In April 2025, it was revealed that low cost carrier Avelo Airlines would start operating deportation flights, as part of an agreement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
From Avelo’s perspective, this was a way to get a steady income stream, in an otherwise challenging market for primarily domestic airlines. As you’d expect, though, this move was controversial, and Avelo faced pushback in many markets. So there’s an interesting update on that front.
In this post:
Avelo is shrinking its fleet, but planes are going to ICE
This week, Avelo Airlines announced plans to simplify its network and fleet, among a “balance sheet transformation.”
The airline is closing several of its bases, including in Mesa, Arizona (AZA), Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU), and Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM), and is instead focusing on New Haven, Connecticut (HVN), Wilmington, Delaware (ILG), Concord, North Carolina (USA), and Lakeland, Florida (LAL).
On top of that, the airline is removing six Boeing 737-700s from its fleet, leaving the airline primarily operating Boeing 737-800s.
So here’s where it gets interesting. While Avelo doesn’t highlight this, the fact that its closing its Mesa base makes it pretty clear that the airline is ending deportation flights. The airline didn’t operate any regularly scheduled passenger flights out of Mesa, but instead, that was just the hub for deportation flights.
Remember how the US government recently announced that it purchased six Boeing 737s in order to start its own deportation “airline?” That happens to be the same number of 737s that Avelo is getting rid of.
Enilria flags how the FAA database now shows some former Avelo 737-700s as being owned by Daedalus Aviation Corp, the same company that is supplying ICE with these planes. So that means Avelo is ending deportation flights, and those planes will instead be sold directly to ICE, essentially cutting out the middleman.
I wonder what motivated this deportation flight shift
I’m curious what the story is of Avelo choosing to no longer operate deportation flights:
- Did Avelo decide the optics of these flights were bad, and that it had too negative of an impact on its operations as a standalone regularly scheduled airline?
- Does Avelo get some big upside from this transaction, in terms of selling these planes? These planes were leased in the first place, so I’m not sure if this gives Avelo some big cash injection, or something
- Was the deportation flight contract only for so long, and ICE decided it no longer wanted to work with Avelo on these flights, as it pursued more of a standalone operation?
We don’t know a whole lot about Avelo’s finances, given that the airline isn’t publicly traded. It’s obviously a challenging environment for any airline not named Delta or United (or to a lesser extent Alaska, American, or Southwest), so one wonders…
Bottom line
Avelo Airlines will stop operating deportation flights, as it closes its base in Mesa. Along with this, the airline will get rid of six Boeing 737-700s, in order to simplify its fleet. As it turns out, though, those are the planes that are going directly to ICE, as the government launches “ICE Air.” One wonders what’s causing Avelo to change its strategy here…
What do you think is going on behind the scenes that caused Avelo to stop deportation flights and dump these 737s?
The question, will ICE hire pilots over age 65. Where do I apply?
The people complaining will never agree to take in and care for a family. That's someone else's dime. The same people are also complaining that Avelo took on that business but will you complain when people are thrown out of a job if Avelo goes bankrupt?
Nice set of strawmen, like usual, George.
You don't have to literally, personally, house and feed every refugee to want to have a society that cares better for the needy. You can support policies that ensure an adequate social safety net.
Likewise, you don't have to perpetuate immoral acts, just so people can keep bad jobs. If you're really concerned about a living wage, then why not support raising it; oh, because you're being...
Nice set of strawmen, like usual, George.
You don't have to literally, personally, house and feed every refugee to want to have a society that cares better for the needy. You can support policies that ensure an adequate social safety net.
Likewise, you don't have to perpetuate immoral acts, just so people can keep bad jobs. If you're really concerned about a living wage, then why not support raising it; oh, because you're being disingenuous on here, yet again.
Remind us how you 'work for a living' ... and do keep enjoying Concierge Key, sir.
@George Romey
We pay taxes is so that the government can spend that money for the public good. That obviously includes a social safety net to help struggling members of the community provide for themselves and get through rough periods of their lives. It's good for *everyone* if the homeless are housed, the addicted are rehabilitated, the sick are treated, and the hungry are fed. The needy should not have to rely on the...
