Some Haitian-Americans in New York City forced to put travel plans on hold amid FAA ban

NEW YORK (WABC) — After the FAA banned U.S. flights from flying into Haiti, some Haitian-Americans living in New York City are having to cancel or put their plans on hold.

A restaurant owner in Brooklyn had big plans this weekend to take part in a food festival in Haiti.

“A whole trip planned, my bag has been packed for a week because I’m so excited, now it is just sitting in the house,” said owner of Djon Djon Wesly Jean Simon.

Simon was planning on spending the next week and half in Haiti.

The owner and executive chef of Djon Djon was planning on bringing his culinary skills to his home country to teach kids about cooking while joined by several other chefs.

But now those plans are on hold indefinitely.

“We have two chefs that got stuck down there right now…and they cannot come back to run the restaurant in America,” Simon said. “So they don’t know how long they’re going to have to work remotely. When you’re a chef, you can’t work remotely. So it’s really hard to digest for us right now.”

The FAA banned all U.S. flights into Haiti after three commercial planes were hit by gunfire amid ongoing gang violence.

This happened as Haiti’s transitional council ousted the interim prime minister and swore in a new one.

The U.N. also temporarily suspended flights to Port-au-Prince and the country’s main airport there is temporarily closed.

“There are people with medical needs that cannot fly out to get help, and then there are supplies that are not going to come in, and there are families that are just separated and businessmen and women who are stuck in the country, and you can’t leave to go take care of other things,” said musician Mikaelle Cartright.

Cartright should have landed in Haiti Wednesday as she had several performances booked in the coming weeks — but all those plans are now on hold.

Just earlier this year, she was with her family in Haiti when the main airport was shut down.

“I don’t know how this is going to end because of every single time there’s a disagreement, they are going to do something that drastic,” Cartwright said. “And then it just leaves the rest of the population…they’re just like hands in the air. What can they do? You’re just trapped in that case. And so it’s very sad and upsetting.”

American Airlines says it is suspending service between Miami and the Port-au-Prince through February 12.

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