SANTIAGO – The Chilean airline, LAW (Latin American Wings) has temporarily suspended the flights between Port-au-Prince and Chile, after Haitians have been declared illegal or unqualified by the Chilean authorities to enter or remain in Chilean territory.
In 2017, more than 100,000 Haitians arrived in Chile with a valid 90-day tourist visa but reports suggest more than 80% remained illegally in Chile beyond this time, to escape economic problems and lack of work in Haiti. A situation that had already been discussed with Jovenel Moïse by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet during her official visit to Haiti.
The flight suspension, which started on Monday, will be valid for a period of 15 days.
LAW says it has always acted responsibly in Haiti, informing passengers of their duties, rights and documentation required to travel and stay in Chile. “However, since massive declaration of inadmissibility of foreign citizens causes inconvenience for both the airport and the agencies that sold the tickets, we consider that this measure will help mitigate these effects…” the airline said in a statement.