@George Romey
We pay taxes is so that the government can spend that money for the public good. That obviously includes a social safety net to help struggling members of the community provide for themselves and get through rough periods of their lives. It's good for *everyone* if the homeless are housed, the addicted are rehabilitated, the sick are treated, and the hungry are fed. The needy should not have to rely on the capriciousness of individual charity to survive.
You gloss over the fact that there is a limit to any budget and the goal is to help "struggling members of the community". When you invite anybody in the world to arrive in the USA illegally and with no means nor plan to support themselves you break the budget.
I am very much for the support necessary for our downtrodden, we simply do not have the means to take in everybody in the world that wants the support.
Yeah, um, no.
So, let’s look at the facts. There are currently labor shortages across the US in domestic workers, service workers, food service workers, construction workers and agricultural workers. The largest citrus grower in FL announced last year they would wind down production because there is no one to harvest the oranges.
And why are we experiencing shortages? Because you’re running the people out of here doing the work and most Americans...
Yeah, um, no.
So, let’s look at the facts. There are currently labor shortages across the US in domestic workers, service workers, food service workers, construction workers and agricultural workers. The largest citrus grower in FL announced last year they would wind down production because there is no one to harvest the oranges.
And why are we experiencing shortages? Because you’re running the people out of here doing the work and most Americans are too entitled and lazy to ever get their hands dirty with menial labor.
So, here we are. There’s no one to do the works. Labor costs are rising and being passed on to consumers.
But, yes, these immigrants are just a bunch of moochers and, because a some of them a have committed crimes, they are ALL criminals. Which, by extension, means since some white people are criminals ALL white people are criminals.
@Moe
First, there's no limit to the budget. We have no trouble finding money to throw at the dumbest DoD projects (Golden Dome, and now apparently a Trump class battleship). We just keep making the deficit bigger. No Republican since HW Bush has actually cared about and tried to reduce the deficit. Reagan before him, and W Bush and Trump after him, paid lip service to fiscal responsibility but spent like no tomorrow while...
@Moe
First, there's no limit to the budget. We have no trouble finding money to throw at the dumbest DoD projects (Golden Dome, and now apparently a Trump class battleship). We just keep making the deficit bigger. No Republican since HW Bush has actually cared about and tried to reduce the deficit. Reagan before him, and W Bush and Trump after him, paid lip service to fiscal responsibility but spent like no tomorrow while cutting taxes for the wealthy at the same time. Clinton, Obama, and Biden all added less to the deficit than their Republican counterparts. Fact of the matter is, we're not paying down our national debt unless taxes go up.
Second, there was *never* an open invitation for people to come in illegally. Border policing never stopped under Biden. The data shows this, Biden removed more illegal immigrants from the US in his first two years than Trump removed in his first *term*. Even with all his ICE goonsquad bullshit, Trump isn't on track to remove more people than Biden.
Third, this whole idea that people are coming here illegally and just soaking up welfare and not actually contributing is just straight up false. Both because you must have an SSN to even apply for federal welfare programs, which illegal immigrants won't have (and most won't try to fraud it because it's an easy way to get caught and deported), and because our welfare state isn't comprehensive. Nobody is getting a free ride just because they get food stamps and Medicaid. Our cost of living is high enough that that simply isn't possible. These people work, even the ones who entered illegally. They're paying INTO the system through sales taxes, property taxes, and even payroll taxes for the ones hired illegally by hotels/meatpackers/etc. Reagan's welfare queen stereotype doesn't actually exist. The (real) person he was describing was committing actual fraud, not just collecting welfare she was legally entitled to, and was tried and convicted of fraud for doing so.
I'll leave it at this. If you want to stop illegal immigration, remove country caps for green cards. Anybody who wants to come here and has no criminal record in their own country, here, or INTERPOL can come and receive a 5 year temporary resident status that allows them to work, renewable as often as they want. After 10 years of residence, they can choose to naturalize. People don't come here for our shitty welfare system. They come here because they want to work and build better lives for themselves. Let them, that's what makes America great.
Mind-boggling to see so many people opposing their own government policing their own country's borders. A country without borders is a country without laws, and a country without laws is no country at all.
The mind-boggling part is more that people support denying judges' orders, kidnapping people that are legally in a country, arresting people at naturalization events.
