Budget airline that took ICE deportation flight contract shuts down West Coast operations

A budget airline that contracted with ICE to launch deportation flights has shut down its West Coast operations, citing financial difficulties.

Avelo Airlines, which sparked controversy and boycotts of its service earlier this year over the agreement, will end flights in California, Oregon, Washington and Montana, with some services stopping as soon as August.

“Avelo Airlines will be ending service from several West Coast airports next month and later this year,” CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement, shared with various outlets. “This includes our original base at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR).”

Some flights will end starting from August 10, with others, including those to Eugene, Oregon, and Burbank, California, ending at the beginning of December.

Levy added that the company plans to focus on its East Coast operations. “There is rarely one singular reason why decisions like this are made, and this one is no different,” he said.

“We believe the continuation of service from [Burbank] in the current operating environment will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop.”

The Independent has reached out to the airline for more information about the affected routes.

Avelo received backlash in May after it launched federal deportation flights from Arizona, with three Boeing 737-800s being chartered for deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport near Phoenix.

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At the time, the move drew sharp criticism, including from the union representing its flight attendants, and sparked an online petition calling for a boycott of the airline.

“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,” Levy said in a statement at the time.

Avelo was launched in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, following a rebrand – having previously operated as Casino Express Airlines. The airline generally operates older, more affordable Boeing 737 jets and utilizes less congested, cost-effective secondary airports.

The airline focuses on routes overlooked by larger carriers and reported its first profitable quarter in late 2023.