Haiti’s primary international airport has resumed operations after being shut down for over three months

Haiti has resumed operations at its primary international airport following a nearly three-month closure prompted by severe gang-related unrest.

Toussaint Louverture, Haiti’s primary international airport, resumed operations on Monday following a nearly three-month closure prompted by intense gang-related unrest. The closure, initiated in early March, has exacerbated shortages of medications and other supplies due to the continued inoperability of the country’s principal harbor.

At present, the sole airline operating flights to and from Port-au-Prince is Sunrise Airways, a domestic carrier. The initial outbound flight was slated for 2:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), heading for Miami. US-based airlines are anticipated to delay the resumption of services until late May or early June.

Prior to the restoration of the Toussaint Louverture airport, the shutdown had rendered the airport in Cap-Haitien as the only functioning airport in Haiti. Nevertheless, a significant number of individuals encountered difficulties in accessing it as a result of gang dominance over the routes connecting Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, thereby rendering travel perilous.

While the airport was closed, the U.S. government and other charitable organizations used helicopters to evacuate several civilians. This was necessary because gangs had seized control of certain areas in Port-au-Prince, including police stations, and were shooting at the city’s main airport. The aforementioned attacks, initiated on February 29th, led to the liberation of more than 4,000 detainees from Haiti’s two most extensive penitentiaries and rendered thousands without shelter.

The United Nations documented a surge of 50% in casualties resulting from violent incidents, with more than 2,500 individuals being killed or injured between January and March, as compared to the corresponding time in the previous year.

Upon the reopening of the Toussaint Louverture airport, both personnel and passengers conveyed a combination of relief and apprehension. Klav-Dja Raphael, a manager at the Couronne Bar located in close proximity to the airport’s operational gate, graciously received customers despite apprehensions over possible acts of aggression. “We are fearful because there is still a possibility of being attacked at this location,” she stated, recounting the harrowing day when the airport was first targeted.

Passengers anxiously anticipated their flights, with a multitude expressing both delight and sorrow. Antoine, who successfully obtained a U.S. visa, experienced profound sadness when she had to leave her family behind. Jean Doovenskey, a jobless accountant, anticipated a fresh start in Jacksonville, Florida, with the aspiration of eventually returning to a tranquil Haiti.

During the meantime, military aircraft from the United States have sent essential provisions, such as medication and hydration fluids, to the airport in Port-au-Prince. International troops are anticipated to arrive in order to suppress the gang violence, with Kenya intending to dispatch police personnel in the near future. Additional nations, such as the Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Bangladesh, are anticipated to provide military personnel, although the specific dates of their arrival have not been determined.

Korir Sing’oei, the principal secretary of international affairs in Kenya, stated that the implementation of a strategy to dispatch police officers from Kenya, a nation in East Africa, is nearing completion. He confidently stated that the deployment will undoubtedly occur within the upcoming days or weeks.