Overview:
Antoine Simon International Airport in Les Cayes is now certified by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration as a Last Point of Departure, enabling direct flights to Florida. The move expands Haiti’s air travel options while Port-au-Prince remains cut off from U.S. carriers due to a gang-fueled security crisis.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Antoine Simon International Airport in Les Cayes has been certified by the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as a Last Point of Departure (LPD), clearing the way for commercial carriers, notably IBC Airways, to fly directly from Les Cayes to Florida without stopovers.
The National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) announced the designation on Wednesday, Dec. 3, calling it an important step for Haiti’s civil aviation sector and for improving access to the country’s southern region.
“This designation is an important advancement,” OFNAC said in a note posted on its social media account, congratulating the teams involved. The agency said the new status will strengthen air connectivity and support development in the Great South, where travel by road has become increasingly dangerous due to gang activity.
The certification comes less than a month after IBC Airways launched its first commercial flight between Miami and Les Cayes on Nov. 10. The inaugural trip followed months of airport upgrades and planning. Officials say the new route represents progress not only for Les Cayes but for the broader region, which has struggled with isolation as insecurity intensifies around Port-au-Prince.
Before the TSA authorization, passengers flying from Les Cayes to the U.S. had to take a longer route with a stopover at an LPD-certified airport in another Caribbean country. For example, all IBC Airways flights used to stop in Jamaica before arriving in Miami.
A rare expansion of Haiti–U.S. air links as safety concerns remain
The LPD designation arrives at a time when Haiti’s air traffic remains severely restricted. Since early 2024, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has barred American carriers from flying to or from Toussaint Louverture International Airport because of deteriorating security conditions in the capital.
That ban—extended again until March 26, 2026—has blocked the return of JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and American Airlines. It has also significantly disrupted travel for the Haitian diaspora, which relies on direct commercial flights to see family, conduct business and send emergency aid.
The restrictions follow several security incidents near the Port-au-Prince airport, including episodes in which aircraft belonging to JetBlue and American Airlines were struck by projectiles while passengers were on board. Although the airport has since reopened and authorities have announced new security measures, commercial flights have not resumed.
With more than 90% of the capital now controlled by armed groups, key national roads are impassable and travel between regions often requires either paying gangs at checkpoints or risking attacks by sea. As a result, air travel—especially regional flights—has become the primary means of mobility within Haiti.
Even domestic air links remain fragile. Last week, Sunrise Airways announced the suspension of its flights to and from Port-au-Prince after one of its aircraft wings was struck by a bullet. The company, which receives an $11 million insurance subsidy from the Haitian government, said it will not resume operations until conditions are safe.
“No one can say what the intended target was,” a Sunrise communications advisor told The Haitian Times. “For Sunrise, the priority remains the safety of passengers, staff and aircraft. No risks will be taken until conditions are fully met to operate safely.”
OFNAC said operations in Port-au-Prince continue normally and that security measures have been reinforced. Still, Sunrise’s flights remain suspended.
A cautious step forward for Haiti’s south
Against this backdrop, the TSA certification gives southern Haiti an alternative link to the United States at a time when Port-au-Prince—traditionally the country’s gateway—is cut off from U.S. carriers. It also provides the diaspora, particularly those with ties to the Great South, another option for reaching family members during a period of extraordinary uncertainty.
But the broader aviation outlook for Haiti remains bleak. No official can say when regular commercial flights will resume at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, and armed groups continue to occupy areas around the capital’s airport.
For now, the Les Cayes designation stands out as one of the few concrete improvements in Haiti’s strained aviation network.
Like this:
Loading…
Related