Why are you ignoring that?
Please stick to facts.
1, When a partisan Judge issues a ridiculous ruling it is appealed. That is not ignoring.
2, There is no kidnapping, people are arrested and there is a reason.
3, The people arrested at naturalization events have typically given years to deport and the system let them ignore it. The law is now being enforced.
If we are going to talk lawlessness let’s talk about an administration that’s is pissing all over the constitution. They ignore judicial ruling they do not like. The President has been found guilty of multiple crimes in a court of law. We have robbed AMERICAN CITIZENS of due process.
The President has such small “hands” that he has to have EVERYTHING named after him, yet peol like howled the first time a public school...
If we are going to talk lawlessness let’s talk about an administration that’s is pissing all over the constitution. They ignore judicial ruling they do not like. The President has been found guilty of multiple crimes in a court of law. We have robbed AMERICAN CITIZENS of due process.
The President has such small “hands” that he has to have EVERYTHING named after him, yet peol like howled the first time a public school was named after Obama.
But, yes, the immigrants stubbing your toilets, mowing your lawn, caring for your snot-nosed little brats and building the infrastructure that enables us to enjoy the American lifestyle are the problem.
The gaslighting has to stop. You’re fooling no one. All you are doing is fanning the flames of racism and intolerance.
VladG... huh, a name with Slavic origin. Look no further than Putin's Russia for examples of 'rule by law' not 'rule of law'... the law there being whatever Putin says it is.
Thanks to the others for already addressing your comment.
Are they going to rebrand as NAZIAIR. after what we saw in Minneapolis it’s fascism. Vance Trump miller and their cronies are protecting murderers. The US government is our foe. And Greenland is not for sale.
How can an airline ever 'sell' an aircraft which it doesn't own (i.e. it's leased)?
Ironically I just read about Avelo Airline's predicament last night.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/avelo-airlines-ice-air-no-more_n_695fdd28e4b05f1e1aabf80b?origin=home-latest-news-unit
Their business, brand, and executives all deserve to suffer for the rest of their careers. Aiding and abetting clearly illegal, humiliating, obvious-harm-done actions against helpless people puts them in the same category as nazi collaborators.
Speaking as a child of Holocaust survivors your comment calling law enforcement nazis is obscene. You obviously know nothing about the nazi and concentration camp experience. People arrested for cause, given 3 meals a day, medical care and a seat on a flight is not what the nazis did.
Moe, you should recall, there were many steps along the way to that and other horrific genocides. It is not disrespectful to remember the signs so that we actually mean it when we say ‘never again.’ Many of us have family and ancestors who we honor today by reminding others of the past, rather than staying silent about it.
Reading this from the other side of the Atlantic I’m partly bemused, but mostly horrified, at the hate and division on a travel blog website! No one wins from this much hate and anger. I hope you could all take a step back and remember you’re fellow citizens but I expect I’ll be yelled at for having any opinion.
Is it any different with us in Europe?
@Nikojas
It's difficult when one side believes everyone should be treated equally and humanely under the law while the other side is posting literal Nazi ethnostate propaganda from *government* social media and literally black-bagging people off the street just because they look Hispanic. There's no room for compromise here. People on the right, especially the "Don't Tread on Me" 2A crowd are literally cheering on the murder of a mother by a government agent...
@Nikojas
It's difficult when one side believes everyone should be treated equally and humanely under the law while the other side is posting literal Nazi ethnostate propaganda from *government* social media and literally black-bagging people off the street just because they look Hispanic. There's no room for compromise here. People on the right, especially the "Don't Tread on Me" 2A crowd are literally cheering on the murder of a mother by a government agent with a history of reckless and stupid conduct. They have no values. They have no principles. They treat politics like they treat football, but real people are being hurt and killed by the lawlessness *they* enabled.
Per Enliria, Avelo is exiting almost 10 airports in the near term, including PUJ and CUN. I guess their small town flying strategy is not working.
I think the writing is on the wall here. Hope I'm wrong.
