Zoom flights choir back on song

The airline announced last week it was suspending all its flights.

A choir that feared its tour of north America would be cancelled after the collapse of Zoom Airlines has managed to secure 139 seats on another flight.

Members and supporters of Llandybie Male Voice Choir from Carmarthenshire will have to find an extra £50,000.

But after saving £150,000 for the "once in a lifetime" trip they all agreed to go ahead and to try to make up some of the difference.

Fellow choirs are among those offering support with fundraising.

The party, made up of 39 singers, their wives and supporters, was due to fly from Cardiff to Toronto, Canada on 22 September with Zoom.

The tour was organised to mark the choir's centenary and people had saved for over two years for the trip.

But the transatlantic budget carrier announced last week it had suspended all flights and was applying to go into administration.

Choir secretary Keith Jones said the logistical problem of trying to find alternative flights for such a large group put the tour, which included visits to Washington DC and New York, in doubt.

Lots of choirs in south Wales have phoned up and said that they are quite prepared to help in any way they can Keith Jones, choir secretary

He said they had paid Zoom £33,000 for their tickets.

But he was contacted by Cardiff-based travel agent Travel City who helped book the entire party on an alternative flight out of Heathrow on the same day.

"We will have to pay £369 each for the flights but we had already paid for everything else," said Mr Jones.

"We had a meeting with everyone who was going and we have decided to go ahead.

"It is a relief - I got some sleep for the first time after that."

Mr Jones said since news of their predicament became known they had been inundated with offers of help.

"Lots of choirs in south Wales have phoned up and said that they are quite prepared to help in any way they can."

The choir's concert in Llandybie Memorial Hall on 12 September, initially billed as a 'bon-voyage' event, will now be the first of several fundraisers to help pay towards the additional cost.

"Everything raised will spread equally between everyone going," added Mr Jones.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas said he would help them try and recover the money.

He said: " The choir have saved for such a long time and to find out now that they must come up with additional money or be unable to go is heartbreaking.

"I am appalled that this has happened.

"If there is anyway in which we can try and get the money back I will follow every possible avenue to do so."