I expect we've all heard those news reports of people who have been stranded far from home with flights booked for their return only to find that their airline went bust, and thought "How does that feel?"

Well now I know. I picked up my newspaper early on Friday morning in Montreal to find it headline news that Zoom, the airline on which I was booked to return home that night had ceased operation. A quick check of the web site confirmed the truth.

Everything has a silver lining. My hosts at the University of Montreal had in fact booked me three flights to get me the best return deal: a return out with Air Canada on which I had not planned to use the return portion next Wednesday, and a single back with Zoom. This was, absurdly, far cheaper than an Air Canada return on Friday.

But having the ticket made it an easy job to switch to a return flight via Halifax, Nova Scotia for a cost of $300, and by the time the credit card refunds the Zoom ticket a net refund for the University of more than $300.

So right now I'm sitting in Halifax, a rare airport that offers free wi-fi. And I'll get home an hour earlier than originally planned. It is a perverse outcome, if gained at losing attendance at a couple of presentations at what was a superb seminar.