Avelo's inaugural flight was in April 2021... what a time to *start* an airline (middle of pandemic). Of course, while they started out of Burbank, California, they're HQ is Houston, Texas (because, tax avoidance, obviously.) Then, they opened a base in Connecticut (ah, another 'blue' state.) And, so on and so forth (MCO, ILM, RDU, LAS, etc.) They were not inherently 'political,' other than having a Spanish-sounding name ('ave' is bird, 'velo' is fast... fast...
Avelo's inaugural flight was in April 2021... what a time to *start* an airline (middle of pandemic). Of course, while they started out of Burbank, California, they're HQ is Houston, Texas (because, tax avoidance, obviously.) Then, they opened a base in Connecticut (ah, another 'blue' state.) And, so on and so forth (MCO, ILM, RDU, LAS, etc.) They were not inherently 'political,' other than having a Spanish-sounding name ('ave' is bird, 'velo' is fast... fast bird?). Yet, it wasn't until April 2025 that they signed this ICE charter agreement; was that opportunism? Seems to have been a bad bet on public sentiment, and economics. They're technically still flying for ICE, as the end date is January 27, 2026. They've ordered 50 195-E2s (nice), deliveries expected 2027, if they survive. Wonder if they can pivot without a name-change. I much prefer 195s with 2-2 seating.
According to one report, Avelo was actually just a subcontractor for CSI Aviation, whose corporate director was one of President Donald Trump’s “fake electors” in New Mexico, and was awarded a no-bid contract for $128 million.
https://azmirror.com/briefs/avelo-airlines-withdraws-from-ice-deportation-operations-closes-mesa-gateway-base/
Follow. The. Money.
So now that “Air ICE” is flying the planes themselves, they’ll be serving bullets to the head instead of coffee.
They’re certainly not there “primarily for [anyone’s] safety.”
Avelo is absolutely pro - and pro - legal immigration. We cannot go back to the previous administration's lawlessness of open border and its political motive similar to a dictatorship regime. America is much safer and stronger country than ever before. I'm a legal immigrant from a repressive, communist regime in Asia, and nobody can tell me that I'm anti-inmigration. There are still people can't see the distinction, and mmigration has to be handled in...
Avelo is absolutely pro - and pro - legal immigration. We cannot go back to the previous administration's lawlessness of open border and its political motive similar to a dictatorship regime. America is much safer and stronger country than ever before. I'm a legal immigrant from a repressive, communist regime in Asia, and nobody can tell me that I'm anti-inmigration. There are still people can't see the distinction, and mmigration has to be handled in a legal channel so that everyone has a fair chance to apply legally. I will definitely put my $ to support flying Avelo as much as possible, as long as they are in business.
I suppose the lawlessness of federal agents gunning down American citizens on the street is preferable to you. I suppose throwing people in cases where they have to live in their own excrement is preferable to you. I guess America reneging on its promise of protected status to people fleeing regimes like you came from is preferable to you.
Funny how you got in and now that you’re here you have no problem turning...
I suppose the lawlessness of federal agents gunning down American citizens on the street is preferable to you. I suppose throwing people in cases where they have to live in their own excrement is preferable to you. I guess America reneging on its promise of protected status to people fleeing regimes like you came from is preferable to you.
Funny how you got in and now that you’re here you have no problem turning your back on others. Seems you are acclimating well to a certain kind of American culture and have forgotten where you came from.
@Darlene D
The borders were never "open". You bought the snake oil from a well known con artist. And while he's decorating his ballroom, Stephen Miller is going to decide that you need to go too because you aren't white.
Well, let us know when this administration starts legally enforcing immigration law, because that's not what is happening. People who are going through the legal process are being kidnapped outside of courthouses while appearing for immigration hearings.
Karma!
Any business that enables ripping families apart, punishment without due process and death doesn’t even deserve the paper I wipe my ass on.
Mhm. Just a reminder: Avelo's largest shareholder is Morgan Stanley.
What people don't know about ICE flying is that it isn't lucrative or high margin. You don't make much money off of it, but money can be made nonetheless. You can also lose a ton of money if you can't run a reliable operation. A controllable delay leads to fines in the form of partial loss of payment with an obligation to complete the flight anyway. Cancel the flight, oh boy is it going to...
