US bans flights to Haiti after planes hit by gunfire

Flights halted amid escalating security concerns in Haiti.

The United States has imposed a suspension on all commercial flights operated by US airlines to Haiti for a minimum of 30 days following a series of violent incidents involving gunfire aimed at aircraft.

The attacks, which occurred within a single day, have escalated safety concerns in the troubled Caribbean nation and led to an immediate halt on flights by major carriers, including JetBlue, Spirit, and American Airlines.

On Monday, three planes departing from Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport were struck by bullets in what appears to be a coordinated series of attacks. One of these planes, operated by Spirit Airlines, reported that a flight attendant sustained minor injuries from the gunfire; however, no passengers on board were harmed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quickly responded on Tuesday, issuing an official Notice to Air Missions (Notam) citing significant “safety-of-flight risks due to ongoing security instability” as the reason for the 30-day flight ban.

Under this directive, US commercial aircraft are now prohibited from operating within 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) of Haitian airspace, marking a dramatic restriction on travel to and from Haiti. In response to the incident involving the Spirit Airlines flight, the FBI has also launched an investigation. The agency released a brief statement confirming its involvement and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, noting that due to the active nature of the investigation, no additional comments would be made.

Haiti has been gripped by a severe security crisis fuelled by escalating gang violence. Since the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the country has faced increasing levels of instability. According to United Nations figures, more than 3,600 lives have been lost in Haiti since the beginning of the year, with over half a million residents displaced from their homes as gangs expand their control across the capital and other regions. The United States, home to a substantial Haitian community, maintains close diplomatic ties with Haiti and is now stepping up pressure on Haitian leadership to prioritise national security.

Following the attacks, each of the affected airlines took individual steps to suspend their services to Haiti. American Airlines reported that its aircraft, Flight 819, was struck by a bullet while in Haitian airspace, with the damage only becoming apparent after the plane’s safe arrival in Miami, Florida. Similarly, JetBlue’s Flight 634, which landed in New York from Port-au-Prince, was found to have suffered damage from gunfire. Spirit Airlines, meanwhile, rerouted its Flight 951 bound for Port-au-Prince to the Dominican Republic following an in-flight encounter with gunfire. The aircraft safely landed in Santiago, in the neighbouring country.

The US embassy in Haiti issued a statement acknowledging the security risks posed by gangs seeking to obstruct travel to and from Port-au-Prince. The embassy’s assessment underscores that Haiti’s security situation remains “unpredictable and dangerous” and calls for travellers to exercise extreme caution. This warning aligns with the actions of both the FAA and the US State Department, which has also urged Haitian leaders to set aside personal interests and prioritise the well-being of the nation.

Newly appointed Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé has stated that restoring public safety is his administration’s primary focus. Speaking to the press, he highlighted security as a key area in Haiti’s ongoing struggle to regain stability. The US State Department echoed this sentiment, calling on the Haitian transitional government to put governance above individual political interests in the face of rising violence. The statement from Washington emphasised that the urgent needs of the Haitian people must take precedence, with a unified leadership crucial to achieving a lasting peace.