LIAT 20 to kick off flights into Jamaica, beginning Dec 20

The rebranded airline, LIAT 20, is all set to kick off direct flights between Jamaica and Antigua. Beginning December 20, 2024, the airline will further boost regional air connectivity and enhance multi-destination tourism. 

According to the CEO of the airline, Hafsah Abdulsalam, this once weekly service into Kingston, Jamaica will be price competitive. 

She said that for the local citizens of Jamaica, it is an exciting opportunity for the options that are now being made available to them. She added that this is why the company is offering affordable flights at least on a route-per-route basis.

The CEO emphasised that the air carrier’s commitment is to offer better rates than the competition during the busy holiday season. 

Abdulsalam outlined that the company would like the Jamaican brothers and sisters to embrace LIAT and to try the product which she is sure they would go back and advocate on their behalf.

Talking about expanding the regional network, the CEO highlighted that at the moment they have got Trinidad and Guyana planned and they would expand that as they grow the market as well. She noted that they are targeting at pairing the routes where they see the highest demand for passengers on both sides of the aisle. 

It is to be noted that the 67 year old airline had ceased operations in January after its major shareholders including the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines decided in 2022 to liquidate the debt-ridden carrier and shift the assets to a new entity named LIAT 2020 limited. 

The airline was reported to have a debt which exceeded over US$37 million at that time. 

Now, with almost EC$200 million invested in the revived airline, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne last month described it as the best capitalised airline which is operating in the region at present.

Since its revival, LIAT 2020, with a fleet of total six aircraft, has been providing service from its hub in St John’s, Antigua, to 10 destinations in the Caribbean. 

Abdulsalam added that the airline is flying up north into St Kitts, St Maarten, Tortola and then also down South into Dominica, St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Guyana and also Trinidad from December 19, 2024.