LIAT’s return to service will play a central role in distributing passengers across the Caribbean once direct flights between Africa and Antigua begin, the Governor General announced Thursday during the Throne Speech at the opening of Parliament.

Sir Rodney Williams said the revival of LIAT marks “living proof of the sustainability of a carrier that was once portrayed as a dead horse,” and positioned the airline as a key connector for travellers arriving on Air Peace’s planned route from the African continent.

According to the address, LIAT’s expanded operations will allow Antigua and Barbuda to serve as a regional hub, routing African tourists and business travellers to neighbouring islands—an outcome the government views as a major economic opportunity for the wider Eastern Caribbean.

Sir Rodney said the airline’s new trajectory is part of a broader recovery in the aviation sector, noting that LIAT Air is already expanding to destinations outside the Eastern Caribbean. He framed its resurgence as a strategic asset that strengthens Antigua’s role in interregional travel and supports tourism growth across multiple markets.

The Throne Speech also tied LIAT’s revival to the government’s ongoing investment in infrastructure, including runway resurfacing at V.C. Bird International Airport and major upgrades to roads and utilities that support increased passenger movement.

With Air Peace expected to commence regular flights to Antigua, officials say LIAT’s network will be critical to distributing incoming visitors efficiently throughout the Caribbean. Sir Rodney described the airline’s renewed mission as a “phoenix” rising to meet the next phase of regional air connectivity.