LIAT 1974 Ltd Ends Its 50 Years Journey With Final Voyage Of Sole ATR 42-600 Aircraft.

• LIAT 1974 Ltd prepares to cease all activities officially on January 24, 2024.
• Company closure is being done under the guidance of the court-appointed administrator, Cleveland Seaforth.
• The termination of operations marks the end of the longest-serving regional airline.
• Closure will also result in the unfortunate unemployment of approximately 160 employees.
• The airline’s “flight final” operated the route St Maarten, Tortola, and back to Antigua and Barbuda.

LIAT 1974 Ltd, the once-dominant airline synonymous with inter-island travel in the Eastern Caribbean, officially ceased operations on January 22, 2024, bringing a definitive end to its nearly 50-year legacy.

The journey ends here as LIAT 1974 Ltd prepares to cease all the activities officially on January 24, 2024, under the guidance of the court-appointed administrator, Cleveland Seaforth.

The final flight touched down at Antigua's V.C. Bird International Airport, where a water salute marked the bittersweet conclusion. The airline's journey had been turbulent in recent years.

Financial difficulties and operational challenges led to its entry into administration in July 2020. Despite the efforts of the Antigua and Barbuda governments to revive the airline under a new name, LIAT 2020, with a tentative agreement in place with Nigerian airline Air Peace and its owner Allen Onyema, the airline’s future remains uncertain.

In a recent letter addressed to the company’s staff, the LIAT administrator Cleaveland Seaforth has announced that effective February 4, 2024, all employees will be made redundant without payment, affecting more than 90 employees.

The airline’s sole aircraft (V2-LIG) , an ATR 42-600, left the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua this morning to begin LIAT’s final sectors across the Eastern Caribbean.

In a social media post, the airline commented:

“It's a bittersweet day for us…Thank you to all who have supported us till the end of this chapter and we look to the future with hope for the new one.”

The closure of LIAT 1974 Ltd represents a significant blow to regional connectivity and economic well-being. On this development, the Antigua and Barbuda Worker's Union has publicly criticized this decision, expressing concerns about the lack of support provided to affected employees.

The airline previously served 21 destinations across 12 Eastern Caribbean nations, facilitating tourism, business travel, and essential cargo movement.

Earlier this month, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed majority of the staff are expected to be rehired at the revamped LIAT (2020).

LIAT (2020) is expected to be a joint venture between the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines and Nigerian airline Air Peace.

With LIAT 2020's launch awaited , the immediate and long-term implications for Caribbean air travel remain unclear. Other regional airlines, such as FlySVG and Air Antilles, may attempt to fill the void, but their capacity and network coverage remain significantly smaller than LIAT's historical footprint.