The hassles that come with flying seem to get worse every year.
But no traveler expected this nightmare.
And an airline flight from Florida went to hell and back on this trip to Haiti.
Spirit Airlines flight riddled with bullets on a flight to Haiti
The Caribbean nation of Haiti has devolved into a state of civil war.
Heavily armed gangs are battling for control of the country’s capital city of Port-au-Prince.
The United Nations estimates that 85% of the capital is under the control of warring gangs.
A Spirit Airlines flight out of Florida found out the hard way why the city has become a no-go zone.
Spirit Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida began taking gunfire as it tried to land at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
The flight was redirected to Santiago, Dominican Republic where it was able to make a safe landing.
No passengers were injured but one flight attendant suffered minor injuries.
A video posted on social media showed the damage the plane took from gunfire.
Sanble avyon Spirit resevwa 3 katouch. pic.twitter.com/T29ih4VNBa
— Guezz (@EliezerGuerisme) November 11, 2024
Passengers on the Spirit flight were stunned at the situation that unfolded.
“There was confusion. We didn’t know exactly what was going on but the crew was very traumatized,” a passenger said.
“Then the plane which was cruising into regular landing, hit the gas and took altitude and got the heck out of Port-au-Prince area,” another passenger said.
Passenger Jean David Desrouleaux was supposed to be on a business trip to Haiti.
He told 7News that gunfire erupted as soon as the plane was near the runway.
“A cracking noise, crack, crack, crack,” Desrouleaux said. “Maybe four, five, six seconds later when the pilot reengaged the engines to gain more altitude, then we realized that we got, we got shot at.”
Spirit took the bullet-riddled plane out of service.
“The safety of our guests and team members is our top priority, and we have suspended our service at Port-au-Prince (PAP) and Cap-Haitien (CAP) pending further evaluation,” Spirit Airlines said in a statement.
Passengers on the flight were flown back to Fort Lauderdale on another plane.
The American Embassy said that gangs are trying to cut Port-au-Prince off from the outside world by shutting down roads, ports, and airports.
Flights to Haiti banned after plane was shot
Americans traveling to Haiti were warned that they were making the trip at their own risk.
“The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous,” the American embassy said. “Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety traveling to airports, borders, or during any onward travel. You should consider your personal security situation before traveling anywhere in Haiti.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shut down flights out of the United States bound for Haiti for 30 days after the Spirit plane was hit with gunfire in Port-au-Prince.
Port-au-Prince’s airport was shut down earlier this year over security concerns.
The Spirit flight being shot came during an uptick in gang violence after Haiti’s interim Prime Minister Garry Conille was sacked and replaced by Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
A trip to Haiti will be a risky bet for the foreseeable future.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
