In the southwestern region of Haiti, a notable development has taken place as an airport in Les Cayes is now prepared to accommodate international flights for the first time. This advancement provides a new avenue for commercial airlines that are currently avoiding flights to Haiti’s principal airport in Port-au-Prince due to ongoing gang violence.
The Antoine Simon Airport, bearing the name of a Haitian president known for spearheading a rebellion in the early 1900s, operated for nearly twenty years before undergoing renovations to extend its runway, a project initiated in 2013. The airport now stands as Haiti’s third international airport, a move anticipated to stimulate the local economy and offer fresh routes for nonprofit organizations aiming to distribute much-needed aid in the region.
Wynn Walent, the executive director of Locally Haiti, a nonprofit based in Colorado that functions across Haiti’s southwest, expressed excitement about this development. While challenges persist in Port-au-Prince, Walent emphasized the potential progress that could be realized in the southern part of Haiti through this initiative.
Similarly, Hugh Aprile, who oversees Mercy Corps operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, hailed the opening of the new runway with optimism. The organization foresees the potential for more nonprofit teams to establish their bases in Les Cayes rather than Port-au-Prince due to the significant needs in Haiti’s southern peninsula.
Leslie Voltaire, head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, officiated the inaugural event at the renovated airport, highlighting its potential impact on sectors like tourism. He stated that infrastructure is a cornerstone for economic growth within a nation.
Currently, most travelers to Haiti disembark at the international airport in Cap-Haitien, located on the northern coast, before making the journey by land or helicopter to the capital. The main airport in Port-au-Prince, Toussaint Louverture International Airport, remains operational, but commercial services have ceased following an incident where gangs opened fire on three planes last November, resulting in minor injuries to a flight attendant.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has prolonged the suspension on U.S. flights to Haiti’s capital until mid-March. While the eventual use of the revamped airport by U.S. commercial flights remains uncertain, local reports suggest that JetBlue technicians visited Les Cayes for a runway inspection. However, a spokesperson from JetBlue clarified that the airline has not made such a visit and will continue suspending flights to Haiti until at least June 11 due to ongoing unrest.
Martine Villeneuve, the country director for Action Against Hunger, acknowledged the positive development of the renovated airport; however, she pointed out that it arrived too late for their operations. With recent USAID funding cuts, Action Against Hunger eliminated a crucial nutrition program that previously supported 13,000 individuals in Haiti’s rural areas. The organization is now concentrating its efforts on combating hunger in Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite region.
The security situation is perilous, with gangs exerting control over 85% of the capital and all major routes to the north and south, complicating the movement in and out of the area. Villeneuve expressed the challenges her organization faces as they remain effectively confined to Port-au-Prince amidst this security crisis.
