Zoom Airlines is in administration: How to get your money back

Quentin

thefirs wrote: »

I submitted a claim to Capital One ....I was impressed with the speed of a credit added to the card account yesterday, but it was alas for only the amount of the return leg as itemised on Zoom's e-ticket, and I am therefore still around £245 out of pocket.

Capital One are a disappointment in the way they do this.

From experience it seems this is their first line of attack in a cynical attempt to get out of their s75 responsibilities.

They are well aware of these (their responsibilities), borne out by as soon as they get a letter pointing them out (thereby showing them they are dealing with someone who knows their onions) they rapidly capitulate and credit your account with the extra you are out of pocket due to the original merchant's demise.

thefirs

Quentin wrote: »

Capital One are a disappointment in the way they do this.

From experience it seems this is their first line of attack in a cynical attempt to get out of their s75 responsibilities.

They are well aware of these (their responsibilities), borne out by as soon as they get a letter pointing them out (thereby showing them they are dealing with someone who knows their onions) they rapidly capitulate and credit your account with the extra you are out of pocket due to the original merchant's demise.

Happily Capital One agreed a settlement in full this week, so full marks to them on this claim. Likewise one of my brothers via Halifax visa, though Barclaycard are still taking their time over my other brother's claim.

Prudence101

[quote=

Daisymabel;15858883]There has been so much great information on this thread over the last few months. I'm sure that many people have obtained refunds for the money they paid to Zoom who would never have even tried, unaware of their rights.


Those who have Maestro debit cards, there seems to be no refunds as yet. The above article also makes mention of Maestro policy for UK cardholders purchasing goods over the internet from an overseas website. As mentioned above by Zarjaz, if you purchased a ticket to or from Canada via the internet, you purchased it from Zoom Airlines Inc who were based in Canada. The working lunch website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/7593369.stm also states this as Maestro policy and further expands the definition of an overseas website. It's been posted before but if you missed it check it out

.

Here is an update on my ongoing saga to reclaim my payment to Zoom through a Natwest Maestro debit card.

I am currently using the F. Ombudsmans Service and they have been prompting Natwest into action but nothing positive yet. Natwest have passed on MasterCard's (Maestro) statemtent to them:

"Where consumers have purchased flights or holidays from XL or Zoom using a UK-issued Maestro debit card and have been affected by the collapse of these companises, they are advised to contact their card issuing bank. The latter is best placed to determine whether a chargeback for a particular transaction can be made, as it depends on various factors such as the location of the retailer. It should be noted however, that there is no chargeback provisiion (under specific UK variants to the Global Rules) for non-delivery of goods or services where a UK cardholder makes a purchase in sterling through a UK-based merchant."

So Natwest have concluded from this that since the following three things are true then the transaction does not qualify as being overseas. 1) The transaction was in sterling, 2) Zoom airlines was a UK domiciled merchant, and 3) that the acquiring bank (Deutsche Bank) who processed the charge for Zoom is also based and processed the transaction in the UK.

They claim the the Maestro rules that have been linked on this thread are superceded by Domestic UK rules which are not public.

Natwest also states that "since it is not us that stands the loss when a chargeback is undertaken (this would be the acquiring Bank i.e. Deutsche Bank)" there can be no refund.

So that is where things now stand. I really would appreciate any advice that any members could offer. Natwest's customer relations department have telephoned me to discuss their decision. I have deferred this conversation for a day or two but I do find it interesting that now they are calling me (after being on hold for so much of september.)

Daisymabel_2

Prudence 101.... Is this information coming to you from the FOS or Nat West direct? Have the FOS made a final decision that you have no chance of asking Nat West to make a chargeback on your behalf?

I was always under the impression that a chargeback is the card issuing bank going to the acquiring bank and requesting the money back. Why Nat West give that as a reason why there can be no refund is also puzzling. The very first post on this thread explains how a chargeback works, although in fairness that was specifically referring to Visa.

Also, I wondered if you wouldn't mind sharing, were you flying to Canada or one of the US destinations from the UK? The reason I ask is because a check of the Zoom website www.flyzoom.com clearly states there are two companies comprising of Zoom Inc & Zoom Ltd. One was for flights to and from Canada and the other for the US and other destinations. There are Canadian & British companies appointed re the insolvency matters. Zoom Inc was based in Ottawa, Canada (a staffed HQ, not a computer in the corner of a room). I'm not sure how Nat West class that as UK domiciled but if they are providing an explanation to you then maybe you could share that with us.

Thank you.

Prudence101

Thanks very much for your thoughts.

Here are answers to your questions:

- Is this information coming to you from the FOS or Nat West direct? Have the FOS made a final decision that you have no chance of asking Nat West to make a chargeback on your behalf?

The information is coming from Natwest directly. The FOS have not made a final decision yet. They are waiting for my response to this latest response from Natwest.

- I wondered if you wouldn't mind sharing, were you flying to Canada or one of the US destinations from the UK?

I was flying to Canada. So I made the argument about Zoom InC being overseas using the website in my last letter to Natwest.

The quotation in my last post (above) was in my letter from Natwest but was made by Mastercard to Natwest. Natwest states both they and MasterCard regard Zoom Airlines was a UK-domiciled merchant. Natwest states "It is our belief that the UK arm of Zoom Airlines, [after undertaking the transaction] then forwarded the funds(by way of inter-Company transfer) to the Canadian arm of Zoom who was responsible for issuing the invoice and tickets."

If this is right, then there does not seem to be any real chargeback possibilities for any overseas transactions because I cannot think of any genuinely overseas website accepting a debit card payment in sterling without a local UK-based bank to accept the sterling, convert it, and transfer it to the overseas company. It would seem that everydebit card transaction is local because surely all sterling transactions use a bank (in this case Deutsche Bank) to process the transaction. So, what then is the point of making a rule that covers direct debit card transactions with overseas when no such transactions practically exist?

I think that my response to the FOS or to Natwest when they telephone must insist that tickets bought to travel to Canada were made with a Canadian company despite the necessary intermediaries who facilitate all debit card transactions with foreign companies.

Any and all advice is very much appreciated.

kellyn1201

Prudence101, sorry I don't have any advice, I'm actually one step behind you.

I have the forms all filled in ready to go to the FOS, was just wondering how long it took for you to hear something from them?

For what it's worth, mystepdad's invoice is from Zoom Airlines Inc, and I just can't understand how Natwest can possibly claim they are a UK merchant (which is the only response we've had from them!).

Good luck to both of us

zarjaz_2

Finally received my refund from MBNA for Zoom flights.
They processed the refund on the day we were due to make the return flight for the trip, which is what they said they'd do all along.

The FSO were absolutely no use whatsoever...MBNA just ignored their letters...

mariejader

Has anyone received any refunds from Barclaycard?

vin60

Hi a few months ago i received a full refund for my flight home that never happened. Now abbey are debiting my account for half because i was only let down on the return journey. So can i apply to get some compensation for having my holiday cut short and also for having to pay out more money for my return flights which turned out dearer

thank you

vin

jayarrdee

mariejader wrote: »

Has anyone received any refunds from Barclaycard?

Barclaycard are very slow. Lots of promises to find out progress and let me know, but have failed to call back every time.

Next stop - the ombudsman.