U.S. airlines JetBlue and Spirit have suspended flights to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in response to a recent spike in gang violence and instability.
JetBlue will continue to operate its direct flight from New York City, though neither airline has commented publicly on the specific reasons for the Fort Lauderdale cancellations.
This decision follows a grim report from the United Nations, which revealed that over 10,000 people have been displaced due to violent attacks around the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area just this past week. Haiti, already struggling with severe political, humanitarian, and security crises, has been further destabilized this year by violent armed gang activity, which escalated dramatically and contributed to the resignation of Haiti’s unelected prime minister.
An interim government is now in place, and an international support mission led by Kenya is working to strengthen Haiti’s police force. However, the deployment is still below the intended operational scale, leaving Haitian authorities largely unable to reclaim vast areas of the capital under gang control.
Violence erupted last week in the Solino district of southern Port-au-Prince, where at least two women, including one who was eight months pregnant, were killed, displacing thousands. The unrest follows a particularly brutal gang attack in early October in Pont-Sonde, a central Haitian town, which left 115 civilians dead and dozens injured.
Tensions have also affected international missions: the U.S. embassy reported that two of its armored vehicles were fired upon by gangs, though no injuries occurred. Last Thursday, a helicopter operated by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) was hit by gunfire while flying over Port-au-Prince. The helicopter was able to land safely, with all 18 passengers unharmed.
“Uncertainty in Haiti continues while the ramping violence of armed groups and food insecurity continues to plant Haiti into a spiral crisis that requires urgent attention,” WFP Director for Haiti, Waanja Kaaria, said at a press conference on Friday.
A recent report from the WFP revealed that 5.4 million Haitians, nearly half of the population, are currently facing acute hunger, underscoring the severe humanitarian challenges gripping the nation.
Update, Nov. 2, 2024: Spirit has since resumed service to/from PAP.
