One of the leased aircraft on arrival for the contractual service
The execution of a strategic solution to the sudden withdrawal of four aircraft by the uncharitable lessor, SmartLynx Airlines, has begun with the return of two jets from maintenance, and they have been immediately rostered to service the bourgeoning domestic routes.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Air Peace, Mr Nowel Ngala, made this known over the weekend and reassured air travellers that, as soon as the remaining eleven aircraft return, ostensibly in batches, from maintenance in the coming weeks, they will instantly be rostered to beef up capacity on the domestic routes.
Ngala said that as the week progresses, more of the aircraft that have completed their routine maintenance will be flown in, and they will be instantly deployed to service all the routes flown by Air Peace.
All things being equal, it is expected that the return to normalcy of commercial operations will not be delayed, as the entire 13 aircraft, now reduced to 11, will be instantly integrated into domestic routes to further speed up the return to normalcy of domestic operations, and the present glut will thin out in a short while.
As Air Peace prioritises re-establishing of scheduling integrity despite anachronistic situations caused by the unprofessional act of the lessor, the airline is strongly determined to recoup all the costs incurred while resolving the logjam in scheduling and the damages to the image of Nigeria’s foremost airline, which Ngala said amounted to USD15m.
L-R: The Chief Commercial Officer, Air Peace, Mr Nowel Ngala; and the Head, Ground Operations, Mr Ayodeji Adeyemi at a media briefing in Lagos
Air Peace reiterated its resolve to develop a robust mechanism to avert breakdown in future contractual deals with a third party, especially on critical issues that border on schedule integrity and passenger comfort.
Ngala revealed that all financial obligations to the lessor, which was summed up to USD6m, were paid upfront, by Air Peace, to avert skirmishes and stories that touched the heart, yet the lessor, SmartLynx Airlines, of Latvia, reneged and arbitrarily withdrew the four leased aircraft.
It was also revealed that Air Peace paid USD5m for the lease agreement, yet the lessor cooked up another cost of USD1m, for security of the lease arrangement. It was also paid for upfront, yet the lessor flagrantly reneged in a most ungentlemanly manner.
However, a legal redress the Chief Commercial Officer said was strongly considered by the management of Air Peace against the lessor.
Air Peace apologized to air travelers for the unforeseen occurrence and its unsatisfactory consequences to its passengers nationwide and those in the West coast of Africa.
Moreover, Air Peace has released three of the leased aircraft to the lessor, while one is on hold probably as security for the USD6m paid, and of which service has not been rendered.
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