Spirit Airlines hit by gunfire near Haiti airport; flights to Port-au-Prince suspended

Spirit Airlines and other US airlines suspended flights to Haiti after a Spirit flight approaching Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport was struck by gunfire on 11 November 2024. Spirit Airlines Flight 951, originating from Fort Lauderdale, was diverted to Santiago in the Dominican Republic after sustaining fuselage damage from bullets. The Federal Aviation Administration reported additional flight diversions, and airlines including American, JetBlue, and Spirit have now halted services to Haiti. NBC is reporting JetBlue is also reporting a plane returning from Haiti with bullet damage. Both planes signaled they were commercial jetliners.

This incident follows heightened gang violence near the Port-au-Prince airport, exacerbated by the recent firing of interim Prime Minister Garry Conille. Videos show interior plane damage, and reports indicate a flight attendant suffered minor injuries. The Haitian government, grappling with gang control issues, is receiving international assistance to restore order, but incidents like this have reignited security concerns. Dominican President Luis Abinader called for the designation of Haitian gangs as terrorist organizations in response.

Updated at 18:01 on 12-November-2024

The FAA has now banned flights to Haiti for 30 days.