American Airlines has suspended its flights to Haiti indefinitely, citing the social and security crisis in the Caribbean country. The decision comes after several incidents in which U.S. aircraft were struck by gunfire during landing and takeoff maneuvers at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
Among the affected airlines are Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, and American Airlines itself. On November 11, a serious incident involved a Spirit Airlines flight, when bullet impacts pierced the fuselage of an Airbus A320 during its final approach for landing. A cabin crew member was injured, and the bullets lodged in the aircraft’s sidewall and overhead compartments. In response, the pilots aborted the landing and diverted the flight to Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, where the aircraft remained grounded for repairs.
On the same day, an American Airlines flight bound for Miami was hit by gunfire shortly after taking off from Port-au-Prince. Neither the crew nor passengers noticed the attack, and the damage was discovered during an inspection in Miami. Similarly, a JetBlue flight heading to New York’s JFK Airport was also struck by gunfire while departing Haiti. The damage was identified during a post-flight technical review.
Operational restrictions and suspension
Following these attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a NOTAM prohibiting U.S. airlines from flying below 10,000 feet over Haiti. Although the advisory was later lifted, as of December 4, all civilian flights to and from Toussaint Louverture International Airport have been suspended. This measure is expected to remain in place at least until next Tuesday, while authorities work to stabilize the security situation.
American Airlines, which operated flights from Miami to Haiti, has stated that it will review the possibility of resuming operations by late 2025. The airline was one of the three U.S. carriers still providing service to the country, deeply affected by its social and political crisis.
See also: American Airlines inaugurates its seasonal flights to Montevideo
