LIAT 2020 progresses

LIAT 2020, is expected to begin its operations soon after it acquires the necessary Air Operations Certificates (AOC).

The airline was created in response to the collapse of LIAT (1974) Ltd., the former regional airline that had served the Caribbean for over four decades.

Ambassador Daven Joseph, the interim board chairman of LIAT 2020, has confirmed that the airline is moving closer to becoming fully operational and will conduct two demonstration flights this week.

The demo-flights, which are a standard practice in the aviation industry, are part of the process to attain AOC and will be conducted in collaboration with the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA), the regulatory body responsible for issuing the certificates.

One of the demonstration flights will fly to St. Kitts on Thursday, while the other will head to St. Lucia on Friday.

The ECCAA officials, along with the staff of LIAT 2020, will be onboard the ATR aircraft acquired by the airline from the defunct LIAT (1974) Ltd. through the Caribbean Development Bank.

After the demonstration flights, the company will await the granting of the AOC by the ECCAA, which the interim chairman said was just “days away” following a meeting with ECCAA officials and Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

LIAT 2020 is a joint venture between the Antigua and Barbuda government and Air Peace, a private airline based in Nigeria.

Air Peace has agreed to provide three additional aircraft to LIAT 2020, which will bring the total number of planes in the airline’s fleet to six. However, it is not yet clear when these aircraft will arrive to complement the LIAT 2020 fleet.