Regional carrier LIAT 2020 is preparing to double its workforce in Antigua and Barbuda by the end of the year as it ramps up operations and adds new aircraft to its fleet.
Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez made the announcement in Parliament on Monday, revealing that the airline, which currently employs 95 staff at its Antigua base, expects that number to grow to approximately 200 before 2026.
Of the current workforce, 80 employees are Antiguan nationals, with the remainder comprising a mix of workers from Dominica, Trinidad, St Vincent, Grenada, Montserrat, St Martin, Ethiopia, and the UK. Notably, the airline’s 12-member engineering team is entirely Antiguan.
“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. Regionally, I think it’s about 300, right through the region,” he added.
He also pointed to the progress being made in pilot development, noting that six Antiguans are currently training to fly LIAT’s new jets, and four nearing completion of their training. The government intends that, for now, these jets will be flown by these Antiguan pilots from Antigua and other OECS or Caribbean territories.
The minister also reported strong tourism growth, noting that March 2025 saw a record number of air arrivals, surpassing the previous high recorded in March 2024. Overall, arrivals in the first quarter of 2025 rose by 7.5 percent over 2019 — the country’s best pre-pandemic year.
