American Airlines announced it will not resume flights to Haiti in February, citing the worsening gang violence and instability in the Caribbean nation.
The airline had planned to restart its daily service from Miami International Airport but has decided to delay operations indefinitely, according to a statement provided to FOX Business. The airline emphasized it will continue to monitor conditions before making a decision on future flights.
“American has made the difficult decision to suspend daily service between Miami (MIA) and Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP),” a spokesperson said. “We are proud of our more than 50-year-commitment to Haiti and we will continue to monitor the situation, assessing safety, security, and customer demand, in evaluating a return of service. We will proactively reach out to impacted customers to offer a full refund of their travel itinerary.”
This decision follows a suspension of flights by American Airlines and other carriers, including Spirit and JetBlue, after their planes came under gunfire in recent months. Haiti has been grappling with escalating violence, which has destabilized the country and posed significant risks to civilian and commercial activities.
According to United Nations reports, Haiti has seen over 4,500 fatalities this year, with an additional 2,000 individuals injured. Since mid-November, violence has displaced 42,000 people, as gangs increasingly control large parts of the country.
One of the most harrowing recent incidents involved the massacre of at least 110 elderly individuals in the Cite Soleil slum, allegedly orchestrated by a gang leader who blamed the victims for his child’s illness through accusations of witchcraft.
The National Human Rights Defense Network reported that the killings were carried out with machetes and knives, underscoring the brutality of the attacks.
The violence coincides with political upheaval, as Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille was removed from office last month and replaced by businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The leadership change has done little to stabilize the country, which continues to face a power vacuum and unchecked gang influence.
The U.S. government has consistently warned against civilian travel to Haiti due to the risks posed by gang violence, civil unrest, and political instability. The halt in flights by major carriers like American Airlines highlights the growing difficulty of operating in Haiti under such perilous conditions.
The situation underscores the dire need for international intervention and support as Haiti contends with one of the most severe crises in its history.
