LIAT 2020 Nears Aircraft Purchase Amid Shareholder Approval Awaited for Operations Kick-off

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Antigua PM eyes seamless shift as LIAT 1974 hands over to LIAT 2020

LIAT 2020 awaits ‘no objections’ letters from LIAT 1974 Ltd. shareholders to purchase one of its leased aircraft during the winding-up process.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne underscores the letters’ importance for LIAT 2020 to secure an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) before commencing operations.

The delay is attributed to the necessary shareholder approvals, expected by the week’s end. Browne assures that, upon receipt, the purchase, costing between 4 and 4.5 million dollars (US), may conclude promptly.

LIAT 2020, a joint venture between Antigua and Barbuda and Nigerian airline Air Peace, plans to buy the aircraft at its current commercial value. Air Peace will hold a majority stake, and other Caribbean governments express interest in ownership.

LIAT 1974 Ltd., under administration since July 2020, will cease operations by January 24, 2024. The majority of its staff is slated for rehire by LIAT 2020, according to PM Browne.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Lmao 🤣😂. I just have to laugh with this PM..
    This guy got to be a comedian 😂. Make it make sense, man!

    Mr Prime Minister, let me let you in on a clue..
    Before a business is operational, the first thing that has to be in place, is it’s employees.. to say that most of Lait 1974 staff is open to rehire, instead of saying,that, you have hired such and such, in such and such department, is a tell tale sign that all this is, is just bullcrap talk, and just wasting people’s time.

    Who you fooling Mr Prime Minister? Just tell the people the truth, that there is no damn deal on the table from Air Peace,and any other Government for that matter.

    If that was the case, how is it not in these islands news feeds, but only coming from your lying 🤥 lips.

    This is just a Propaganda story given by this PM.

    Smdh.. only dummies would follow this liar. Whao!!!

  2. Why would those countries, some of whom are trying to establish their own airline, issue to Gaston a “no objections” letter? This is just to cry when the time has passed for LIAT 2020 that other players are holding things up.
    I mean, with all this time, why wait until now to seek such an important document?

  3. You said it so succinctly @Islanman26. This clown just continues to lie, oblivious of the fact that he’s not talking to the prostitutes or ALP semi-illiterate supporters.
    With Antigua Airways he couldn’t get past stage 1 of 5, what makes him think anything is different?
    Besides, other islands, with proper leaders have already filled most of the void left by LIAT.
    Look, we cannot endure five years of this clown. What a failure!

  4. I hope by this time next year those letters still sitting on those PM desk you Browne think that they ain’t know the Crap u were talking about them what a clown show.

  5. Wow wow wow Prime Minister notice the Southern Caribbean is putting things in place regarding transportation both by Land Air and Sea that was done last week and expect others will join until you understand and informed the people that you are not getting the support ask yourself why Air Peace management is surrounded by shady deals why you think that reputable countries across the Caribbean would be involved with that kind of person Prime Minister think they are not getting involved you don’t have to give account to the people of Antigua they have to account to their people

  6. Oh how things change with time .
    Waiting to see how this plays out.

    Some context as to were we have come from to this point .

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    https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130811/business/business7.html

    LIAT lands fleet loan

    Published:Sunday | August 11, 2013 | 12:00 AM

    The shareholder governments of the regional airline, LIAT, on Friday signed a US$65-million loan agreement with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) as the cash-strapped airline seeks to upgrade its ageing fleet.

    The loan represents 61 per cent of a US$100-million refleeting plan to replace its Canadian Dash 8 aircarft with French-made ATRs.

    Barbados, LIAT’s largest shareholder, takes up the bulk of the loan – US$33.2 million; Antigua and Barbuda assumes US$21.9 million of the liability, St Vincent and Grenadines US$7 million, and Dominica US$2.4 million.

    Each shareholder will provide the funds to LIAT on the same terms it received from the CDB, with the airline responsible for repaying the loan over a 13-year period, with a two-year moratorium built in, CMC reported on Friday.

    The signing ceremony comes against increased criticism of the airline by the travelling public in recent months, with long delays, numerous cancellations and lost baggage being the order of the day.
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    LIAT Chairman Jean Holder apologised for the hiccups, saying that positive change is coming with the airline’s refleeting exercise.

    Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said his government had no problem coming to the table to assist LIAT, since it is not possible to contemplate a region without the airline, despite the frustration expressed by travellers.

    “Barbados has a vested interest in the easy movement of people in this region – because CARICOM is our third-largest source market for tourism. So, we cannot contemplate a region without the services of an airline like LIAT,” said Stuart.

    “I don’t know of any other airlines prepared to do in this region what LIAT has done since 1956, in one form or another,” he said.

    CDB President Dr Warren Smith stressed that reliable and efficient regional air transport is an indisposable undertaking of Caribbean development.

    He said LIAT’s direct impact on the region is estimated at more than US$320 million.

    St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who is also chairman of the LIAT Shareholder Group, anticipates the modernisation of aircraft together with improvements to the airline’s operations will lead to an overall improvement in the financial operations and the efficiency of the airline.

    He said that LIAT has already set its sights on spreading its wings.

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