March 11 (Reuters) – Canada’s Flair Airlines had four aircraft seized on Saturday as a result of a commercial dispute with a New-York based hedge fund and aircraft lessor, resulting in flight cancellations, a spokesman for the ultra-low cost carrier said.
The lessor, Airborne Capital Ltd, declined to comment.
Alberta-based Flair, a tiny ultra-low-cost-carrier, said the seizures were “extreme and unusual actions” for falling behind on its leases and payment has been initiated.
Two aircraft were seized in Toronto, one in Edmonton and a fourth in Waterloo and the move comes at the start of the busy March break travel period in Canada.
“The airline is aggrieved by this unprecedented action,” a Flair spokesman said in statement. “Flair Airlines has been involved in ongoing communications with the lessor and payment has been initiated, as they have been previously done.”
Privately-owned Flair said it will use additional planes to minimize the impact on passengers and did not foresee any major disruptions to its route map.
“We are truly very sorry passengers were impacted today, and are taking steps to get them on their way with minimal disruption,” the spokesman added.
