As many countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, come to terms with the demise of LIAT 1974 Ltd, and work continues to build out the new LIAT 2020, one industry official is expressing disappointment with the slow pace of efforts to revive regional connectivity.
The former President of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA), Carl Burke, said it is disappointing that the obvious struggles being faced by so many are taking so long to overcome.
“I’m a little disappointed with the slow pace in which the regional governments are moving forward or taking the necessary steps to provide affordable transportation that would once again, link the islands where we can have free movement.
“As you can see, in other parts of the world where travel is already on the upsurge, most airlines have reflated and also retrained their staff and they are poised to take advantage of what is anticipated to be a surge in travel going into the summer. So, I don’t think that we are going to be in a position to catch that wave, as they say in aviation, a wave which occurs every 10 years or so,” Burke said.
The former LIAT shuttered its operations back in 2020, after years of financial hardship – exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic – and since then, it has been a headache for thousands of travellers who attempt to traverse the Caribbean by air.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is spearheading the work to fill the gap left by the old LIAT with the new LIAT, but is dependent on the buy-in from regional counterparts to get the plans over the line.
Burke also explained that, based on the time required to bring reform to the entire regional travel system, the wait for better regional connectivity could last, unfortunately, until next year.
“We’re still awaiting the CDB study or study commissioned by the governments funded by CDB and I understand that study — and if that study comes out next summer I would say — and then, there’s going to be a little bit of time for whatever financial commitments for the regional governments to make whatever changes in terms of the airport tax structures and all that sort of thing. I think that we might be looking at 2024 before we actually get the wheels turning to get regional travel back to what it was or to fill the void that LIAT has left,” he added.
LIAT 2020 has been operating on a limited schedule since it was established that year, but its flights are not nearly frequent enough to meet the demand.