ANTIGUA | CDB’s ‘foot-dragging’ delays LIAT 2020 take-off despite Air Operator’s Certificate

ST. JOHN, Antigua, June 14, 2024 - Prime Minister Gaston Browne has become frustrated with the protracted delay by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to finalize the sale agreement which has been under review for some time and which would get LIAT 2020 off the ground and into the skies.

Even though the airline has received its Air Operator Certificate, it is unable to start scheduled flights because the CDB has yet to sign off on the sales agreement.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who is also the Finance Minister, emphasized that the revised sales agreement is not a new document and is frustrated over his inability to reach CDB’s Acting President, Isaac Solomon, for several weeks.

“The government placed about $12.1 US million in escrow to purchase three aircraft, and what is holding us back is that the Caribbean Development Bank has been vetting the sales agreement for over two weeks. I don’t understand why a sales agreement has to take so long,” Browne lamented.

Antigua-based LIAT 2020 has officially received its  Air Operator’s Certificate through the  Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) which  represent a major milestone for the carrier, as it paves the way for scheduled passenger flights to begin.

Chairman of  the newly established airline LIAT 2020, Ambassador Daven Joseph, said the airline will have a significantly different business plan as it prepares to begin operations from its home base in Antigua and Barbuda.

He acknowledged that many other regional airlines have filled the void left by the now-defunct LIAT (1974) Ltd. and are providing air services to many of the destinations that LIAT used to serve.

Ambassador Joseph  said he recognized that the regional airline market has changed remarkably since LIAT (1974) Ltd. scaled down its operations before ceasing all operations earlier this year.

He believes that LIAT 2020 can learn from the mistakes of the past and offer competitive prices along with effective and safe operations and excellent customer service.

The airline has long-term plans to operate flights as far south as Suriname and as far north as Miami. Currently, LIAT 2020 has two 50-seater E-145 jet aircraft and expects to add a 120-seater jet to its fleet over the coming months, which will enable the airline to offer longer haul flights to destinations such as Miami or Suriname.

Hafsah Abdul-Salam, who represents the majority owner of the airline, Air Peace out of Nigeria, recently announced that LIAT 2020 will begin service to St. Lucia and St. Kitts following the acquisition of the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).