The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a ban on all U.S. flights to Haiti for at least 30 days on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The announcement follows two U.S. commercial airline jets being hit by gunfire on Monday, Nov. 11, from gangs in Port-au-Prince.
In separate incidents, a Spirit Airlines jet and JetBlue flight were struck by bullets at Haiti’s international airport in Port-au-Prince. Both of the flights were diverted, and no passengers were hurt in the incidents. However, a flight attendant did reportedly suffer minor injuries on the Spirit Airlines flight.
In the wake of the violence, JetBlue canceled all flights to Haiti on Monday until Dec. 2, and Spirit Airlines announced it was suspending flights to Haiti pending an “evaluation” of the incident.
Spirit did arrange a return flight to the United States for the crew after the plane landed safely in the Dominican Republic.
Tuesday’s FAA order applies to all operators of aircrafts registered in the United States except when the operator of the flight is a foreign air carrier. Exceptions will only be made for emergencies and flights permitted by the U.S. government or agency and approved by the FAA.
With ongoing gang violence in Haiti, the U.S. State Department has rated the country as a level four “do not travel” destination, calling the security situation in the Haiti “unpredictable and dangerous.”
