Air Peace: SmartLynx Aircraft Detained By The Airline Finally Departs Nigeria For Spain

The long-running dispute between Air Peace and SmartLynx Airlines has taken a fresh turn, following confirmation that the SmartLynx Estonia Airbus A320, which had remained grounded in Lagos since December 2025, has finally departed Nigeria and arrived in Spain.

The development comes months after tensions escalated between both parties over controversial damp lease agreements that Air Peace claims caused the Nigerian carrier monumental operational and financial losses estimated at USD 38 million.

Air Peace had earlier dismissed widespread claims that it planned to seize or indefinitely detain any lessor’s aircraft in Nigeria or elsewhere. The airline insisted that its disagreement with SmartLynx was strictly commercial and legal in nature, involving alleged contractual breaches and fraudulent practices tied to aircraft leasing arrangements.

According to Air Peace, the dispute involves three entities under the SmartLynx brand — SmartLynx Airlines Malta Limited, SIA SmartLynx Airlines, and SmartLynx Estonia OU.

The airline alleged that SmartLynx received several advance payments for agreed operational block hours under damp lease contracts but failed to fulfill its obligations despite allegedly knowing months in advance that the aircraft operations would not be delivered as agreed.

Air Peace maintained that the disruptions caused severe operational setbacks during a critical travel period, leading to widespread flight interruptions, reputational damage, and substantial financial losses.

The controversy intensified after one of the leased aircraft, the SmartLynx Estonia Airbus A320, remained in Lagos for several months following disagreements surrounding the lease arrangement and unresolved legal issues.

Industry observers had speculated that the aircraft might remain trapped in Nigeria indefinitely due to the ongoing legal battle. However, after prolonged negotiations and legal engagements, the aircraft has now successfully departed Lagos and arrived in Spain, effectively ending months of uncertainty surrounding its status.

Despite the aircraft’s release, Air Peace insists that its legal action against SmartLynx remains active. The airline previously disclosed that it obtained a court order against the lessor on November 12, 2025, as part of efforts to recover losses and seek accountability for what it describes as serious contractual breaches and financial misconduct.

Air Peace reiterated that it has no policy or intention of unlawfully detaining lessor aircraft and emphasized its commitment to resolving disputes strictly through legal and commercial channels.

The airline further stressed that the case highlights broader concerns within Africa’s aviation leasing environment, particularly the risks airlines face when lessors fail to honor operational commitments during peak travel periods.

With the aircraft now out of Nigeria and back in Europe, attention is expected to shift toward the ongoing legal proceedings and whether both parties can eventually reach a commercial resolution to one of the industry’s most closely watched leasing disputes in recent times.

By Our Correspondent