FAA Extends Flight Prohibitions to Port-au-Prince Amid Safety Concerns
The FAA extends the ban on flights to Port-au-Prince until March 7 due to risks from armed groups. Although flights had resumed to six Haitian airports, the capital remains a no-fly zone after instances of planes being struck by gunfire. Armed groups control major areas, posing threats to aviation.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that it would extend the existing prohibitions on U.S. flights to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, until March 7. This decision comes in light of ongoing risks posed by armed groups to civil aviation in the region. In November, the FAA had initially suspended all flights to Haiti following incidents where three U.S. commercial jetliners were hit by gunfire.
After temporarily halting flights, the FAA permitted American carriers and general aviation pilots to resume services to six other airports in northern Haiti. However, the situation in Port-au-Prince remains dire, with the agency reporting that armed factions currently control nearly 90% of the city and its crucial surrounding areas. These developments underscore the persistent threat to aviation and highlight the necessity of restricting flights over the capital to altitudes above 10,000 feet.
Instances of small arms fire targeting civilian aircraft and related infrastructure have continued since last year, causing damage to several aircraft and injuring at least one air crew member. The FAA's extension of flight prohibitions emphasizes the ongoing danger to air travel in this volatile region.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News