LIAT20 to Double Workforce by Year-End

  • In a significant boost to the local economy, regional carrier LIAT 2020 is set to double its workforce in Antigua and Barbuda by the end of this year. Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez made this announcement in Parliament on May 19, 2025, highlighting the airline’s plans to ramp up operations alongside the addition of new aircraft to its fleet.
  • Currently, LIAT 2020 employs 95 staff at its Antigua base, and the airline projects that this number will increase to approximately 200 by early 2026. This expansion is expected to create new job opportunities and enhance the company's service capabilities in the region.
  • Among the current workforce, 80 employees are Antiguan nationals, while the rest represent a diverse mix of talent from Dominica, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Martin, Ethiopia, and the United Kingdom.
  • Fernandez shared the update in response to a query from the Leader of the Opposition, Jamale Pringle, and highlighted the wider employment impact of the airline’s growth. “This number is expected to reach around 200 by the end of this year as more aircraft are added. By the way, this does not include indirect jobs locally. I think it’s about 300, right through the region,” he added.
  • He also highlighted the progress being made in pilot training, noting that six Antiguans are currently training to fly LIAT's new jets, with four nearing completion. For the time being, the government plans for these jets to be piloted by Antiguan pilots as well as pilots from other OECS or Caribbean territories.
  • Fernandez emphasised the significance of LIAT20 as a homegrown airline in strengthening Antigua and Barbuda's status as a regional aviation hub. The minister also reported strong tourism growth, observing that March 2025 experienced a record number of air arrivals, surpassing the previous high set in March 2024. Overall, arrivals in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 7.5% compared to 2019, which was the country’s best year before the pandemic.

(Source: Antigua Observer)