IBC Air opens Miami–Les Cayes flights, sells out first weeks
Tickets for IBC Air’s inaugural flights are priced between $300 and $600 — far cheaper than other routes to Haiti.
by Fritznel D. Octave and Juhakenson Blaise Nov. 05, 2025
THE HAITIAN TIMES
IBC Air will begin operating the first direct passenger flights between Miami, Florida, and Les Cayes, Haiti, on Nov. 10, marking a major step toward improving regional connectivity. The new route meets strong demand from southern Haitians in the diaspora seeking a cheaper, faster option to travel home.
LES CAYES, Haiti — IBC Air is set to inaugurate its first passenger flight on Nov. 10, connecting travelers from Miami International Airport to Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes, Haiti. The much-anticipated international route — with three daily flights planned — marks a major step toward improving regional air access to southern Haiti.
The launch responds to a growing demand from the Haitian diaspora, particularly those from the southern region. According to IBC agents at the Les Cayes airport counters on Tuesday, tickets are already sold out through Nov. 26, underscoring strong public interest in a more direct and affordable travel option.
On its website, flyibcair.com, IBC Air first listed round-trip fares between $300 and $600. Prices have since increased to between $630 to $860 with demand. But the Fort Lauderdale-based carrier’s fares are still significantly lower than those of its competitors. One traveler reported that they recently paid $1,400 for a Miami–Cap-Haïtien round-trip ticket, plus an additional $250 to continue to Les Cayes. Sunrise Airways is the company currently managing commercial flight service from Florida to Cap-Haïtien.
Plans for commercial service between Les Cayes and Miami were first announced in June 2025 by Dimitri Fouchard, an IBC Air representative. Despite a successful test flight, the airline was still awaiting final clearance from Haiti’s National Airport Authority (AAN) to operate at Antoine Simon.
At the time, Fouchard said that the international airport, with its 6,100-foot runway, could safely accommodate Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft, and that only minor terminal works remained before service could begin.
With this week’s announcement of IBC’s first flight, it appears that final authorization from the AAN has now been granted.
At Antoine Simon International Airport, key structures appear to be ready. The airline has invested in building its new check-in counters, creating a more organized and modern setup for travelers. Staff are already on site to assist passengers, underscoring the airport’s readiness to welcome its first commercial international flight.
Bookings for the inaugural flight opened shortly after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) renewed its flight restrictions to Haiti through March 7, 2026, due to ongoing security concerns. IBC Air reports having obtained the necessary clearances to operate between Miami and Les Cayes, in full compliance with federal regulations.
The airline has not yet announced plans to expand its services to other Haitian cities, but the launch of this route suggests a gradual growth strategy may be underway. IBC Air has not responded to The Haitian Times email for comments about possible future destinations.
Haitian neighborhoods help fuel Mamdani’s historic win in NYC mayoral race
Flatbush, East Flatbush, Canarsie and other immigrant-heavy districts deliver wide margins for the city’s first Muslim mayor
by The Haitian Times Nov. 05, 2025
Overview:
Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City Tuesday with the backing of key Haitian American neighborhoods, marking a historic victory and signaling growing political power within the diaspora.
By The Associated Press | Additional editing and reporting by The Haitian Times
NEW YORK — Neighborhoods home to some of the largest Haitian American communities in New York City helped power Zohran Mamdani to a historic victory Tuesday night, as the 34-year-old assemblymember was elected the city’s first Muslim, South Asian and African-born mayor.
In Flatbush, East Flatbush, Canarsie, East New York, Jamaica, and Hollis — neighborhoods long anchored by working-class Haitian families — voters delivered double-digit margins in favor of Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose campaign emphasized affordability, immigrant protections and solidarity with marginalized communities.
Mamdani carried Flatbush by 57 points, East Flatbush by 25, Canarsie by 24, East New York by 21, and Jamaica by 27, according to early returns published by The New York Times.
An estimated 183,000 Haitians call the five boroughs home, with significant numbers living in central and south Brooklyn and southeast Queens. Demographers have said that about one-third, an estimated 57,000, are U.S. citizens who make up an engaged electorate that votes regularly.
Tuesday night’s results confirmed what many Haitian organizers predicted last month in a Zoom meeting hosted by Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, where community leaders — many who had first supported challenger Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic Primary— laid out strategies to mobilize voters behind Mamdani.
