Haiti Suspends All Nicaragua-Bound Flights, Stranding Thousands of Migrants

Migrants aiming to reach the U.S. left in limbo as the unexplained flight ban disrupts a critical migration route that began in August and had ferried over 31,400 Haitians to Nicaragua.

• Haiti's government has unexpectedly suspended all Nicaragua-bound flights, a crucial route used by thousands of Haitians seeking asylum in the U.S., causing confusion and leaving many stranded with unanswered questions.
• The decision resulted in thousands of travelers stranded at Haiti's main international airport, leaving them angered and bewildered, with some worried about whether they would get refunds for their purchased tickets.
• The flights from Port-au-Prince to Managua began in August and saw up to 15 flights per day, operated mostly by charter carriers, ferrying over 31,400 Haitians to Nicaragua between August and October.
• Experts suggest that the charter flights to Nicaragua, which does not require visas for certain migrants, represented a security risk due to their unusually high frequency and volume.
• The suspension of these flights may push Haitian migrants to seek alternate routes to flee the country, amidst an ongoing crisis in Haiti where it is estimated that gangs control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince.

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