US government extends flight ban to Port-au-Prince, Haiti
WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — The United States (US) has extended the flight ban to Port-au-Prince, Haiti until September 8 due to worsening security conditions and escalating gang violence.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made the decision after assessing ongoing threats to civil aviation.
Initially imposed in November 2024, the restriction followed incidents where three commercial aircraft were struck by gunfire while landing at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Haiti’s capital.
Although flights resumed at six other Haitian airports, deteriorating conditions in the capital have led to a prolonged suspension.
The restrictions were set to expire on Wednesday but officials decided the risks were still too high.
Since the initial FAA ban, major airlines, including American Airlines, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue, have suspended flights to Haiti indefinitely, citing security concerns. In a March 6 statement, JetBlue confirmed that flights to Port-au-Prince would remain halted until at least June 11, 2025.
“Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our customers and crew members,” a JetBlue spokesperson told The Miami Herald. “Due to the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti, we have made the decision to suspend all flights to and from the country through at least June 11, 2025.”
With Port-au-Prince’s main airport effectively closed to commercial flights, Haiti’s government has shifted focus to regional airports to maintain international travel access. The Cap-Haïtien International Airport remains the only option for direct commercial flights between Haiti and the United States, operated by Sunrise Airways and other small carriers.
In early March, Haitian authorities announced that the Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes had completed a runway extension, allowing it to receive international flights. A similar expansion at Jacmel’s airport was finalised in January 2025.
US and Haitian officials have discussed possible steps to restore commercial air travel safely but no concrete timeline has been established. Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins met with Haiti’s National Office of Civil Aviation Director, Réginald Guignard, to discuss securing the perimeter of Toussaint Louverture International Airport.
While the airport remains closed to commercial traffic, it still receives military and diplomatic flights, including those related to the Kenya-led multinational security mission that is helping Haiti in the fight against gang violence.
