LIAT readies for take-off after new agreement with Caribbean Tourism Group

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A new LIAT is underway, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, and the CFA Global a subsidiary of Caribbean Tourism Group (CTG), a private regional company involved in investments in travel, tourism, and aviation.

 

Under the just signed memorandum, CTG T/A “LIAT International” will deploy a fleet of small, medium, and large aircrafts, including Airbus A330, Airbus A320 and ATRs, in passenger service to the Caribbean and South America, along with international travel routes from Europe.

 

The memorandum for a partnership agreement on the operation of the new Antigua-based LIAT International was signed in St John’s on Friday between Lenox Weston, Minister of Works and Finance of Antigua and Barbuda and the Chairman of CTG Mr. Ma Chao.

 

The MOU is in keeping with a commitment from the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to ensure the restructuring and return to commercial service of regional airline, LIAT 2020.

 

Central to the plan is developing international routes that will bring tourists and businesspersons from Asia and other parts of the world to the Caribbean, using Antigua as a gateway.

 

One of the proposed routes is from Frankfurt, Germany to Antigua, which could become a viable connection for visitors from China now that a visa-waiver agreement between China and Antigua is set to be signed.

 

This visa-waiver would mean that Chinese citizens do not need visas to travel to the Caribbean nation and can reach the region in the shortest time in transit through Frankfurt.

 

On arrival in Antigua, the passengers will then have the option, using LIAT 2020 or LIAT International routes, to travel to various other Caribbean countries.

 

CTG says this will help promote the economic development of Antigua and benefit the rest of the member-states of the Caribbean Community.

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19 COMMENTS

  1. Rather than announcing a document signing, put the agreement into physical operation then announce the move. If the government was truly serious they would grant Liat the flag carrier status and not a fictional airline from the center of Nigeria.

      • I actually wondered why there is no sea connections between Caribbean Islands. I think it’s time that we call come together as one and stop competing with each other.

  2. From Nigeria to China. Are these routes already approved. What type of aircraft(on what routes). Who held these discussions, who represented Liat 1974/2022, has the legal entity LIAT-2022 already created, who represented LIALPA, Who represented ANU Labour unions, Who represented the other Shareholder in LIAT, who is going to pay the $300M owed to LIAT employees,,,,who, who, I ask

  3. Hold on .
    So a 35-yr old Chinese entrepreneur, whose main business is ‘wealth management ‘ & ‘agriculture, including hog farming’ is the man PM is signing big $ deals with, for Liat…
    The PM is a past Customer Service Banking officer, Farmer & personal enrichment expert.
    What could possibly go wrong?

    Any other liat stakeholders know anything about this?

    Are ONDCP/Immigration / Mr Seaforth / Unions doing due diligence and making forensic background checks, not just accepting documents provided by Chao-Ma & PM?

    The Chinese man is easily googled.
    https://wallmine.com/hkse/8266/officer/2108012/chao-ma

  4. So, under what management? The current waste of time three dumn dumns that running LIAT
    and the uneducated fight attendant that fighting for the top job? LIAT is really now a joke of a company.

    The government needs to get serious about LIAT. Sever the staff they have holding at ransom, pay them their severance and start afresh. All this trickery them with Seaforth have going on needs to stop.

    Until then it is all political gimmicks

    • Gaston keeps coming up with these clown investors who promise the world, do nothing and shortly afterwards end up in jail. Why does Gaston keep doing this over and over? What happened to the new LIAT that would have every Caribbean country as shareholders? Didn’t Gaston recently say that Nigerian investors would not become shareholders in LIAT because he wanted to have Caricom states retaining control over the airline? Now it is the Chinese that will become investors in LIAT?

    • Why is it that UPP nerga are so stupid. Why would anyone mix up and MOU with selling shares and owning of shares?
      What is the purpose of the MOU?
      An MOU clearly defines how the parties will work together and lays out each one’s expectations and responsibilities. The goal is to achieve a mutual understanding of the partnership, so you can move forward into an enforceable contract everyone feels confident about.

  6. Gaston’s track record with investors:
    Peter Virdee – in jail
    Saab Moran – in jail
    Xiao Jianhua – in jail

  8. I am worried about Antigua majority involvement, there has been a trend to use the airline as an employment agency for Antiguans

  9. So is the visa waiver bilateral? The posting said Chinese citizens can enter Antigua without a visa but can Antiguans enter China without a visa also?

  10. I saw last week in the news, that a new Antigua Airlines is to start up within two/three weeks. Why this new arrangement was not announced at the same time? Usually documents like this would have had some time in hand a long time ago being vetted by both parties.

    In addition, if Antigua Airlines is on track, why would you want LIAT to complete with Antigua Airlines, from what I read, the plans for LIAT is to have AirBus Aircraft in its fleet, that would also be flying International routes.

  11. So what happening to the AA monopoly on MIA route at us$1200 a pop, whilst same AA has $460 fare to New York.
    Need a PETITION to bring in Jet Blue on FLL-ANU route NOW!! Then watch AA fares!

Comments are closed.