Air Peace has condemned what it describes as the abrupt and unjustified withdrawal of four aircraft by SmartLynx Airlines, one of its lessors.

It confirmed that the development is responsible for the recent flight delays and cancellations across its network over the past week.

The airline's Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Nowel Ngala who briefed newsmen said the disruptions resulted from SmartLynx's sudden recall of the aircraft wet-leased to Air Peace, saying this was done without any prior notice and in clear violation of industry standards and contractual agreements.

According to Ngala, Air Peace had entered into the wet-lease arrangement because 13 of its aircraft are currently undergoing scheduled maintenance abroad.

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He stated that the leased aircraft were meant to cushion the gap and ensure uninterrupted travel, especially during peak periods.

However, he stated that SmartLynx's unexpected move created significant operational gaps, causing delays and cancellations.

Ngala revealed that SmartLynx had collected over $5 million from Air Peace--including more than $1 million as security deposits--despite knowing that the rightful owners of the aircraft intended to repossess them over SmartLynx's default in payment obligations.

According to him, Air Peace estimates that the disruptions have caused damages exceeding $15 million.

"These aircraft had been fully rostered for scheduled flights. Their sudden withdrawal was not only unprofessional but also fraudulent and premeditated," he said, adding that other airlines leasing from SmartLynx in different parts of the world had suffered similar treatment.