Commercial air travel in Haiti restarts as domestic flights resume following gang disruptions in November 2024.

Haiti’s inaugural commercial flight in seven months departed on Thursday (June 12) from the capital, en route to the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Excited passengers were eager to reconnect with friends, family, and business associates. The Sunrise Airways flight, carrying 19 passengers, marked the first such departure from Port-au-Prince since gang-related violence halted airport activities in November. Currently, only domestic flights are operational, with no set schedule for international services.

“It’s been over a year since I last traveled,” James Jean-Charles shared. “The country is overrun with gangs. Traveling by road is impossible.” With a smile, Jean-Charles, 41, expressed his plans to visit his parents and cousins in the coastal city after struggling to maintain contact due to poor phone connectivity.

At the Guy Malary terminal, designated for domestic flights, passengers gathered around a restaurant offering coffee, goat, chicken, and plantains. Garry Jean-Pierre, a computer technician, awaited the second Sunrise Airways flight of the day.
“I finally discovered a way to get there and secure my contracts,” he mentioned about his upcoming journey to Cap-Haitien.
It had been a year since his last visit, but traveling by road was never an option due to gang members randomly firing on vehicles. “I wouldn’t take that risk,” he remarked. “You never know when they might decide to attack.”

Outside the Guy Malary terminal, the parking lot brimmed with vehicles as workers transported luggage and men in the black market exchanged U.S. dollars for Haitian gourdes. “This is great,” commented taxi driver Marc Jean-Baptiste as he observed the bustling crowd. “I’ve struggled to provide for my family.”

He expressed hope for the resumption of international flights to Port-au-Prince soon, though he remains skeptical.

The Toussaint Louverture airport in Port-au-Prince had shut down in mid-November for the second time last year after gang members targeted a Spirit Airlines flight during its landing, injuring a flight attendant.

Other commercial aircraft were also struck that day, leading Spirit, JetBlue, and American Airlines to cancel their flights to Port-au-Prince. None of these have resumed operations. While the main international airport reopened in December, commercial flights did not resume until Thursday.

The return of domestic flights signifies a rare achievement in Haiti’s battle against gangs, which control over 85% of Port-au-Prince. A formidable gang federation had previously compelled the closure of the main international airport for nearly three months in early 2024.