Flights to Haiti Canceled After Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Planes Hit by Suspected Gunfire

U.S. airlines have canceled flights to Haiti after planes from Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways appeared to be hit by gunfire, as Haiti is currently embroiled in political unrest.

Spirit said the plane, which departed from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Monday, was diverted to the Dominican Republic, where an inspection found evidence consistent with gunfire damage to the aircraft. One flight attendant reported a minor injury, the airline said. No other injuries were reported.

Spirit said it has suspended flights to Haiti until further investigation, and the damaged plane was put out of service.

JetBlue said one of its planes traveling from Haiti had been struck by a bullet. A postflight inspection of a plane that traveled from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday revealed the damage. The carrier said it is investigating the incident with authorities and no injuries were reported.

JetBlue said it was suspending all flights to and from Haiti through Dec. 2, citing the unrest in the country. An earlier JetBlue flight that had taken off Monday for Haiti returned to Fort Lauderdale, the carrier said.

American Airlines said it was canceling flights to Haiti until Nov. 18.

Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the country’s main hub, was temporarily closed to air traffic Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

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