Leeward Islands Air TransportLI

LIAT (1974) Limited ceased all operations on July 3, 2020, after failing to secure adequate funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revival attempts have been ongoing, with LIAT 2020 Limited launching limited operations. This guide provides historical information about the original airline and context on revival efforts.

LIAT (Leeward Islands Air Transport) was the Caribbean's principal inter-island carrier for over six decades, connecting communities across the Eastern Caribbean that had few or no alternative air links. Headquartered in Antigua, the airline was the lifeline for travelers, businesses, and families across the Lesser Antilles.

Founded in 1956 in Montserrat as Leeward Islands Air Transport Services, the airline began operations with a single Piper Apache aircraft. The original airline operated until 1974, when it was reorganized as LIAT (1974) Limited with the governments of eleven Caribbean states as shareholders. Over the decades, ownership consolidated among Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica.

At its peak, LIAT carried over 800,000 passengers annually and served more than 20 destinations across the Caribbean, from San Juan in the north to Trinidad in the south, and as far west as Guyana. The airline was essential infrastructure rather than just a business—many island communities depended entirely on LIAT for air connectivity.

LIAT was never a member of any global airline alliance, reflecting its regional focus and small scale. The airline operated primarily as a service to Caribbean communities rather than a profit-maximizing enterprise, which contributed both to its importance and its financial fragility.