Haiti’s airport reopens after month-long gang violence shutdown

Haiti’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince reopened to commercial flights on Wednesday, following a month-long closure due to gang violence. Enhanced security measures, supported by Haitian forces and a U.N.-backed Kenyan police mission, allowed for a successful test flight, according to a government statement.

The airport was shut down in mid-November after gangs fired on a Spirit Airlines flight, injuring a flight attendant and damaging other aircraft. This led to flight cancellations by Spirit, JetBlue, and American Airlines, and a 30-day Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ban on U.S. flights to Haiti, which remains in effect until Thursday.

Spirit Airlines has suspended flights to Haiti “until further notice,” while JetBlue and American Airlines have yet to comment on resuming services. The domestic Guy Malary terminal also reopened.

During the closure, Cap-Haitien’s airport was the only international gateway, but travel there by road was perilous due to gang-controlled routes. Wealthier travelers resorted to costly private flights to leave the capital.

This marks the second closure of the Port-au-Prince airport this year, following a nearly three-month shutdown earlier due to gang attacks on government infrastructure.