The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all U.S. airlines and commercial operators from flying into Haiti for the next 30 days, after a Spirit Airlines flight and a JetBlue flight were both struck by gunfire at Haiti’s Port-au-Prince airport on Monday.
The announcements came as a third U.S. carrier, American Airlines, confirmed on Tuesday that one of its aircraft had also been hit by gunfire on Monday while traveling over Haitian airspace. Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways on Monday confirmed through communications that their aircraft had sustained gunshots.
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With this new development, Haiti’s main international airport remains shut down for the second time this year as commercial passenger planes were hit by suspected gang gunfire, leaving the conflict-torn state cut off from the travel industry.
American Airlines spokeswoman Amanda Maldonado informed that the gunfire that hit Flight 819 was discovered in Miami after the plane landed safely at Miami International Airport on Monday from Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport.
The airline’s daily service between Miami and Port-au-Prince has been suspended through Feb.12, she said. On Monday Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways flights were also hit by rounds over Port-au-Prince airspace.
The Spirit flight was a mile east of Toussaint Louverture International Airport when it was fired on, and the JetBlue fight had just taken off and was bound for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Even United Nations helicopters are unable to land in Port-au-Prince for now, according to a senior UN official.
The Spirit Airlines aircraft "diverted and landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic," Spirit Airlines said in a statement Monday, adding that no passengers reported injuries and one flight attendant onboard the affected flight reported unspecified "minor injuries" and was undergoing medical evaluation.
In response to the gun shot incident, JetBlue also made an announcement of cancelation of flights to Haiti until December 2nd this year.
Spirit, which canceled flights out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport into both Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, said flights were canceled pending an investigation of the shooting.
The FAA issued the Notice to Air Mission, known as a NOTAM, prohibiting U.S. civil aviation operations in the territory and airspace of Haiti below 10,000 feet after initially issuing the prohibition until Monday.
The immediate notice applies to all civil aircraft operators registered in the U.S except for those aircraft belonging to a foreign air carrier. However, exceptions are made for emergencies and flights authorized by the U.S. government or agency with approval of the FAA.
This marks the second time this year air travel in and out of Haiti has been disrupted by the country’s escalating gang violence. After gangs launched coordinated attacks in late February to force the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry the country’s airports were closed for nearly three months.
Présidence d’Haïti has released a communique condemning the incident that is a direct security threat to civil aviation, could have been disastrous for both the passengers and plane.
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti has issued a security alert, warning of gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince, which may include armed violence and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports.
The Haïti airport closure has also raised questions about the planned arrival next week of 600 Kenyan police officers, due to reinforce a UN-backed security mission meant to help the government restore order.
For now, it remains unclear how soon civil flight operations can resume at Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport owing to the passenger security and aircraft insurance coverage concerns.
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