Avelo Airlines contracted to start charter deportation flights for ICE May 12. Already scheduled?????? [View all]

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/04/07/avelo-airlines-to-provide-deportation-flights-for-ice/82980935007/

(FYI, Indivisible had a protest of Avelo yesterday at Hollywood Burbank Airport.)

Budget carrier Avelo Airlines, which served Redding before pulling out last year, will start deportation flights for the U.S. government next month.

The company announced it has signed an agreement to provide charter flights for the U.S. Homeland Security’s Immigration Control and Enforcement.

The charters will be based at the Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona, and Avelo will use three 737-800s to operate the flights, the company said. The 737-800 can seat from 162 to 189 passengers depending on how it is configured.

Avelo spokeswoman Madison Jones said the flights are scheduled to start May 12.

“Flights will be both domestic and international to support the Department’s deportation efforts,” she wrote in an email.

“With this, Avelo will open a base at AZA with Avelo pilots, flight attendants and aircraft technicians, as well as appropriate local leaders. We expect to begin hiring locally for these positions immediately. Current Avelo Crewmembers (employees) will have the first option to transfer to our new AZA base,” she added.

In a statement, Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy said:

“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.”

At least one community where Avelo serves is concerned about the news.

More at link.