Sunrise Airways has turned Haiti’s crisis into profit while state institutions quietly shut out competitors like IBC Airways. This isn’t patriotism—it’s profiteering.
Opinion | The Haitian Pulse | July 17, 2025
Haiti’s skies have become as dangerous and inaccessible as its gang-choked roads. While Sunrise Airways, led by Philippe Bayard, waves the Haitian flag and collects millions in public subsidies, ordinary citizens remain trapped on the ground. And now, new evidence reveals how Haitian authorities are actively blocking competitors from entering the market, ensuring Sunrise’s monopoly remains unchallenged.
In a country where violence has cut off land routes and desperation is at an all-time high, the skies should be a lifeline. Instead, they’ve become another arena for elite profiteering.
Government Millions, Private Profits
In early 2024, the corrupt interim government funneled an estimated US $14 million into Sunrise Airways through subsidies, fuel waivers, and airport-fee exemptions. The stated goal? “Ensure continued domestic connectivity.”
But where did the money go?
Ticket prices from Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes—a 30-minute flight—still hover around US $260 round trip. That’s more than the monthly salary of a Haitian nurse.
“How can an airline call itself a public partner while pricing its own citizens out of the sky?” asks economist Marie-Claude Pierre.
IBC Airways: A Competitor Locked Out
And here lies the real scandal.
In June 2025, IBC Airways successfully ran a test flight between Les Cayes and Miami. Their plan was simple: create an affordable air link for Haitians trapped by gang violence and road closures.
But after the successful trial, IBC hit a bureaucratic wall. Six times, IBC wrote to Haiti’s National Airport Authority (AAN) requesting authorization to set up temporary facilities at Antoine-Simon Airport in Les Cayes. Six times, they were ignored.
“Our first request was in May. Since the airport is monopolized by another company, we asked to install containers for our services. All six letters went unanswered,” said Dimitri Fouchard, IBC’s representative in Haiti, in an interview with Le Nouvelliste.
IBC had already secured approval from Haiti’s Civil Aviation Authority (OFNAC), the U.S. FAA, and trained its staff. The only obstacle remaining? A green light from the AAN.
But the AAN, under Director General Ducarmel François, has remained silent. Repeated attempts by Haitian media to contact François were met with no response.
“On one hand, authorities speak of decentralization and economic revival. On the other, their institutions erect roadblocks,” Fouchard lamented.
This is no accident. It’s protectionism. And Sunrise is the beneficiary.
Bayard Responds
When pressed about these issues, Bayard dismissed criticism:
“We are not a charity. We operate in one of the world’s most challenging environments. Our costs are triple those of other Caribbean carriers.”
But aviation analyst Jean-Marc René isn’t convinced:
“Haiti’s challenges are real, but Sunrise’s prices far exceed operational realities. This is price gouging disguised as patriotism.”
The Digicel Parallel: Monopoly by Another Name
Sunrise’s behavior mirrors Digicel’s playbook:
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Enter the Haitian market as a “partner.”
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Drive out or block competitors.
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Raise rates and collect tax breaks.
Today, Haitians pay some of the highest mobile phone rates in the Caribbean. Tomorrow, air travel may follow the same path.
“Monopolies in Haiti operate like modern-day plantations,” says sociologist Dr. Jacques Francois. “They privatize profits and socialize suffering.”
Collusion at the Highest Levels
Emails leaked from the Ministry of Public Works suggest Sunrise executives were directly involved in drafting subsidy agreements.
A line from one executive reads:
“Our government partners understand our needs. In return, we help theirs.”
This “help” allegedly includes free flights for officials and their families.
The Haitian Pulse Speaks
We demand that Sunrise Airways and Philippe Bayard:
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Publish all subsidy agreements in full for public scrutiny.
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Introduce capped humanitarian fares for domestic flights.
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Open their books to independent auditors to verify no misuse of public funds.
We also demand answers from the AAN:
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Why has IBC Airways been blocked from entering the market?
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Who benefits from this monopoly?
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When will Haiti’s airspace be opened to fair competition?
Until these questions are answered, Sunrise Airways is not a national partner. It is a predator.
Why This Matters
In Haiti, air travel has become more than convenience—it is survival. Pregnant women, the elderly, and merchants need safe passage. Yet for the poor, the skies remain closed.
When a handful of elites block the roads and sell the skies, the people are left trapped, desperate, and voiceless.
Bayard’s defense of Sunrise’s practices cannot withstand scrutiny. Neither can the corrupt officials who enabled this plunder.
“When the powerful block the roads and sell the skies, the people must take back their wings.”
The Haitian Pulse Perspective
At The Haitian Pulse, we deliver fearless, diasporic perspectives that challenge corruption, expose opportunism, and amplify voices too often silenced. We are not afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions and name those responsible.
Who gave Sunrise Airways its monopoly?
Where did the subsidies go?
How many more “patriotic” companies are draining Haiti under the guise of progress?
The Haitian people deserve answers.
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