“While being with him through the churches and the streets of Flatbush and working with community members, he definitely resonated with them,” Bichotte Hermelyn said. “He has listened to them, and it’s been with sincerity.”
Other Haitian American elected officials, including Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest and Council Member Farah Louis, also endorsed Mamdani after the Democratic primary, citing his promises to defend immigrant rights and lower the cost of living.
“We are not asking for a lot,” Forrest said during the October meeting. “What we are asking for is a life of dignity — and now we’re going to make it happen together. Zohran is for us.”
A commanding win
Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a high-turnout race, with more than 2 million ballots cast — the largest in over five decades. With roughly 90% of the vote counted, Mamdani held a 9-point lead over Cuomo.
The mood at Mamdani’s victory party in Brooklyn was jubilant. Supporters cheered, waved the New York City flag and danced to reggaetón and konpa as The Associated Press called the race.
Cuomo, speaking at a subdued event in Manhattan, conceded with a warning: “Almost half of New Yorkers did not vote to support a government agenda that makes promises that we know cannot be met.”
Still, he offered to help Mamdani transition into office. “Tonight was their night.”
The Haitian vote: Organized and energized
From making an appearance at Michael Brun’s Bayo show in Brooklyn this summer to standing with TPS advocates in Little Haiti, Mamdani began outreach to the young and the worried in Haitian communities early on. Continuing his grassroots ground game, organizers canvassed neighborhoods like Canarsie, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Queens Village, distributing translated materials in Kreyòl and French and building WhatsApp groups to share information.
“Access to information is everything in our community,” said one attendee during October’s strategy session. “There can be great programs, but if we don’t know about them, we can’t benefit.”
Mamdani’s campaign team said those concerns were being addressed through multilingual outreach and partnerships with community-based organizations.
Louis noted Mamdani’s outreach across Caribbean communities, where he promised to protect Haitian immigrants from ICE raids and include culturally responsive policies in City Hall.
What’s next for City Hall?
Mamdani takes office Jan. 1 and has promised an ambitious agenda that includes:
- Free citywide bus service
- Free child care
- Rent freezes
- A new Department of Community Safety to respond to mental health crises
- City-run grocery stores in food deserts
He will face pressure from centrist Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, who opposes his plan to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund his proposals.
In this Q&A, the Queens Assemblymember and mayoral hopeful shares his vision for affordable housing, public safety, and restoring dignity to immigrant New Yorkers.
His stance on policing will also be closely watched. Mamdani, who once called the NYPD a “rogue agency,” has since apologized and pledged to keep the current police commissioner in place.
National figures have already weighed in. President Donald Trump, who previously threatened to cut federal funds to the city if Mamdani won, posted “…AND SO IT BEGINS!” on Truth Social Tuesday night.
In his victory speech, Mamdani addressed Trump directly.
“New York will remain a city of immigrants, built by immigrants, powered by immigrants — and now, led by an immigrant,” he said. “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it’s the city that gave rise to him.”
A notable moment for Haitian American civic power
For the Haitian diaspora — long active in union organizing, education and immigrant justice — Mamdani’s victory marks continued progress in politics. Although Bichotte Hermelyn, who leads the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Louis and other prominent Haitian elected officials first supported the scandal-plagued incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, then Cuomo in the primary, they began boosting Mamdani over the summer.
Meanwhile, in addition to his mailing fliers and making high profile appearances, Mandani’s canvassers knocked on doors in multistory buildings to encourage turnout. Haitian voters responded, helping elect a mayor who has promised to reflect their priorities and protect their dignity.
As the Zoom meeting closed last month, organizers created a ‘Haitians for Zohran’ WhatsApp group to coordinate voter outreach through Election Day. With Mamdani’s win now official, many are preparing to hold him accountable — and ensure Haitian voices are represented in City Hall.
“This is not just about a win,” said Louis. “It’s about building a city where our communities are finally seen.”
Cholera fears rise in Haiti after Hurricane Melissa flooding
Health officials warn of links between new infections to contaminated water and poor sanitation after storm
by Juhakenson Blaise Nov. 06, 2025
Overview:
Health authorities in Haiti are warning of a cholera surge following Hurricane Melissa, which flooded key regions and contaminated drinking water supplies. While more than 2,900 suspected cases and 27 deaths have been reported since January, officials say recent spikes in neighborhoods like Pétion-Ville and Gran Gosier raise fears of a wider outbreak. The threat is compounded by insecurity, lack of clean water, and failing health infrastructure.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haitian health authorities are warning of a possible cholera surge in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which brought heavy flooding and worsened already fragile sanitation conditions across the country.
