MIAMI – American Airlines will no longer resume daily flights from Miami to Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. American had initially suspended flights through February 12. The suspension is now indefinite.
A spokesperson for the U.S.-based airline said it will evaluate a possible resumption of the only daily service from Miami International Airport to Haiti by a major U.S. carrier in late 2025.
This comes after De Federal Aviation Administration banned US airlines of flying to Haiti for 30 days afterward gangs three planes shot down. Furthermore, the United Nations temporarily suspended flights to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, limiting humanitarian aid entering the country.
American Airlines’ statement read in part: “American has made the difficult decision to suspend daily service between Miami (MIA) and Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP),” the spokesperson said. “We are proud of our more than 50-year commitment to Haiti and we will continue to monitor the situation, assess safety, security and customer demand, as we evaluate a return of service. We will proactively contact affected customers for a full refund on their itinerary.”
Several airlines avoid possible violence
Last month, several airlines – including American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines – announced the suspension of daily flights to Haiti after it was confirmed that their planes were hit by gunfire while in Haitian airspace in early November.
Neither Spirit nor JetBlue have said if or when they will resume flights to Haiti.
JetBlue Airways operates flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport to Port-au-Prince.
Spirit Airlines, which was approaching Toussaint Louverture International Airport with passengers when the bullets hit, also suspended its service between Fort Lauderdale and Cap-Haïtien in the north of the country.
No passengers were injured.
What does this mean for Haitians in the US and Haiti?
The ban on commercial and cargo flights has caused serious problems for Haitians. Roads in and out of the capital are controlled by armed gangs, and mudslides buried two major roads connecting Cap-Haïtien to the capital last week.
Those who left the capital had to beg for a ride on a government-leased helicopter meant to move security forces into hot zones, or pay $2,500 for a ride on a privately leased helicopter with a weight limit of 20 pound. .
The FAA initially placed all of Haiti under a no-fly zone. It later changed its decision to exclude airports outside the capital.
The only other airport that can receive commercial international flights, Hugo Chavez International Airport, is located in the northern city of Cap-Haïtien.
Today, the small airport serves as the only air bridge in and out of the country. The airspace between Haiti and the Dominican Republic remains closed. The Bahamas has suspended flights to the country. The only direct connection to the US is currently via Haitian-owned Sunrise Airways.
Nevertheless, it has not deterred the United States Deporting Haitians back to the country. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security flew 70 deportees to Cap-Haïtien, despite days of heavy rains that flooded the city and blocked all access from the city to other parts of Haiti.
