Buckle up because Spirit Airlines just dropped some major news. They’re putting a temporary halt on flights heading to Haiti. Why, you ask? Well, their plane got caught up in some real action. You won’t believe it, but it was hit by gunfire while it was trying to land in the country. Can you imagine?
But let’s get serious for a moment. This is some concerning stuff. The safety of their passengers and crew is their top priority, so they had no choice but to make this tough call. I can’t blame them, honestly. No one wants to be caught in the line of fire, quite literally.
Monday’s Spirit Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale was on approach to Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, before diverting to the neighboring Dominican Republic, according to data from FlightAware.
“An inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire,” Spirit said in a statement shared with The Guardian. It added that the flight landed safely and was taken out of service.
Also on Monday, a JetBlue flight leaving Port-au-Prince was shot. In a statement shared with Business Insider, the airline said Flight 935 landed safely in New York, but an inspection “later identified that the plane’s exterior had been struck by a bullet.”
JetBlue said it was investigating the incident in collaboration with authorities and has suspended all flights to and from Haiti through December 2. “Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our customers and crewmembers,” it added.
According to a notice issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, all flights to and from Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince were temporarily suspended for a week.
American Airlines said in a statement to BI that its daily service from Miami to Port-au-Prince has been suspended until next Monday due to the airport closure. “We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed,” it added.
The US Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert on Monday warning people not to travel to the country. It said it was “aware of gang-led efforts” to block travel to and from the capital.
So, for all you folks out there planning a sunny getaway to Haiti, it looks like you might have to reconsider your plans. Spirit Airlines ain’t taking any chances, and neither should you. Safety first, always.
Flip to the next page for the images of the gunfire holes on the plane…