What people don't know about ICE flying is that it isn't lucrative or high margin. You don't make much money off of it, but money can be made nonetheless. You can also lose a ton of money if you can't run a reliable operation. A controllable delay leads to fines in the form of partial loss of payment with an obligation to complete the flight anyway. Cancel the flight, oh boy is it going to hurt. Not to mention the cost of damage to the interior of the planes. Seat covers torn, armrests broken, seat pockets ripped off.
"A controllable delay leads to fines in the form of partial loss of payment with an obligation to complete the flight anyway." Wild, so there's an EU-261 compensation scheme for that contract, but, only regular passenger flights, we basically can 'pound sand' because the airline lobby convinced our elected officials to screw us over. "Great" again.../s
I think a lot of their potential customer base would find this practice is quite objectionable, in particular I’m thinking of the New Haven and Wilmington areas. Speaking personally, I’ve never flown with them. (they don’t serve my home airport) and now that I’ve seen this, I have no plans to do so.
Certainly the case for New Haven, CT; but, Wilmington, NC is mixed (yes, for the state of NC, and the South, generally, ILM is less conservative, more moderate, but, still, it's a suburban blue dot in a mostly under-developed sea of red.)
Ever since Dobbs and even more so since Trump 2.0, there's been a steady brain-drain from red and purple states to blue cities and states, especially the young, educated-types. Those folks don't...
Certainly the case for New Haven, CT; but, Wilmington, NC is mixed (yes, for the state of NC, and the South, generally, ILM is less conservative, more moderate, but, still, it's a suburban blue dot in a mostly under-developed sea of red.)
Ever since Dobbs and even more so since Trump 2.0, there's been a steady brain-drain from red and purple states to blue cities and states, especially the young, educated-types. Those folks don't usually support draconian, anti-immigrant policies. They're mostly tolerant, welcoming of others. It's not just an American phenomena; globally, the young and educated tend to move to cities, where there is more cultural exchange and economic opportunity, usually. There's a growing divide... Let's see how this all turns out, shall we?
Is America great again yet?
Asking for the trumptards, Epstein supporters, Zionist extremists and those who get joy in executing their own citizens in public in Minneapolis.
Greatest than ever!!!
BZ, as MarkG just showed, I think about 1/3rd of the country is pretty much lost; that's His base; they feast on the cruelty; Hillary was right, there is indeed a basket of deplorables. We should not be fearful in calling it what it is; it's fascism; scapegoating to obtain, keep power; we're approaching increasing state-imposed violence against citizens.
Now, there's still hope for the other 2/3rds, but, for the most part, 1/3 has been...
BZ, as MarkG just showed, I think about 1/3rd of the country is pretty much lost; that's His base; they feast on the cruelty; Hillary was right, there is indeed a basket of deplorables. We should not be fearful in calling it what it is; it's fascism; scapegoating to obtain, keep power; we're approaching increasing state-imposed violence against citizens.
Now, there's still hope for the other 2/3rds, but, for the most part, 1/3 has been complicit in their complacency (maybe they're just afraid, or indifferent, or working hard and cannot focus on all this). It's probably gonna take real horrors like yesterday's preventable tragedy to wake more folks up. The economy isn't getting any better either; healthcare is a real issue for most of us. 298 days until midterms.
Agree, except you say “we’re approaching increasing state-imposed violence against citizens”. Guess what? We’re there, i.e. Minneapolis yesterday. What horrors will follow?
To keep this Blog aviation-themed, I take pleasure in watching in real-time Avelo’s ongoing demise and eventual death.
And maybe MarkG merely forgot the /s
If you wanna see the real hate-filled folks, see my first comment below, wherein the replies, commenters like Retired Gambler celebrate violence by our government against its citizens. Disturbing.
Anytime a company gets involved with something as controversial and as divisive as the trump regime and ICE..... gosh what a bone headed move in the first place, may they reap the fruits of a really bad idea.
Exactly. Be more like Costco (kept its DEI policies), less like Target, United. Stay true to your values. Don't 'sway with the wind' and appease fascists. The short-term gains aren't worth it. Shameful.
Love anything that supports ICE if that is in fact what this is
Ah, you're 'one of the good ones' and the 'leopards won't eat YOUR face'... no worries about a paramilitary that murders American citizens because they think they can get away with it.
