The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a 30-day ban on U.S. flights to Haiti after armed gangs fired on two planes near the Port-au-Prince airport.
The announcement, made Tuesday, comes as the United Nations also suspends flights to the capital, drastically reducing humanitarian aid access to the country.
On Monday, bullets struck a Spirit Airlines flight approaching Port-au-Prince from Fort Lauderdale, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the airport to close. Photographs and video show bullet holes throughout the plane’s interior. The flight was rerouted to the Dominican Republic.
Later, JetBlue reported that one of its planes departing Haiti was also shot at, although no injuries were reported.
This wave of violence, described by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader as a “terrorist act,” erupted amid a contentious political transition, as Haiti inaugurated Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as its new interim prime minister. Abinader, who has tightened migration from Haiti, called on the international community to declare Haiti’s armed groups terrorist organizations, saying, “This was a terrorist act; the countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed gangs as terrorist groups.”
Haitian gang violence continues to choke the capital, pushing the nation toward famine. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned that grounding flights would have devastating effects: “limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel into the country.”
Dujarric said the U.N. documented 20 armed clashes and multiple roadblocks on Monday, with U.N. flights now diverted to Cap-Haïtien, a relatively peaceful city in the north. He noted that this restriction had already delayed essential supplies, including the movement of 20 trucks carrying food and medical resources, as well as a cash assistance operation in Carrefour, where violence had flared. “We are doing all we can to ensure the continuation of operations amidst this challenging environment,” he added. “We call for an end to the escalating violence, to allow for safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access.”
The violence has brought daily life in Port-au-Prince to a halt. Schools, banks, and government offices remain closed, and the streets—where gangs and police had engaged in fierce firefights—are eerily quiet, with only a handful of vehicles passing. Armored police cars monitor traffic outside the airport, while stray gunfire continues to echo through the streets, underscoring the fragile state of security.
Neither Fils-Aimé nor former interim Prime Minister Garry Conille, who was recently dismissed by the transitional council, has commented on the violence. Conille, often at odds with the council during his six months in office, initially called his removal illegal. However, on Tuesday, he acknowledged Fils-Aimé’s appointment in a social media post, saying, “I wish him success in fulfilling this mission. At this crucial moment, unity and solidarity are essential for our country. Long live Haiti!”
Haiti’s security crisis has also alarmed international observers. The U.S. State Department expressed disappointment over the lack of progress under Conille’s administration, urging Fils-Aimé and the transitional council to focus on governance over personal interests. In a statement, it called on Haiti’s leaders to provide “a clear action plan outlining a joint vision on how to decrease violence and pave the path for elections” to “prevent further gridlock.”
Currently, a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police to help restore security is hampered by funding and personnel challenges, prompting some officials to call for a full U.N. peacekeeping mission. In the meantime, Haiti’s capital remains largely under gang control, with the U.N. estimating that armed groups dominate about 85% of Port-au-Prince, leaving citizens, aid agencies, and leaders to navigate the violent landscape.
