Initiative Improves Airspace Safety and Efficiency in Haiti

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airbus ProSky and Haiti’s Office National de L'Aviation Civile (OFNAC) announced completion of a joint project to modernize the airspace of Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien International Airports. This initiative, conducted in consultation with Air France, American Airlines and JetBlue, improves airspace safety while reducing flight times for airlines and air travelers at these two key Haitian airports.

The new airspace design, which will be fully implemented 2 April, came about in the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010 which damaged much of the country’s infrastructure, including that related to aviation. IATA partnered with others to make sure that, in rebuilding Haiti’s air navigation services, the country’s airspace benefits from the most recent Performance-Based Navigation systems and procedures. Besides the improvements in safety and efficiency, the shorter flight times also ensure a reduction in CO2 emissions from the air traffic at these airports.

In February, the airspace re-design was endorsed by Haiti’s air traffic controllers who heralded the high operational functionality of the new airspace designs and the on-time delivery of the project. 

“IATA is always looking for opportunities to partner for mutual benefit of consumers and the airlines. We are proud to have contributed to this positive outcome and believe that both air travelers and the airlines that operate in the country will benefit from a safer and more efficient airspace,” Peter Cerda, IATA’s Regional Vice President for The Americas said.

Rafael Alonso-Nivez, Regional Director, Latin America & Caribbean, Airbus ProSky, stated, “We are pleased with the outcome of both projects. The collaboration among all parties was relying on constant operational exchanges between airline pilots and OFNAC controllers – resulting in designs that will increase efficiency and enhance safety within the Haitian airspace. All of the stakeholders should be applauded for their ability to work together in a manner which will benefit each of them.”