Flight ban strains humanitarian efforts and frustrates Haitians trying to fly home

December usually brings travelers into Haiti, but a ban on flights has halted plans for holiday gatherings and for anyone trying to deliver food, medicine and other aid.

All travel between the U.S. and Haiti, including much-needed aid operations, continues to be affected by a 30-day ban imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration last week, after gunfire struck a Spirit Airlines plane as it attempted to land in Port-au-Prince. 

Linda Thelemaque regularly travels to the southern city of Les Cayes in her role as chief program officer of Hope for Haiti, a nonprofit organization that helps combat poverty. She said the inability to fly in supplies has created a logistical nightmare in the Caribbean nation, where gang violence already makes ground transportation between cities nearly impossible.  

“We’ve been dealing with severe challenges due to gang violence, which has essentially cut off ground transportation,” Thelemaque said. “Now, with flights canceled, we’re facing increased costs and delays in delivering essential supplies, including $10 million worth of medication.”  

Thelemaque had planned to travel to Haiti for work on Nov. 19, but her flight was canceled. “Although the FAA says the ban will lift on Dec. 12, most airlines are rescheduling flights for February,” she said. 

The FAA ban has also complicated humanitarian aid efforts. “We rely on Sunrise Airways to transport supplies from Port-au-Prince to the south, but with flights grounded, we’re forced to explore expensive alternatives, like chartering flights or seeking humanitarian exemptions,” she said.  

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/haiti-flight-ban-strains-humanitarian-efforts-rcna180150

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