks up the UK routes dropped out of Pittsburgh by USAirways and of course if they flew to Stansted that would just be an added bonus :dance: