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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Apr 29 2016 –Tourism and International Transport Minister Richard Sealy says there were no plans to shift the headquarters of the Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT, to Barbados.
“No no, LIAT is not coming to Barbados. We agreed at the level of the shareholders and directors that rather than have a major hub at V.C. Bird International in Antigua, we will have also aircraft based in Barbados and Trinidad as well,” Sealy told the Barbados Today publication.
He said given the international flights coming to Barbados, it made sense.
“I know the Antiguans were apparently upset when I made this statement but I haven’t said anything about moving the headquarters, that’s a separate discussion and it is really not relevant in dealing with the viability of the airline.
“It has to do with what’s the sensible network and the routes that we use and where they should come from. Antigua does not have the level of airlift internationally that Barbados has. LIAT does better with people who are interlining, people who book their flights from outside of the region…so it makes sense to develop the Barbados hub given the level of activity in this part of the Caribbean,” Sealy added.
Earlier this week, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said no decision had been taken regarding the re-location of the cash-strapped regional airline.
He said Sealy, may have been “misinformed” or he spoke “out of turn” if he was the source of a report that a decision had been taken on the matter.
“I know that Minister Sealy suggested that a decision has been taken to move LIAT’s headquarters, but that is not so. Perhaps he is either misinformed or he spoke out of turn, but the reality is there has been absolutely no discussions about moving LIAT’s headquarters,” Browne said.
LIAT main shareholders are the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and there have been speculation in the past that a shift in the airline’s headquarters would make much more sense financially for the airline that is grappling with its finances.
Browne said any plans to shift the airline headquarters will be strongly resisted by his administration and announced plans to increase the island’s shares in the regional airline.
Sealy insists that he hasn’t “announced anything” regarding the removal of the headquarters.
