Avelo Faces Backlash Over ICE Deportation Flights
US low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines is confronting significant public criticism following its recent agreement with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate federal deportation flights. The controversial arrangement, scheduled to begin in May 2025, will see Avelo deploying three Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona to support ICE’s deportation efforts, a decision that has stirred heated debate across communities and advocacy groups. The flights are part of a broader strategy under the Trump administration’s immigration policy, aimed at tightening controls by halting entry at the southern border and increasing interior enforcement measures.
Avelo has communicated to Fox News that its new charter flights will commence on May 12, 2025, and will operate both domestically and internationally from Mesa Gateway Airport. The airline’s spokesperson stressed that the decision to engage in charter operations for ICE was reached after extensive deliberations. “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,” said CEO Andrew Levy in a statement provided to Fox News. He added that the airline views these operations as necessary to stabilize its financial performance and support the expansion of its core scheduled passenger services. Levy emphasized that the additional revenue from these charter flights is crucial to maintaining employment for the airline’s more than 1,100 crewmembers over the coming years.
However, the decision has provoked widespread outrage among critics, who argue that the flights embody “cruel deportation practices.” An internal memo, which has since been leaked, alleges that the deportation flights are intended to offset operating losses at Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut, Avelo’s largest East Coast hub. According to the memo, these flights are effectively being used to fund the airport in New Haven, prompting strong reactions from local advocacy groups. The New Haven Immigrants Coalition, which champions immigrant rights in the region, has launched a petition on Change.org urging a boycott of Avelo Airlines until it ceases plans to operate the deportation flights. The petition, now signed by more than 3,400 people, contends that such flights transport vulnerable individuals, including children and women, out of the country without due process, and criticizes the decision as inhumane and dangerous.
Critics argue that the arrangement not only aligns Avelo with highly contentious immigration policies but also risks tarnishing its reputation among passengers and the broader public. The coalition’s petition claims that Trump’s immigration measures have far-reaching consequences that run counter to the values of compassion and fairness, stating, “These flights are inhumane, dangerous, and, in some cases, illegal.” Such strong language underscores the deep divisions the decision has caused, as many see the partnership with ICE as a betrayal of the carrier’s responsibilities toward its customers and the communities it serves.
The controversy comes at a time when Avelo is actively expanding its service network and increasing its fleet. The airline’s decision to support ICE operations is seen by its management as a pragmatic move to secure financial stability and future growth. However, the backlash from advocacy groups and public critics poses a significant reputational risk. As the debate intensifies, Avelo faces the challenge of balancing its commercial objectives with the expectations of a socially conscious marketplace, highlighting the complex interplay between business decisions and public policy in today’s politically charged environment.
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