American Airlines Will Resume Miami To Port-Au-Prince Flights. US Air Force C-130 Ferries Supplies To Haiti.

On 27 April, Aol. reported American Airlines is going to be resuming flights to Port-au-Prince (the capital of Haiti) and Miami on 9 May. This comes after all commercial American flights have been suspended to Haiti for two months amid a deep ongoing crisis. During the Haitian crisis, the US has been forced to conduct evacuation flights from Haiti.

Haiti has long been one of the most troubled countries in the Caribbean – often teetering on the edge. But now it seems Haiti has collapsed. Haiti Libre reported on 7 July 2021, that the main airport (Toussaint Louverture International Airport) was closed, and the flights were sent back after Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated at the airport. According to Tampa Bay News, the country’s political crisis has gotten worse, and as of March 2024, all the country’s airports are closed. All American commercial airlines have suspended operations in the country.

The Backstory: A failed state

Since Haiti achieved independence from France after 1800, the country has had a very troubled history. It became the first independent country in the Caribbean and the Americas’ second republic. Today, Haiti has a population of around 11.5 million and is the most populous country in the Caribbean. But the nation is gripped by political crises.

The story of how Haiti got to the political crisis it finds itself in now is a long and complicated one. But the country faces a deteriorating economic situation, a collapse in central government authority, gangs controlling much of the country, no remaining elected government officials, and more. The Conversation and other publications have described the country as a failed state. It is in this challenging environment that American Airlines has said they will re-establish flights to the Haitian capital of Port-u-Prince.

Reportedly, over 5 million Haitians are going hungry, while 80% of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince is controlled by gangs. These gangs often levy heavy taxes on those moving around the country and also halt much of the country’s bus travel. In March, ABC News reported that gangs were attempting to gain control of Haiti’s main airport. It is unclear if they currently have any level of control or if government forces have managed to retain complete control.

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American Airlines resuming Haiti flights

American Airlines is set to resume flights between Miami and Port-au-Prince on 9 May (all US commercial flights have been suspended since March). This comes as Haiti has installed a new-member presidential council to help the country form a new government. These members secretly took the oath of office on the grounds of the National Police (which itself has been under constant gang attacks). It is too early to say if this means Haiti has turned a corner, according to the Miami Herald non-stop shooting was ongoing for more than three hours in downtown Port-au-Prince on Thursday.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

American Airlines flights should provide the country with a way out for people wanting to leave and a way for supplies to reach the country. Whether other US commercial airlines will follow American Airlines’ lead and return to Haiti remains to be seen. Aol. reported that JetBlue has said that May 15 is a tentative resumption date.

Aol. reports American Airlines will fly daily flights between Miami International Airport and Toussaint Louveture International Airport using a Boeing 737-800 with 166 seats. Tickets for flights can now be booked online. Haitians have previously complained about impossibly expensive fares that reached as high as $3,400 for one-way tickets. One-way main cabin fares from Port-au-Prince to Miami will be capped at $705, while business class tickets are capped at $1,699 (excluding taxes and fees). A search for flights on American Airlines’ website resulted in one-way flights from Port-au-Prince to Miami in late May with starting fares ranging from $409 to $882 (taxes included).

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First aircraft in two months

Earlier this week the airport’s main runway received its first aircraft in two months. This was a US military C-130 transport aircraft sent to provide millions of dollars’ worth of weapons and ammo needed to help the Haiti National Police fight off relentless gang attacks. An estimated 22 police stations have been pillaged or burned by gangs since February 29. US Southern Command stated they transported support and security augmentation personnel for the US Embassy at Port-au-Prince. They said it “...will help ensure the U.S. Embassy remains open, and operations continue. This airlift mission is consistent with the standard practice for Embassy security augmentation worldwide.”

Photo: IanC66 | Shutterstock

This is not the first time the US has sent personnel to Haiti since the violence. However, it should noted that the C-130 Hercules landed amid the cover of darkness and with helicopters circling overhead. Yahoo! News reports some have speculated the military was testing the ability to land at the international airport. The article also states the Haitian government has spent weeks tearing down homes around the airport in an effort to gain greater visibility and to prevent gangs from climbing on top of the buildings and shooting at the runway.

It remains to be seen if the airport can be properly secured and if American Airlines will be able to continue operating at the airport. Unfortunately, the political instability in Haiti may continue for some time yet, and the country is a long way from being able to hold proper elections – especially given that most of the country is out of government control.