17204: (Hermantin) Sun-Sentinel-South Florida Haitians welcome direct flight to Port-au (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

South Florida Haitians welcome direct flight to Port-au-Prince



By Karla D. Shores
staff Writer

November 9, 2003

A direct flight on a major U.S. air carrier to Haiti's capital is long
overdue, say South Florida Haitians.

"We are growing in Broward County, more than ever before," said Marc Roger,
program manager of Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean
and the Americas. "The airline notices the business travelers going to
Haiti, and it's going to increase notably next year with the upcoming
[Haitian Bicentennial] anniversary."

On Nov. 1, American Airlines kicked off a daily 7:45 a.m. flight, Broward's
first direct service to Port-au-Prince, said airport spokesman Jim Reynolds.
The only other air service from Fort Lauderdale to Haiti, Lynx Air
International, offers flights four days per week to Cap-Haitien. Palm Beach
International does not offer direct service to Haiti.

"This is something Haitian leaders have been asking for from Broward and
beyond," said American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin. "As this
community diversifies and moves closer to other areas, they're looking for
service closer to home."

Haitian passengers have mixed feelings about the new flight. Some say the
airfare will only increase closer to the holidays and the service will sap
business from Haitian airlines in Miami. Others say the flight is a nod of
recognition to a community that flies regularly.

Many Haitian travelers fly between Haiti and South Florida to run
businesses, treat patients and provide social services to Haitians in their
homeland. On Saturday, about 16 invited guests joined a number of paying
passengers on the Boeing 737-800.

"This makes me happy because I am building a house in Haiti," said Arlette
Odenat of Melbourne, who traveled every two months to Miami to head back to
Haiti.

Salusa Basquin a disc jockey from West Palm Beach, said he was happy to use
Air d'Ayiti from Miami International Airport at least 10 times this year.

"American Airlines had to do this," he said. "Air d'Ayiti dropped its prices
to $99 this summer. American was charging us $300 and $400 to go to Haiti."

Internet ticket sites show prices from Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince run
between $160 and $570 for the New Year, the start of Haiti's bicentennial.

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