You are so dumb you can't even figure out if this is something you agree with or not. You need Daddy Trump to tell you what to think about this?
I'm tell you, TrumpGambit, to buy my crypto currency. Do what daddy tells you!
Avelo lost me as a potential passenger forever when they started doing human deportation as a revenue stream. So symptomatic of the times we are living in.
May they be in Chapter 7 sooner rather than later.
Amen. Liquidate them!
ICE? You mean the folks that used excessive force to summarily execute that white woman in Minneapolis? Awful.
Our government murdered an *American* citizen for no good reason.
Aside from the whole "disobeying law enforcement and trying to run them over" thing. No good reason though. Just FAFO coming true again. And Darwin approves.
stogieguy7, see the video, clearly not trying to run over anyone; excessive use of deadly force by the officer(s), who should be charged and face accountability, as did disgraced officers Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, in that separate, but similar instance of excessive use of deadly force, in the same city years before, lest we forget.
Ah I see, when they don’t comply with the snowflakes on Trump’s goon squad they deserved to be murdered. But when they are at the front of an angry mob trying to break through doors at the Capitol with only one cop on the other side like Ashley Babbitt, they are a martyr.
And here's the thing, chasgoose, Renee Nicole Good didn't deserve to die, and Ashli didn't deserve to die, either. Different situations, but neither should've been killed.
Likewise, it is sad and ironic that Trump and his supporters still claim to support law enforcement, yet, they literally harmed(five officers died, 150 were injured) and still defame those officers that bravely tried to defend the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
No, and I agree that no one should be extrajudicially murdered (or judicially murdered actually). All I’m saying is that the cop that murdered Babbitt had a much more reasonable fear for his safety than the ICE goon who murdered Good. Like one was at the front of a violent mob trying to break down a door separating the mob from the cop, and the other was dealing with conflicting orders and an altogether bad...
No, and I agree that no one should be extrajudicially murdered (or judicially murdered actually). All I’m saying is that the cop that murdered Babbitt had a much more reasonable fear for his safety than the ICE goon who murdered Good. Like one was at the front of a violent mob trying to break down a door separating the mob from the cop, and the other was dealing with conflicting orders and an altogether bad situation and trying to extricate herself from it.
Also, I don’t think the cop who killed Babbitt was looking for a reason to shoot his gun, whereas the goon who murdered Good definitely was.
chasgoose, that's a fair analysis. These are indeed different situations. However, I'm not going to celebrate either death, nor should any of us. Each is a failure, individually and collectively, as a society.
The fact that the victim's name is literally 'Good' is wild irony. 'ICE killed Good.' Multiple meanings and interpretations there. Can't make this stuff up.
You mean the woman who was trying to murder the ICE officer directly in front of her with her car? And actually hit the officer, who drew his weapon only when she changed from reverse to drive and hit the gas? And all this is captured on video that disproves your lying gaslighting attempt?
Zed, re-watch the videos; officer not in her way, did not get hit, easily moved away, decided to kill her anyway. It was an extrajudicial summary execution. Folks will not let this one go. There must be accountability.
@Zed
SCOTUS ruled in Barnes v. Felix in May last year that cops can't place themselves in front of a motor vehicle and then claim they feared for their life as an excuse to shoot the driver. Both DOJ/DHS and most municipal law enforcement standing policy is that lethal force is *not* justified to stop and apprehend the driver of a motor vehicle. But this dumb ICEtrooper got out of his truck and did...
@Zed
SCOTUS ruled in Barnes v. Felix in May last year that cops can't place themselves in front of a motor vehicle and then claim they feared for their life as an excuse to shoot the driver. Both DOJ/DHS and most municipal law enforcement standing policy is that lethal force is *not* justified to stop and apprehend the driver of a motor vehicle. But this dumb ICEtrooper got out of his truck and did exactly that. His recklessness and stupidity resulted in Renee's murder.
All protestors should be jailed. Also they risk getting shot when they interfere with armed agents. Sorry no sympathy. I call it a good start
Gambler, no, frankly that’s an un-American hot-take you got there.
1st Amendment protects both the right to assemble, free speech, even if you disagree with them.