Avelo Airlines Opens New Orlando Base With Ultra-Low Introductory Fares
Nascent low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines celebrated the opening of its third U.S. base today at Orlando International Airport (MCO), along with the promise of new connections and employment opportunities, as well as a substantial economic impact to be made in the area.
In conjunction with the new hub’s opening, Avelo is also launching two new nonstop routes from Orlando and increasing the frequency of direct service to its primary base in New Haven, Connecticut. Introductory one-way fares for both routes are on offer for as low as $59.
“We’re excited to make Orlando a big center of gravity,” Avelo CEO Andrew Levy told USA Today in an interview. “There’s a lot of opportunity to add service in and out of Orlando to markets that are not being served either at all or adequately today.”
To start, Avelo will operate a trio of Boeing 737s from Orlando, with roughly 10 pilots and 15 flight attendants assigned to each plane. Levy explained that having equipment, aircraft and crew members based in Orlando will ensure more reliable service from the major metropolitan airport and enable Avelo to serve more destinations from the Central Florida hotspot.
“It’s such a massively popular destination,” Levy said. “It’s incredible the demand that there is to fly in and out of central Florida, and it’s really year-round.”
Initially, Avelo’s presence in Orlando will enable it to provide nonstop service to three prominent destinations.
— New Haven, Connecticut – Avelo has offered daily service between MCO and Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN) since November 2021. With today’s opening of its Orlando hub, the carrier is expanding this route to up to three flights daily. * Introductory one-way fares start at $69.
— Washington, D.C. – Seasonal service, running five days per week, between Orlando and Washington D.C.’s Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) starts today and runs through August 21, 2022. *Introductory one-way fares start at $59*.
— Wilmington, North Carolina – Beginning Friday, seasonal service between Orlando Wilmington International Airport (ILM) will operate three days per week through November 9, 2022. * Introductory one-way fares start at $59.
In a statement, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Chief Executive Officer Kevin Thibault said, “Orlando International Airport prides itself on offering the traveling public options in both airlines and destinations. What we’re getting with Avelo is even more than a new connection between Central Florida and Baltimore. It is an additional access point for business to the popular northeast corridor from our region.”
Avelo also has plenty of future plans for its expanding operations in Orlando. Over the next year, the airline intends to grow its nonstop service offerings from MCO to 15 destinations. And, by 2027, Avelo anticipates it’ll be serving 50 nonstop destinations using 10 aircraft based at MCO.
Levy revealed, “Above and beyond that we’re going to be moving our pilot and flight attendant training into the Orlando region.” Avelo’s pilot training is presently based in Dallas, while its flight attendant training takes place in Miami, but the carrier plans to move airline-wide Pilot and Flight Attendant training programs to Orlando at a new state-of-the-art facility, which is slated for completion by Spring 2023.