Overview:
After years of delays, the Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes, the principle metropolis of Haiti’s Southern Division, has formally been upgraded to deal with worldwide flights. This internationalization launch is step one towards totally realizing the undertaking initiated in 2013.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — The Haitian authorities inaugurated the internationalization of Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes on March 5, marking a serious milestone within the nation’s push for financial decentralization. This long-awaited improve permits the airport to accommodate worldwide flights and affords a essential different to Port-au-Prince, the place gang violence has severely restricted entry to the capital’s Toussaint Louverture Worldwide Airport.
This achievement follows the Jan. 17 inauguration of the Saint-Louis-du-Sud port, one other key infrastructure undertaking to spice up financial exercise in Haiti’s Nice South, together with 4 departments central to tourism, commerce and agriculture.
“These two main infrastructures—the port of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and the worldwide airport—are just the start. Subsequent, we are going to deliver electrical energy to Les Cayes,” mentioned Leslie Voltaire, president of the Presidential Transition Council (CPT).
“The transformation of the port of Saint-Louis and the airport in Les Cayes are very commendable. Working collectively will drive progress within the Nice South. We all know Port-au-Prince is the middle of business exercise, however now the Sud division, notably Les Cayes, can play a serious function within the nation’s commerce.”
Berlus Pierre Samson, college director and jurist in Les Cayes
“Infrastructure is the inspiration of financial and social improvement.”
A undertaking stalled for greater than a decade
The trouble to improve Antoine Simon Airport into a global facility started in Feb. 2013, with the objective of finishing the transformation by Aug. 2014. The $26.44 million undertaking, initially overseen by Dominican agency Ingeniería Estrella, S.R.L, confronted unexplained delays, forcing Les Cayes residents to petition the federal government in 2018 and once more in 2024 to restart development.
Regardless of greater than a decade of stagnation, the federal government managed to finish key upgrades in simply 10 days, together with:
- Runway enlargement: Prolonged from 1,350 meters to 1,850 meters
- Wider plane capability: Can now deal with 50- to 80-passenger planes (beforehand restricted to 19- to 30-passenger plane)
- New infrastructure: Lighting for evening landings, a management tower, and a climate station
- Safety upgrades: Devoted area for the Anti-Drug Trafficking Brigade (BLTS)
A essential different as gangs block entry to Port-au-Prince
The reopening of the Cayes Worldwide Airport and Saint-Louis-du-Sud port comes at an important time when gang violence has successfully lower off Nationwide Street No. 2 since June 2021. This has left the South area remoted, severely impacting the transportation of products and folks. For years, Les Cayes residents and enterprise house owners have pushed for different commerce routes outdoors of Port-au-Prince. Now, with these two main infrastructure tasks, the Nice South has an opportunity to develop its personal financial hub.
“After we increase capability for worldwide flights, we make the southern area extra enticing to guests and the diaspora. This additionally creates extra alternatives for the tourism sector,” mentioned Raphaël Hosty, Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Communication.
Can the Nice South turn into Haiti’s new financial engine?
The Nice South area, which incorporates the South, Southeast, Nippes, and Grand’Anse departments, has confronted six consecutive years of financial decline. The Nice South area, which incorporates the South, Southeast, Nippes, and Grand’Anse departments.
Haiti’s GDP contracted by 4.2% in 2024, the worst financial downturn since 2009. The first, secondary, and tertiary financial sectors all shrank, resulting in a steep decline in commerce and funding. Many now hope the newly internationalized airport and port may help flip the tide.
“The airport and port are commendable. They are going to drive progress within the Nice South,” mentioned Berlus Pierre Samson, a college director in Les Cayes. “Port-au-Prince has been the middle of commerce, however now, the South division can play an even bigger function in commerce.”
Haitian American Anselme Joseph, who’s from the area and a big-time supporter of the #NouBoukeTann marketing campaign, agrees with Pierre. Nevertheless, he mentioned formally launching Antoine Simon Airport as a global facility is step one towards the push for modernization. “We have to construct an airport that displays our historical past and tasks for a affluent future for all Haitians,” he instructed The Haitian Instances.
In line with Cosy Joseph, one other undertaking supporter who additionally applauded the transfer, far more work stays to be completed.
“Haiti’s south wants an actual worldwide airport that meets trendy requirements,” she mentioned. “That’s the imaginative and prescient. The work for the modernization of the airport has simply begun.”
“With 1,850 meters of runway, the South is now not out of attain of worldwide flights, notably the Haitian diaspora,” Joseph mentioned.
Subsequent step: Upgrading to class 4E for bigger plane
At present, Antoine-Simon Airport is classed as a class 3B airport. Nevertheless, Haitian airport officers have formidable plans to improve it to class 4E, which might permit massive worldwide plane, together with Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s, to land straight in Les Cayes.
“The folks of Les Cayes can rejoice as a result of we are going to work with the personal sector to rework this right into a class 4E airport,” mentioned Yves Ducarmel, director of the Nationwide Airport Affiliation (AAN).
Regardless of the optimism, some airport providers stay incomplete, and full operations have but to start.
In the meantime, Port-au-Prince stays in limbo
Whereas Les Cayes prepares to welcome worldwide flights, Port-au-Prince remains to be ready for JetBlue to renew service. The airline, which suspended flights after three U.S. business planes had been hit by gunfire in March 2024, has pushed its return date to June 11, 2025, on account of ongoing safety issues.
“Our high precedence stays the security and well-being of our prospects and crew,” JetBlue instructed the Miami Herald. “Resulting from civil unrest in Haiti, we’ve got suspended all flights to and from the nation till at the least June 11, 2025.”
With no clear timeline for Port-au-Prince’s restoration, the newly upgraded Les Cayes airport might turn into Haiti’s most viable gateway for vacationers and commerce within the foreseeable future.