Avelo Begins Deportation Flights from Arizona

Avelo Airlines began conducting deportation flights out of Mesa Gateway Airport near Phoenix, Arizona, on contract with the Department of Homeland Security.

Deportation flights are usually done by charter airlines GlobalX and Eastern Air Express through air broker CSI Aviation, not retail consumer airlines like Avelo.

Avelo started in 2021, just the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic when air travel was still struggling. It flies mostly older Boeing 737 jets out of secondary airports on routes not well served by large carriers. It achieved its first profitable quarter in late 2023.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the labor union for Avelo’s flight attendance, raised the issue of emergencies during a deportation flight. In a statement, the union said, “Having an entire flight of people handcuffed and shackled would hinder any evacuation and risk injury or death. It also impedes our ability to respond to a medical emergency, fire on board, decompression, etc. We cannot do our jobs in these conditions.” Federal standards call for emergency evacuation of a commercial aircraft to be done in 90 seconds or less.

Avelo announced its deal with DHS in early April 2025. Although the airline is now making deportation flights and collecting revenue for them, places where it operates are now subject to repeated protests. An online campaign has begun, calling for people to boycott the airline.

New York and Connecticut state legislatures are considering withdrawing incentives they offered Avelo to get them to offer services in those states. In Delaware, Avelo is the only airline offering commercial services. Governor Matt Meyer (D-DE) says he and his family are personally joining the boycott of the airline.

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