Spirit Airlines resumes services to Haiti after two months due to gang violence

Haiti: The low-cost carrier based in the United States, Spirit Airlines, is all set to resume flights between Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and Cap Haïtien, Haiti, from today onwards. The airline had suspended service to the country amid a surge in gang violence. 

The airline announced the development on Thursday and said that travelers could start booking their flights through the airline’s website. The airline is headed back to the country after a two-month suspension of flights.

Spirit Airlines said that it is resuming daily service at CAP – Cap-Haïtien beginning May 10, 2024, after a thorough assessment and discussions with the security, safety, and airport partners. 

However, it is to be noted that flights between Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport and the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince is still suspended but the airline continues to examine its security options and closely evaluates the situation in the French speaking Caribbean Community member state. 

Over the past few weeks, the only airline which provided flights to and from Cap-Haïtien was the Haitian company Sunrise Airways. The airline now offers an alternative to Haitians and foreigners to travel to the USA. The airline said that the safety of their guests and team members is their top priority.

The low-cost carrier suspended its services to Haiti on March 4 along with JetBlue Airways and American Airlines after armed gangs attempted to take over the international airport by orchestrating a jailbreak of the nation’s two largest prisons and also vandalized several police stations.

The resumption of services by Spirit Airlines provides additional options for Haitians who have been paying more than $900 to fly out of the country into the United States. 

The country, which has been facing cruelty and gang violence to a great extent, is looking forward to more travel options with these airlines providing the citizens an increased access to travel.