First down-payment made on six new 50-seater aircraft for LIAT

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — Prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, said that the shareholder governments of the regional airline LIAT have already made the first down-payment for the six new 50-seater aircraft, which are being purchased as part of the fleet renewal program.

The prime minister made the announcement on Friday and said the first payment of $3.8 million dollars has already been made, and payments will continue in 2013 and 2014.

Gonsalves said three of the six aircraft are expected to be delivered next year.

He also said that LIAT’s shareholder governments are now considering whether to purchase 70-seater aircraft as part of their fleet expansion program.

The report from Kingstown made no mention of the name of the supplier of the new aircraft but, according to earlier reports, the carrier was in the final stages of negotiations with French aircraft manufacturer Avions de Transporte Regionale (ATR).

New LIAT chief executive officer Ian Brunton is known to favor the ATRs.

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