They were always seen as the canniest fliers, those who booked months in advance for the best deals. The Zoom collapse has cast doubt on that logic.

Marty Wright, 47, a lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, has lost £700 for her dream holiday on Canada's west coast next summer.

"We were supposed to fly out in July next year to Vancouver and Calgary to visit family and take in the World Police and Firefighter Games. I don't know what we will do now."

Mrs Wright and her husband Adam, from Stewarton in Ayrshire, paid for their tickets using a debit card. That means they don't get the protection afforded to those who did so by credit card or through a travel agency.

She said: "We paid £700 for our flights, and have since been told that we are now in the hands of the creditors and as we are unaware who that is we don't know where we stand. I doubt we will get much of a refund."

Meanwhile, travellers left stranded by the collapse of the budget airline told how they were forced to pay thousands of pounds for alternative flights or cancel their dream holiday.

Passengers returned to Glasgow Airport to try to salvage their trip after spending the night in a nearby hotel. At the Zoom desk at Glasgow the customer announcement detailing the company's collapse was taped to the counter.

Aaron Steele, 30, from Ottawa, was trying to return home from his honeymoon in Scotland. The IT worker managed to book a flight from Edinburgh and said the couple had to get a taxi to the airport if they were to make it on time.

He said: "We're travelling from Edinburgh to Ottawa via New York. It was around £1000 for the flights plus we had to pay for a night in a hotel. We tried to get a flight until 11pm last night, then realised we'd have to come back this morning. It has not been very well handled."

Helen Steel, 31, was due to travel with her husband, mother and five-month-old daughter to Halifax, Canada, for a holiday on Thursday.

She said: "We were here for 7am and were told at 5.30pm that Zoom had gone under. We booked into a hotel and we were on the internet until 11.30pm trying to find flights.

"Today BA are quoting £2500 and BMI only have business class seats left." The family said that BA did not seem aware of the "special fares" that Zoom had said would be offered to passengers following its collapse.

Mrs Steel said: "It seems that we've been left with no help from anybody."

Her mother Mary O'Dell, 57, added tearfully: "It's a desperate situation. It was to be a holiday of a lifetime."

BAA Glasgow said they were "deeply sorry" for passengers and staff affected by the collapse of Zoom.

A spokesman said extra staff were drafted into the airport to help deal with Zoom passengers and direct them to alternative airlines.

He added: "We would remind passengers intending or due to travel with Zoom Airlines in the coming days that all of the airline's flights have now been cancelled.

"Anyone planning to fly from Glasgow with Zoom should not travel to the airport unless they have made alternative travel arrangements."

The operator said Canadian Affair and flyglobespan operated from Glasgow to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. There are no direct flights to Halifax or Ottawa.