The carrier will operate deportation flights from Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport.
An Avelo Boeing 737-800 (Photo: Shutterstock | Edgardo M Moya)
Despite a boycott of the airline that collected nearly 40,000 signatures, Avelo began deportation flights this week. The ultra-low-cost carrier – which began operations in 2021 – announced a new contract with the Department of Homeland Security last month.
In a statement to AirlineGeeks on Monday, a spokesperson from Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Avelo did begin charter flights for the agency on Monday. An Avelo spokesperson referred questions to DHS.
“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 crewmembers employed for years to come,” Avelo founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in an April statement.
He noted: “We also flew these charters under the Biden administration. Regardless of the administration or party affiliation, as a U.S. flag carrier, when our country calls and requests assistance, our practice is to say ‘yes.’ We follow all protocols from DHS and FAA, honoring our core value of Safety Always.”
As part of its ICE contract, Avelo has opened a crew base at Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport. Three Boeing 737-800s will be stationed at the airport, along with pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics.
According to Flightradar24 tracking data, the first aircraft to begin flights for ICE is registered as N801XT. It flew a round-trip from Phoenix/Mesa to Alexandria, Louisiana, on Monday, which is a staging facility for the agency.
An airport spokesperson told the Arizona Republic that the 737s were painted white rather than Avelo’s usual livery.
An Avelo Boeing 737 aircraft (Photo: Avelo Airlines)
Avelo’s decision to operate departure flights has triggered backlash. Not only have thousands vowed to boycott the airline, but lawmakers have called the decision unethical.
New Haven, Connecticut, is one of Avelo’s largest stations. The city’s Democratic Mayor Justin Elicker recently pushed Levy to reconsider the contract.
“Avelo Airlines’ decision to charter deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona is deeply disappointing and disturbing. For a company that champions themselves as ‘New Haven’s hometown airline,’ this business decision in antithetical to New Haven’s values,” Elicker said in a statement to ABC 15.
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