FAA Suspends Flights to Haiti Due to Violence

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted its total ban on flights over Haiti, allowing U.S. airlines to operate in northern areas, including Cap-Haitien, following a week of heightened gang violence that led to gunfire incidents involving commercial aircraft. Previously, the FAA had prohibited flights across the entire country after armed gangs shot at three planes, injuring a flight attendant and forcing airport closures. The violence has coincided with the swearing in of a new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, amid a backdrop of severe unrest that has resulted in approximately 3,600 deaths and over 500,000 displacements this year. The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has issued warnings regarding the unpredictable and dangerous security situation, advising Americans to consider their personal safety before traveling. The United Nations has also suspended flights to Haiti, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis as aid efforts are hindered. The State Department maintains a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' warning for Haiti due to rampant gang violence and civil unrest.