On June 5, the Haitian government signed an agreement with Sunrise Airways to resume domestic flights, which had been suspended for months due to persistent insecurity. While this initiative may seem like a step toward normalizing local air transport, the public funding behind it raises serious concerns.
Economist Enomy Germain sharply reacted on social media: “Up to $11 million to encourage Sunrise to resume its domestic flights. This is a subsidy for a monopoly.” He believes citizens will be doubly penalized: first by the high cost of tickets, and second by the use of their taxes to support a private company.
During the suspension of regular flights, a parallel market emerged, catering to an elite, with helicopter trips sold for up to $2,500. In this context, Sunrise Airways, the only operational airline, enjoys a dominant position.
