| Airline: | LIAT (2020) Limited |
| Iata: | 5L |
| Icao: | GAO |
| Callsign: | LIAT |
| Founded: | 24 July 2020 (replaced LIAT (1974)) |
| Commenced: | 6 August 2024 |
| Hubs: | V. C. Bird International Airport, Argyle International Airport |
| Fleet Size: | 2 |
| Destinations: | 8 |
| Parent: | Air Peace (70%) Government of Antigua and Barbuda (30%) |
| Headquarters: | Osbourn, Antigua and Barbuda |
| Key People: | Hafsah Abdulsalam (CEO) |
| Website: | https://liat20.com/ https://flyliat20.com |
LIAT 2020 Limited, operating as LIAT20, or simply LIAT, is an airline of Antigua and Barbuda. The company was preceded by LIAT (1974), and commenced operations on 6 August 2024. LIAT20 is a 30/70 venture between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and Air Peace, and its fleet has been inherited from LIAT (1974) and the latter.[1] [2]
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the liquidation of LIAT (1974) after many unsuccessful months. The company officially ceased operations on January 24, 2024 and laid off more than 90 employees.
LIAT20 was incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda in July 2020, in collaboration with private Nigerian airline Air Peace.[3] Air Peace holds a 70% stake in the company and has been responsible for the leasing of the new Embraer E145s that are being used for the initial routes of the airline. Air Peace and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda invested USD$65 million and USD $20 million respectively.
The airline received the first two of the new Embraer E145s in April 2024 and announced that flights would start within weeks. At the time, inter-island connections were prioritized with the Government looking to revise previous routes of LIAT (1974) such as those to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was also announced that a larger Embraer E195-E2 would be acquired in the future.[4]
The airline commenced operations on August 6, 2024, with the inaugural flight to Castries, Saint Lucia. It was announced that scheduled service would begin 2 weeks later, on August 19, 2024, on a twice-daily, thrice weekly Antigua-Saint Lucia-Barbados routing. [5]
As of October 2024:
| Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osbourn | V.C. Bird International Airport | [6] | |||
| Codrington | Burton–Nibbs International Airport | [7] | |||
| Bridgetown | Grantley Adams International Airport | ||||
| Marigot | Douglas-Charles Airport | [8] | |||
| St. George's | Maurice Bishop International Airport | [9] | |||
| Basseterre | Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport | ||||
| Castries | George F.L. Charles Airport | ||||
| Argyle | Argyle International Airport | [10] [11] | |||
| Phillipsburg | [12] |
As of October 2024, the LIAT20 fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| ATR 42-600 | Ex-LIAT (1974) aircraft; not in service[14] | ||||
| Embraer E145 | Leased from Air Peace | ||||
| Total | 2 | 5 |
|---|