Avelo Airlines Ends ICE Deportation Flights

Key Points

• Avelo Airlines is ending its controversial ICE deportation flight program and closing its Mesa, Arizona base at the end of January.
• The decision follows financial recapitalization and aims to streamline Avelo's network, with new bases opening and some existing ones closing, potentially resulting in job cuts.
• Avelo faced backlash for its ICE partnership and cited operational complexity, costs, and insufficient revenue as reasons for ending the program.

Summary

Avelo Airlines will stop operating deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the end of January, coinciding with the closure of its Mesa, Arizona base. The ultra-low-cost carrier cited operational complexities, costs, and inconsistent revenue as reasons for ending the controversial program, which had sparked public and political backlash. Following a recent financial recapitalization, Avelo plans to streamline its network, open a new base in Texas, and potentially cut jobs as it relocates staff, aiming to strengthen its financial footing and shift focus away from government contracts.