Narayan AmmachchiInterCaribbean Airways looks set to replace its bankrupt rival LIAT, as the Caribbean aviation industry limps back to normalcy.
The Turks and Caicos Islands-based InterCaribbean hit the headlines throughout the region last month when it launched weekly flights between Barbados and Guyana, a route traditionally served by LIAT.
Not just Guyana, InterCaribbean now operates twice-weekly flights between Barbados and Antigua as well, the country where LIAT is headquartered.
LIAT went into administration as its debt soared amid the curfews and lockdowns imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 27 June 2020, the Antiguan government announced that it would liquidate LIAT’s assets.
Owned by seven Caribbean governments, the airline reportedly owes US$27 million to creditors.
As the region’s tourism industry returns to normalcy, InterCaribbean is phasing out its legacy small aircrafts and acquiring LIAT’s ATR 42 passenger planes. The new aircrafts provide significantly more passenger and baggage room on board. In addition, it is hiring LIAT’s pilots.
The carrier is known for connecting passenger services. In other words, most of its flights are scheduled in such a way that passengers can catch British Airways and Virgin flights bound to faraway destinations.
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