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Miami, FL – American Airlines has announced it will no longer resume its daily flights from Miami to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The airline had originally paused flights until February 2025, but now the suspension will continue indefinitely. The decision was made because of safety issues in Haiti, where gangs recently shot at several planes.
Airlines stop flying to haiti
American Airlines is not the only airline that has stopped flights. JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines also canceled their services to Haiti after similar incidents. This has left Haiti with limited options for air travel, with only Sunrise Airways, a Haitian airline, currently offering direct flights to the United States.
American Airlines said it is committed to Haiti but must prioritize safety. “We will keep monitoring the situation and decide on future flights based on safety, security, and customer demand,” a spokesperson said. The airline is offering full refunds to affected passengers.
The suspension of flights has made it even harder for Haitians to travel. Armed gangs control major roads in and out of the capital, Port-au-Prince, while mudslides have blocked routes to other cities like Cap-Haïtien. Without commercial flights, some people have had to pay up to $2,500 for a seat on private helicopters, which have strict weight limits.
Haiti’s only other airport that can handle international flights, in Cap-Haïtien, now serves as the main link for travelers and aid deliveries. However, the small airport cannot fully meet the country’s needs.
Humanitarian aid and deportations
The lack of flights has also affected the delivery of humanitarian aid. The United Nations recently paused its flights to Port-au-Prince, limiting the transport of essential supplies like food and medicine. Despite these challenges, the United States continues to deport people to Haiti. Last week, 70 deportees arrived in Cap-Haïtien, even though flooding in the city had made transportation nearly impossible.
The ongoing violence and infrastructure problems in Haiti continue to disrupt daily life. The suspension of flights not only affects travel but also limits the country’s ability to receive help from abroad. For Haitians living in the U.S., it has become even harder to visit or send aid to loved ones.
