A new LIAT regional air carrier is being developed with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and CFA Global, a subsidiary of Caribbean Tourism Group (CTG).

CTG is a private regional company involved in investments in travel, tourism and aviation. Under the just signed memorandum, LIAT International will deploy a fleet of small, medium, and large aircraft, 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 by Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Works and Finance Lenox Weston and chairman of CTG 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 LIAT.

New airline routes coming

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.