During the 46th regular meeting of Caricom leaders in Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne shared his optimism about the new inter-regional airline, LIAT 2020, which is expected to start servicing routes in the Caribbean within the next two months.
LIAT 2020 is being formed in partnership with Air Peace, a private Nigerian airline founded in 2013, to replace LIAT (1974) Limited, which was forced to fold last month due to increased debt and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines owned the previous airline.
Browne announced that “significant progress” has been made towards the launch of the airline, as the other shareholding governments had agreed to allow Antigua and Barbuda to purchase the three aircraft, while Antigua and Barbuda will be investing around US$25 million in the initiative, and Air Peace will be putting in close to US$65 million.
Together, the total investment in the project will range from US$80 million to US$90 million. Browne expects LIAT 2020 to be operational within the next sixty days, assuming that the operating certificate can be obtained within a matter of weeks.
Air Peace is also making arrangements to send three Embraer 145 charter jets, which should arrive in Antigua and Barbuda within the next two weeks.
Antigua is also making available a headquarters building for the airline. Browne described the whole initiative as “a very significant investment,” showing the commitment of Antigua and Barbuda to regional connectivity.
If the demand is such that there is a requirement for additional aircraft, Air Peace has already indicated a willingness to send more to the Caribbean.
According to Browne, “From all indications, Air Peace will be a great private sector partner and will bring significant expertise in terms of management of LIAT 2020 and to ensure that we can operate an airline, LIAT 2020, that will be sustainable, profitable.”
The issue of regional transportation was among the matters discussed on the first full day of deliberations by regional leaders.
Maritime transportation, specifically the imminent launch of an inter-regional cargo ferry that will operate Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Guyana routes, was also discussed.
The Trinidad and Tobago government issued a statement, noting that Suriname will be added to the ferry’s route.
While the Trinidad and Tobago government will facilitate the incubation of the project, it is hoped that the private sector will play an integral role in the expansion of the ferry service.
Browne moustache is from the little dictator Hitler stylebook. Maybe it influences his delusion of importance from his little pipsqueak island. Like a cartoon its laughable doubt any leaders in region pay attention to the joker
zandole what is 600us for two days to travel shut your mouth if you dont have anything else to do or say 5000us a ,one day ticket from my to msp that piece of sh.. gastova dont even know his last toes with his lies
Skerro……speak English, if you want to be understood.
According to this opportunistic parasite, LIAT should have been flying since December 2023. He keeps on kicking the can further and further down the road.
This is the same fellow who has promised Antiguans about thirty two mega developmental projects throughout his tenure. All thirty two have either failed or did not even get off the ground.
Let’s hope this promise of LIAT 2020 is realised for the good of intra-regional travel. With this double speaker, you have to see before you believe him.
Spectators are the best players! You, MALAPROP Ibo France has the most plasters for every sore .
LIAT 2000 and “profitable” don’t belong in the same sentence. As long as the regional governments continue to regard air travel as a cash cow the milk passengers, regional travel will never reach its full potential.
I am going to Barbados in a few months and I looked at hopping over to Dominica for a couple of days. It was going to cost me $600 USD for my wife and I. I did not think it was worth my while to spend that kind of money for a 2 day trip. A good chunk of the airfare was taxes and fees.
Also, with an airline operating with 7 or 8 aircrafts, they just don’t have the economy of scale to operate efficiently. I am not sure what Air Peace is getting out of those, but profit will not be one of them.