Although Haiti’s public health ministry has reported more than 2,900 suspected cholera cases and 27 related deaths since January, officials say flooding from Hurricane Melissa has contaminated water sources and sharply increased the risk of a wider outbreak — particularly in areas like Pétion-Ville, where more than 130 suspected cases, including 20 confirmed and five deaths, were recorded in a single week last month. Human Rights Watch, citing its own assessment, reported 48 cholera-related deaths and 186 confirmed cases nationwide between Jan. 1 and Oct. 30 — a higher count than the government’s figures — and noted that more than a third of victims were children under 9. The group said the rise in cases in Pétion-Ville and surrounding neighborhoods such as Delmas, Tabarre, and Carrefour reflects a resurgence after 11 weeks without new infections.
“Access to clean water, sanitation, and community engagement are crucial in fighting waterborne diseases,” Public Health Minister Sinal Bertrand said, urging residents to boil water and take precautions as public health teams ramp up response efforts.
Officials at the Minister of Public Health and Population (MSPP) said heavy flooding from Hurricane Melissa has contaminated several water sources and wells used by locals. They warned of increased risks of other diseases, including typhoid, malaria, and acute diarrhea.
“Access to clean drinking water, community sanitation, and citizen engagement are crucial in the fight against waterborne diseases.”
Sinal Bertrand, Public Health Ministernormal
“Cholera is once again threatening thousands of lives in Haiti because the population lacks access to basic services such as clean water, sanitation, and medical care,” said Nathalye Cotrino, a researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“The epidemic, which coincides with the seasonal increase during the rainy period, is spreading in Port-au-Prince and its metropolitan area, while the capital’s health infrastructure is on the verge of collapse and insecurity is worsening.”
To contain the spread, authorities have launched sanitation, fumigation, and pest control in Port-au-Prince and the southern region. They said health teams are running hygiene and food safety campaigns in vulnerable areas.
The ministry said its response is being coordinated with the National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES), and the Ministry of Public Works, with a strategy focused on safe drinking water access and community sanitation.
The resurgence recalled Haiti’s tragic 2010 cholera outbreak, when wastewater discharge from a United Nations base contaminated a river, leading to nearly 10,000 deaths and over 820,000 infections. After years of effort, Haiti went three years without any confirmed cases until the disease resurfaced in 2022.
Health authorities warn of a cholera surge after Hurricane Melissa
- 2,900 suspected cholera cases nationwide since January
- 27 deaths, including 20 in communities and 7 in hospitals
- 139 cases and 5 deaths reported in Pétion-Ville in one week
- 43 deaths from Hurricane Melissa as of Nov. 4
30+ hospitals closed due to attacks and vandalism
According to Human Rights Watch, persistent problems, poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and a weak emergency preparedness system continue to leave millions at serious risk. The authorities urge the population to boil or treat water, wash hands regularly with soap, avoid raw or undercooked food, and seek immediate medical attention for acute diarrhea.
The country’s healthcare capacity remains dangerously thin. More than 30 healthcare facilities have stopped operating due to vandalism, fires, or gang attacks. Among them is the State University Hospital, the largest hospital located in the capital, and the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) emergency center in Turgeau, which closed last month after multiple armed assaults endangering staff and patients. Many of these closed hospitals previously provided critical medical support for monitoring and treating epidemics.
As part of the national response, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) opened a new cholera treatment center in Bristou, Pétion-Ville, on Oct. 18. In a note, the MSPP said its investigation of water sources in the locality of Diègue, in Pèlerin 5, identified them as the likely origin of the current outbreak.
“On site, the observations made by the minister and experts were clear,” the MSPP said. “There was evident contamination of the water sources due to the proximity of homes and the presence of organic waste.”
The hurricane’s aftermath has also left a heavy human toll — 43 deaths, 13 people missing and thousands displaced in temporary shelters. Conditions in camps for those uprooted by gang violence are particularly dire, with heightened risk of disease.
International partners have pledged emergency aid. The European Union announced €5 million, while the United States committed $8.5 million through UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The funds will go directly to humanitarian agencies rather than the Haitian government.