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JetBlue plane apparently struck by gunfire in Haiti continued safely to New York
S&P and Moody’s downgrade JetBlue, shares fall
STORY: Shares of JetBlue plummeted as much as 18% in Monday morning trading, after ratings agencies S&P and Moody’s downgraded the airline due to concerns over its financial health. The downgrades come after JetBlue unveiled plans to raise more than $3 billion in debt, most of which will be backed by its TrueBlue loyalty program. S&P downgraded the carrier from a ‘B’ to ‘B-‘, saying it expects a
A JetBlue flight from Haiti to New York was apparently struck by gunfire Monday. Although no injuries were reported and the flight operated normally, JetBlue said it is investigating the incident.
“On Monday, November 11, JetBlue flight 935 from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, landed safely at New York’s JFK Airport. While no issues were initially reported by the operating crew, a post-flight inspection later identified that the aircraft’s exterior had been struck by a bullet. We are actively investigating this incident in collaboration with relevant authorities,” the airline said in a statement to USA TODAY.
JetBlue has suspended flights to and from Haiti through Dec. 2 and said it continues to monitor the situation on the ground. It instituted a change fee waiver for passengers whose travel plans are affected.
The country has been rocked by civil unrest for months, and the U.S. State Department issued a “Do Not Travel” warning for American citizens considering a trip to Haiti in September, which remains in effect.
A Spirit Airlines flight was also apparently struck by gunfire while attempting to land at Port-au-Prince on Monday. That flight diverted to the Dominican Republic and one crewmember was injured in the incident. Spirit Airlines issued a change fee waiver for passengers with plans to travel to Haiti, as did American Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier to serve the country.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.