Aviation in Antigua and Barbuda

The civil aviation industry is largely controlled by the central government, owning the largest airline, LIAT.

Antigua and Barbuda also has a significant military aviation sector, being one of the only countries in the Caribbean to maintain an air force.

The first planes that landed in Antigua and Barbuda were seaplanes that transported passengers in and out of St. John's Harbour.

In 1940, when the United States expressed interest in establishing bases in the island, it provided an alternative to working in the failing sugar industry.

In October 1956, the first LIAT flight from Montserrat landed in Coolidge, piloted by the Kittitian entrepreneur Frank Delisle.

The domestic flight market is dominated by BMN Air, although LIAT has recently entered it.