Air Crisis in Haiti: Sunrise Airways and OFNAC, the Expression of Chaotic Management?

Port-au-Prince, Tuesday, November 25, 2025 – This Sunday, November 23, 2025, was marked by the mismanagement of a potentially very serious crisis, with contradictory official communications, sowing confusion among the public and sector stakeholders. On one hand, Sunrise Airways announced the « immediate » suspension of all its flights to and from Port-au-Prince for « strictly security reasons ». On the other hand, the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) affirmed that operations were continuing « normally », while revealing that one of the airline's planes had an « impact in the form of an orifice » on its structure. This radical divergence in official communication exposes blatant mismanagement of the situation and raises serious questions about air safety governance in Haiti. The Clash of Statements The sequence of events, as recounted by the statements, is at the very least perplexing. Sunrise Airways, acting unilaterally, decreed a total halt to its activities at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The airline cited a vague but alarming reason: « the current security situation ». This term, without further precision, could equally evoke a terrorist threat, widespread political instability, or targeted risks to airport infrastructure. By taking such a drastic measure, Sunrise sends a strong signal: security conditions are not met for operation. This constitutes an implicit, but public, disavowal of the inability of the authorities, the government, the transitional presidential council (CPT), the Haitian National Police, and OFNAC to guarantee the safety of operations. A few hours later, OFNAC, the authority supposed to supervise and regulate the sector, responded with a statement that seemed to come from a parallel universe. Not only did the office not confirm the situation described by Sunrise, but it directly contradicted it by assuring that flights were continuing « normally ». Worse, it was in this same statement that OFNAC chose to almost incidentally disclose crucial information: a Sunrise Airways plane had suffered an « impact », a technical terminology that could conceal a BALLISTIC impact or a serious structural failure. When there is a communication crisis The analysis of these two texts reveals a flawed, chaotic crisis management at several levels:

1. Lack of Coordination: The fact that the airline and the regulator did not align their messages is a major fault. Instead of a single, clear, and reassuring communication from the authorities, the public is faced with two conflicting versions. This inconsistency fuels confusion, distrust, and panic. Sunrise passengers wonder if they are in danger, while those on other airlines, reassured by OFNAC, might ignore a potential risk.
2. Opacity of Real Motives: Why did Sunrise make such a radical decision? Is the « security situation » mentioned related to the discovery of the « impact » on its plane? OFNAC, by not explicitly making the connection, maintains ambiguity. Sunrise, for its part, makes no mention of the technical incident, as if they were two distinct crises. This dissociation is hardly credible and suggests that neither party wishes to reveal the true extent of the problem.
3. A Disturbing Hierarchy of Priorities: OFNAC seems to prioritize operational continuity (« flights are continuing normally ») over total transparency. By minimizing the scope of the incident and rushing to reassure, the office risks underestimating a threat. Conversely, Sunrise's reaction, although potentially justified, seems rushed and lacks transparency regarding the exact nature of the threat, creating an informational void conducive to rumors.

An Institutional Crisis of Confidence Beyond the technical or security incident itself, it is a crisis of confidence that is unfolding. The Haitian or international passenger has the right to ask: who to believe? The airline that suspends everything, or the regulatory authority that claims everything is fine? This public contradiction undermines OFNAC's authority and casts a shadow over Sunrise Airways' credibility. Both entities claim that safety is their « absolute priority » or their « commitment ». Yet, their respective communication actions demonstrate the opposite. Effective crisis management relies on coordination, transparency, and clarity. Here, we have had isolation, opacity, and contradiction. While Haitian authorities promise a report « as soon as possible », the first urgency was to restore a reliable and single communication channel. The radio silence that followed these contradictory statements is no less eloquent than the texts themselves: it testifies to a decision-making void and an inability to manage a crisis coherently and transparently. Air safety is not negotiated in cacophony, and it is precisely this cacophony that, today, represents the greatest danger.