US flights to Haiti banned after Spirit planes shot by gangs

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it will prohibit U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for 30 days after gangs shot a Spirit Airlines flight and the United Nations said it will suspend flights, “obviously limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel into the country.” The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it will prohibit U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti. Life in much of Haiti’s capital was frozen after the wave of violence, which came to a head when gangs shot a Spirit Airlines airplane Monday, forcing the airport to shut down. The sounds of heavy gunfire still echoed through the streets in the afternoon — a reminder that despite political manoeuvring by Haiti's elites and a strong push by the international community to restore peace, the country's toxic slate of gangs kept its firm hold on much of the Caribbean nation. It was a frustration that appeared to be international players that have pushed for a peaceful resolution in Haiti like the U.N. and the U.S. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department lamented that Conille and the council “were unable to move forward in a constructive manner" and called on Fils-Aimé and the council to provide a clear action plan outlining a joint vision on how to decrease violence and pave the path for elections to be held to “prevent further gridlock.” “The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors,” it wrote in a statement.