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| Les Cayes Airport | |
|---|---|
| Name | Les Cayes Airport |
| Nativename | Antoine-Simon Airport |
| Iata | CYA |
| Icao | MTCA |
| Type | Public |
| City-served | Les Cayes |
| Location | Les Cayes, Sud Department, Haiti |
| Elevation-ft | 39 |
| Coordinates | 18°13′N 73°46′W |
| Runway1-number | 09/27 |
| Runway1-length-m | 1970 |
| Runway1-surface | Asphalt |
Les Cayes Airport is a public airport serving the city of Les Cayes in the Sud Department of Haiti. The airport, also known as Antoine-Simon Airport, provides domestic connections to Port-au-Prince, humanitarian access for agencies such as United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and limited international charter operations to destinations in the Caribbean and Central America. It lies near coastal communities and is part of regional transport networks linking Cap-Haïtien, Jacmel, and other Haitian cities.
The airfield is located approximately 8 km northwest of Les Cayes town near the community of Torbeck, with proximity to the Port-au-Prince–Les Cayes road and coastal ports used historically by French colonial empire trade routes. Its single runway, designated 09/27, accommodates turboprop and small jet aircraft used by carriers like Caribbean Airlines and charter operators associated with International Organization for Migration missions. The airport plays a role in post-disaster logistics alongside facilities such as Toussaint Louverture International Airport and regional hubs like Santo Domingo–Las Américas International Airport.
The airport was developed in the 20th century to improve access to southern Haiti, complementing earlier airstrips built during the era of United States occupation of Haiti (1915–1934) and later modernization efforts influenced by bilateral projects with the United States Agency for International Development and multilateral development banks. It has been used for civil aviation, emergency evacuations after events including 2010 Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Matthew (2016), and as a staging area for non-governmental organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and Red Cross operations. The facility has seen upgrades funded or supported by international partners following natural disasters and public campaigns led by Haitian political figures and municipal authorities from Les Cayes (commune).
The airport's infrastructure comprises a paved asphalt runway approximately 1,970 metres long, a small passenger terminal with basic passenger handling amenities, apron parking for turboprops and light jets, and limited cargo handling space used by humanitarian convoys from organizations such as World Food Programme and USAID. Navigational and safety aids include basic VHF communications and visual approach aids; more advanced systems used at airports like Miami International Airport or Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport are absent. Fuel services are available intermittently, often supplied via logistics chains involving Port-au-Prince fuel depots and regional suppliers. Security responsibilities involve local police units and coordinated efforts with agencies like United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti during major operations.
Commercial scheduled services have historically been limited; domestic flights operate primarily between the airfield and Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, with seasonal or charter connections to Cap-Haïtien International Airport and occasional charters to Santo Domingo–Las Américas International Airport, Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport, and other Caribbean gateways. Operators that have served the market include regional carriers and charter companies similar to Sunrise Airways and ad hoc services contracted by humanitarian organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Operational activity is a mix of scheduled domestic rotations, humanitarian flights, private charters, and governmental movements. Annual passenger throughput fluctuates with disaster response cycles and tourism trends influenced by events involving Haiti national football team fixtures or cultural festivals in Les Cayes (commune). Cargo volumes are dominated by relief consignments during crises such as 2010 Haiti earthquake relief and 2016–2017 hurricane season responses. Aircraft movements often spike during international aid campaigns coordinated with entities like United Nations Development Programme.
The airport's safety record includes several minor incidents typical of regional airfields, involving hard landings, runway excursions, and weather-related diversions during tropical storm events, including operations affected by Hurricane Matthew (2016) and other Atlantic storms. Investigations have involved Haitian civil aviation authorities alongside international accident-review bodies in cases where foreign-registered aircraft were involved. Notable responses have engaged Civil Air Patrol-style search efforts and coordination with International Civil Aviation Organization guidance on regional safety improvements.
Ground access from Les Cayes and surrounding communes relies on regional roads connecting to the coastal highway; transport options include taxis, minibuses known locally as tap-tap, private cars, and humanitarian convoy vehicles organized by agencies like Oxfam and World Food Programme. Port access via nearby harbors supports combined sea-air logistics used historically by merchant shipping routes to ports such as Port-au-Prince and Jacmel (commune). Improvements to access infrastructure have been part of broader regional development discussions involving entities like the Inter-American Development Bank and bilateral cooperation with France and the United States.
Category:Airports in Haiti